Weston-super-Mare 7-0 Harrow Borough

Harrow got a severe drubbing, not for the first time on a trip to Somerset, but a huge factor in the defeat was the truly woeful performance in the first twelve minutes of referee Philip Staynings, who first gave a penalty that was never one in a hundred years, before sending off Shaun Preddie for a tackle that gave away another penalty, but which in no way looked like a deliberate downing of an opponent. The game was finished as a contest at that point and, alas, things went from bad to worse.

However, there were two marvellous things to celebrate for Harrow’s travelling support prior to the game. The first was the happy sight of Steve Baker back at the helm, as he recovers from his illnesses; and the second was the return to the Borough ranks of Imran Uche. With James Taylor absent because of concussion protocols following his injury last Saturday, Uche lined up alongside Shaun Preddie in central defence. There were debuts too for two new signings, Joseph Lawal supporting James Ewington from the left flank, and Sam Alderson in a midfield role. Despite the defeat, both showed that they are positive additions to a squad that, frankly, has not hitherto looked strong enough so far this campaign.

George Moore was also back in the starting line-up, and he whistled a shot past Harris’s right-hand upright as the game began. But, on five minutes, Mr Staynings made his first, drastically wrong, intervention. Reid got through on goal but was stopped by a magnificent tackle by Uche, the change in the ball’s course clearly visible even from the other end of the pitch. However, Mr Staynings saw things differently and gave a penalty. Up stepped Grubb to lash the ball past Jacob Knightbridge.

Knightbridge saved from Bastin who’d got through on the right, and Tunnicliff shot wide, before the hapless Mr Staynings made another key decision, and another wrong one, in the 12th minute. Shaun Preddie tackled a Weston-super-Mare forward and left his leg dangling. The home forward didn’t need to be asked twice to go over it, and this time a penalty was the correct award. The referee produced a straight red card for the Harrow skipper, which incidentally was a decision that the referee’s assessor confirmed at half-time should have been a yellow. He was also of the opinion that the first penalty was a clean tackle, so it will be interesting to see where Mr Staynings next game will be. As for the penalty, Grubb placed it low to Knightbridge’s right.

Tunnicliff made a good challenge to stop Lawal as he moved onto Moore’s pass, and Michael Bryan’s cross from the right was just too high for a stretching Ewington at the far post. Uche found Alderson whose effort from a very tight angle flew across the goal, but this Harrow resurgence, showing lots of character, was stopped in the 28th minute as the Seagulls constructed a very clever move that ended with Grubb back-heeling the ball to Dodd, who thumped the ball in to make it 3-0.

Reid turned to shoot over, and Grubb played in Jackson who put the ball past the near post as Knightbridge came out to him. Bryan, for Harrow, and Bastin, for Weston, both curled efforts off target before Harrow had a golden chance to get one back as Ewington moved onto a deflected pass and bore down on Harris’s goal. Last season’s top scorer has been starved of opportunities so far this season, and it showed as he hesitated, tried to take the ball round Harris but was stopped by a fine save from the home keeper. Harris then saved low down from a Lawal flick from an Alderson corner, but the half ended with a superb double-save from Knightbridge, who then dived full-length to his left to turn away Jackson’s shot.

Just to add to Harrow supporters’ unhappiness, the Weston pitch-watering system came on at half-time and the section of it intended for the goal Harrow would be attacking in the second half was clearly misaligned, for the visiting supporters who had made their way behind the goal got a good soaking. So much for not wasting water at the moment!

Knightbridge made an early save from Jackson as the second half got underway, and then kept out an effort from Reid. But he was beaten in the 55th minute as Grubb’s clever pass found Jackson who wrong-footed the Harrow keeper.

At four-down and a man down, the game was clearly lost, and Baker withdrew Ewington, Moore and Lawal, probably with an eye on Monday’s game with Hayes & Yeading United. But the effect of doing so in this game was to invite more home pressure. Knightbridge turned over Reid’s shot, and Dodd fired over. Dodd fired another effort wide, Murray was foiled by Knightbridge, but a fifth goal arrived in the 77th minute. Jaden Sharman was off the field having received treatment so Harrow were temporarily down to nine men, and a deep corner was headed in off the bar by Griffith. At this point the floodgates opened as goals six and seven arrived in the next two minutes. Humphries’s long ball downfield enticed Knightbridge out of his box, but he was beaten to it by Griffith who headed over him and in. The seventh came moments later after Murray went past Sharman and Ahmet Biler on the right before laying the ball to Watts, who beat Knightbridge with an angled shot.

Knightbridge, a hero despite conceding seven, kept out a late Jackson effort before a punishing afternoon ended. Harrow need to regroup mightily quickly as they entertain another of the highly-fancied sides, Hayes & Yeading United, this Monday at The Rogers Family Stadium.

Harrow Borough:
Jacob Knightbridge , Taishan Griffith, Jaden Sharman (booked, 31 mins), Shaun Preddie (sent off, 12 mins), Imran Uche, Billy Leonard, George Moore (sub 16, 64 mins), Sam Alderson, James Ewington (sub 14, 54 mins), Michael Bryan, Joseph Lawal (sub 17, 58 mins),
Subs: Kevin Songolo (not used), Montel Brown (on for 9, 54 mins), Josh Williams (not used), Lanre Ladipo (on for 7, 64 mins), Ahmet Biler (on for 11, 58 mins).

Weston-super-Mare
Max Harris, Kieran Thomas (sub 7, 58 mins), Will Tunnicliff, Jacob Jagger Cane, Lloyd Humphries , Taylor Jones (booked, 26 mins), Reuben Reid (sub 12, 69 mins), James Dodd (booked, 47 mins), Marlon Jackson , Dayle Grubb, Jordan Bastin (sub 14, 60 mins)
Subs: Ben Griffith (on for 19, 69 mins), Elis Watts (on for 11, 60 mins), Sam Avery (not used), Jay Murray (on for 2, 58 mins), Luke Purnell (not used).

Referee: Mr P Staynings
Attendance: 701

by Simon Grigor