Cray Wanderers 0 Harrow Boro 1

An early goal by Anthony Page, his first for the club, was enough to give Harrow their third consecutive away victory, though they conspired to make hard work of it, missing numerous chances to add a second and, latterly, hanging on against some Cray pressure.

Dave Anderson gave first league starts to David Taylor and Matt Cooper, while there was the welcome sight of Simeon Akinola back to fitness after his broken toe, and on the bench. Anthony Page was fit enough to take the place of Michael Peacock, whose midweek injury was confirmed as damaged ankle ligaments.

Against opponents already doomed to the drop, Borough began confidently and a neat one-two between Victor Osobu and Marc Charles-Smith saw the ball then run away from Osobu as he advanced on goal. Shaun Lucien then curled an outswinging effort, probably meant as a cross, but it cannoned off the foot of the far post having deceived Behcet in the home goal. Another exchange between Osubu and Charles-Smith set up Ola Williams for a side-foot effort from the edge of the area that Behcet turned over the bar. The resulting corner was taken by Lucien, a beautiful outwswinging delivery headed powerfully in by Page to give Harrow a 10th minute lead.

Page nearly had a second, Lucien’s free-kick just eluding him at the far post. Once again, Charles-Smith and Osobu combined on the left, Lucien mishitting the ensuing cross which allowed Behcet to dive to save. Charles-Smith then fired over from 20 yards after a good build-up involving Lucien and Taylor. Cooper’s lovely cross then found Debattista but he took one touch too many and was dispossessed.

Cray changed their shape in the 28th minute when midfielder Beckett got injured, bringing on Duane Ofori-Acheampong, statue-like for most of his time at Harrow but here showing a new-found mobility. Cray began to find their feet, with Vines firing an overhead effort just too high, and Stavrinou latching onto Williams’s misplaced pass to drive an effort wide. Lucien scuffed an effort wide from the edge of the box before James Shea was called into action for the first time, saving Stone’s far-post header.

Osobu cut in from the left but put his shot into the side-netting, Taylor blocking a shot by Fakinos at the other end as the half came to a close.

The half had also been notable for the near half-hour it had taken for the home tannoy man to turn off the microphone he had left on, which had resulted in the meagre crowd being assailed by a ghastly high-pitch buzzing: perhaps he does it every game, in which case it’s no surprise the gate was so low……

Ofori-Acheampong set up Stone for a curling shot that Shea saved when the second period began. Debattista then performed wonders on the left, creating a chance for Charles-Smith that he mis-hit into Behcet’s arms. Ofori-Acheampong again created a Cray opportunity, this time for Bird who shot across goal.

Substitute Steve Butterworth laid on a chance for Charles-Smith, but the striker was not having his best afternoon and this time miscontrolled the ball. Butterworth then beat three defenders and cracked a shot against the post. Charles-Smith netted the rebound but was in an offside position.

Larin got past Cooper to the right-hand by-line and crossed for Stone to bring a save from Shea. Cray were then right out of luck when a header from a corner hit one of their own players when it was probably going in. In the ensuing melee, Stone headed wide of the target. With the Harrow management and fans getting increasingly concerned, Vines brought a full-length diving tip-away by Shea with a powerful shot, before Taylor hacked a header by the same player off the line.

Harrow did not have their shooting boots on and when Wolleaston and Butterworth created a chance for Lucien, he was the latest to scuff his attempt and Behcet saved comfortably. Michael Barima then got to the by-line on the right, Debattista laying his cross back to Butterworth whose shot was blocked. Stavrinou was just off-target with a 20-yarder for the Wands.

Daniel Dyer was introduced for the closing minutes and made a good contribution, first crossing for Debattista who was closed down, then combining with Butterworth to create an opening for Charles-Smith who had strayed offside. Then he and Butterworth set up Rob Wolleaston whose curling effort from the edge of the box lacked the power to seriously trouble Behcet.

Harrow’s next outing is their final home game of the season, against Lewes on Easter Monday afternoon.
CRAY WANDERERS: Darren Behcet, Dmitri Larin, Jordan Bird, Merrick James-Lewis, Max Fitzgerald, Michael Akande, Cesc Fakinos, Alex Stavrinou, Paul Vines, Gary Beckett (sub Duane Ofori-Acheampong, 28 mins), Adrian Stone. Unused subs: Saul Otobo, Nathan Simpson, Ugo Udoji, Nick Taylor.

HARROW BOROUGH: James Shea, Michael Barima, Matt Cooper, David Taylor, Danny Leech, Anthony Page (sub Rob Wolleaston, 69 mins), Shaun Lucien (sub Daniel Dyer, 87 mins; booked, 90 mins), Ola Williams, Marc Charles-Smith, Ryan Debattista, Victor Osobu (sub Steve Butterworth, 59 mins). Unused subs: Adam Louth, Simeon Akinola.

Referee: Mr A Waters

Att. 120

by Simon Grigor