Defending Middlesex Charity Cup holders Harrow Borough began their defence of the trophy on Tuesday night by defeating Southern League Uxbridge 3-2 in a game which swung one way and then the other and then back again and if you want to see goals go and watch Harrow Borough play, as this five goal thriller took the total to 28 in their last five games.
Though there were several changes from Saturday’s game, Harrow manager David Howell still put out a strong side for this fixture and was rewarded by a strong and positive start by his team, who forced Uxbridge back on their heels in the early going. Harrow got their reward in the ninth minute, from a free kick after Onochie was fouled. Though the initial free kick went over the heads of the intended targets and looked to be going out for a goal kick, it was well retrieved by James Bent who laid the ball back to David Idemudia. His cross found the head of Leech who found centre half Jamie Diston unmarked in the six yard box, Diston’s close range header gave the Uxbridge keeper no chance. The early lead gave Harrow the confidence to dominate most of the first half with the Uxbridge keeper having to make a smart save at the feet of Jonathon Constant and midfielders Danny Leech and Danny McGonigle both having several good efforts on goal. Of course the odd Uxbridge corner again highlighted Harrow’s continuing problems with defending set pieces and Uxbridge’s centre forward Mark Peters should have scored with his head in the 27th minute after being left unmarked. As the half came to a close, Uxbridge forced five corners and though they were all cleared with difficulty, Uxbridge marshalled by the experienced Mark Nicholls were coming much more into the game.
No doubt, the Borough team were reminded they were still in a game during the half time team talk and started the second half, as strongly as they did the first. After only a minute they forced a corner, which was only half cleared, when the ball was returned into the forest of legs in the area, it found the feet of Danny Leech. Leech controlled the ball but was knocked to the ground by a rash challenge from behind, referee Mr Mackey had no doubt it was a penalty. Elliot Onochie despatched the spot kick sending the keeper the wrong way. So after two minutes of the second half Harrow were two up and must have thought the game was over. Indeed for the next 25 minutes though Uxbridge dominated possession it did not look like they were going to score. Until the 72nd minute when Harrow conceded a free kick midway in their own half, the cross was floated in and two chances to clear the danger were squandered by the Borough defence before the ball rebounded to Uxbridge’s Mark Peters, who buried his hard drive into the top corner for 2-1. So when Uxbridge got another free kick in the 80th minute, there was every reason for Borough fans to start contemplating a further 30 minutes extra time. Sure enough, the free kick found a blue shirt unmarked at the far post and the header back across goal ran straight into the path of Ian Dickens, who made no mistake to tie the game at 2-2.
However, the present Harrow Borough team has great team spirit and never gives up until the final whistle blows. Though the momentum should have been totally with Uxbridge, it was Borough who suddenly took the game on and with 4 minutes left, Onochie created a great chance for Jonathon Constant, who shot straight at the keeper and extra time looked a certainty. But the Harrow midfield won the ball back immediately and a straight ball put James Bent through one on one with the keeper. Bent went confidently around the keeper and fired the ball home for his fifth goal in the last five games. There was still time for Uxbridge’s Nicholls to rattle the Borough’s cross bar in injury time but keeper Craig Nicholson got a slight touch on the shot to divert it on to the bar or we would have had to spend a further 30 freezing minutes at Earlsmead. Harrow Borough march on in their efforts to retain the trophy but will have to travel in the next round to Wingate & Finchley.

ATTENDANCE
93

HARROW
1 Craig Nicholson
2 Kai Williams
(Albert Adomah 58)
3 David Idemudia
4 Wayne Walters
5 Jamie Diston
6 Kwasi Frempong
7 James Bent
8 Daniel McGonigle
(Gary Meakin 58)
9 Elliot Onochie
10 Jonathan Constant
(Leon Morris 88)
11 Danny Leech

12 Gary Meakin
14 Albert Adomah
15 Leon Morris
16 Rami Dawod
17 Kieran Jimmy

UXBRIDGE
1 Rob Bullivant
2 Jason O’Connor
3 Neville Stamp
4 Jake Parsons
5 Billy Matthews
6 Dean Peltohaka
Lee Tunnell (63)
7 Ian Dickens
8 Ryan Spencer
9 Mark Peters
Ryan McIntosh (76)
10 Mark Nicholls
11 Danny Yeoman

12 Luke Evans
14 Ryan McIntosh
15 Nathan Smith
16 Lee Tunnell
17 Mark Weedon

by Brian Bigwood