LEISTON 3 HARROW BORO 0

Steve Baker reverted to his Portsmouth starting eleven, with the exception of a fit again Ben Tricker replacing Shaun Preddie, who was on the bench. The damp pitch caused several players to slip in the early stages, but it was Harrow that started the brighter. However they were stunned after three minutes when a long ball found Ocran alone on the right wing. He ran into the penalty box, brushing off a challenge and shot across Strizovic into the far corner. This early goal probably determined the pattern for the rest of the game. Harrow pressed hard for the equaliser, while Leiston could defend their lead in depth and hope to hit Harrow on the break. And so it came to pass.

Ewington got his foot to a poor back pass, but the ball ran out for a goal kick. Cole failed to control a blocked rebound in the penalty area and couldn`t get a shot away. In the 28th minute a flowing move from Ewington to Moore, saw the winger place a delicious cross to the far post, where the inrushing Keita could only put the ball in the net with the help of his arm, earning himself a yellow card. Bryan had a couple of runs on the left wing, one of which saw him tripped on the edge of the penalty area. Harrow were having nearly all of the possession, but the final ball failed to find their man or their shots were blocked. Meanwhile, Leiston had another great chance when Barnes was left clear on the right, but his shot was saved by Strizovic at the near post.

The second half continued the pattern of the first half. Bryan had a mazy run and from the clearance, Cole`s shot was saved at the near post. Donkin in the Leiston goal had a race to the ball with Keita outside the area and just got there first. Moore had a fierce shot saved, but the ball came back to him and this time his shot was blocked. In the same attack, Tricker`s cross/shot was tipped over the bar by Donkin. Leiston doubled their lead on 60 minutes. From a throw in on the right, the ball was crossed into the Harrow penalty area, where it bounced around until falling to Davies, who gave Strizovic no chance. Harrow continued to press. A trademark corner saw Taylor glance the ball to the far post, where Ewington blasted the ball over the bar from a yard out. A Moore shot went just wide of the far post. Leiston thought they had scored again through Davies, but he was offside. There was mayhem in the Leiston area when a Harrow attack reached the right goaline. The ball was crossed to the penalty spot, where Otudeko promptly fell over as it reached him. The ball continued to the edge of the area, where Ozobia hit a fierce shot. This was blocked, but the ball fell to Ewington, who again skied over. It was not his afternoon.

Leiston were gifted their third goal on 83 minutes, when a poor throw out from Strizovic was intercepted and the ball was passed to Davies, who scored from close range. On another day, Harrow`s domination of possession would have produced a different result and they created enough chances to have won the match. After an exciting period of cup action, Harrow “return to the grind” of the League on Tuesday, with a visit by Metropolitan Police.

LEISTON: Sam Donkin, Joe Marsden, Seb Dunbar, Ollie Saunders, Siju Odulesi, Jake Hutchings, Finlay Barnes (booked, 61 mins), Brendon Ocran, Will Davies ( sub George Quantrell, 85 mins), Dylan Switters (sub Ben Hunter, 78 mins), Adam Mills (sub Robert Eagle, 74 mins). Unused sub: Adam Bailey-Dennis.

HARROW BOROUGH: Josh Strizovic, Samuel Adenola, James Taylor (booked, 86 mins), James Mansfield, Ben Tricker, Leo Donnellan (sub by Dernell Wynter, 66 mins), George Moore (sub by Kunle Otudeko, 66 mins), Lewis Cole (booked, 69 mins; sub David Ozobia, 71 mins), James Ewington, Frank Keita (booked, 28 mins), Michael Bryan (booked, 90 mins). Unused subs: Shaun Preddie, Ahmet Biler.

Referee: Mr A.George

Att. 184

by Richard Dyett