Steve Baker made one change to the side that had fallen to the Met Police in midweek. George Moore returned to the starting eleven: this meant James Mansfield reverting to a centre-back slot, James Taylor moving to left-back, and Ahmet Biler dropping to the bench.

On a still, mild November afternoon, the early exchanges were even. Josh Strizovic was off his line quickly to save at Hillman’s feet, Moore’s dangerous driven cross cleared for a corner at the other end. Cogman in the home goal then saved a curling Leo Donnellan free-kick. The Martyrs may be near the foot of the table, but they began to dominate. Strizovic touched over a long-range drive from Shepherd and then made a great full-length diving save to turn away a shot from Jemmett-Hudson, who had cut inside Samuel Adenola. Traylor, a thorn in Harrow’s side on previous visits to Penydarren Park, then came in off the right wing to curl a shot over. Anxiety was increasing among the Harrow followers but it was their side who made the breakthrough in the 25th minute. Moore’s ball over the top of the defence sent James Ewington away in the inside-right channel and, watching the ball like a hawk as it dropped inside the penalty area, he fired low first-time across Cogman into the far corner.

Cogman then made a fine save from Moore’s deflected shot as Harrow threatened to double their lead. A good move between Kunle Otudeko and Michael Bryan created a half-chance for Mansfield, but the home defence reacted sharply to close him out. The half ended with a clever exchange between Otudeko and Ewington, the former seeing his shot blocked.

The second half followed a pattern not unlike the first, as it was Merthyr who dominated it early on. Strizovic dived low to claim Traylor’s dangerous cross, and then saved Jones’s flick from Jemmett-Hudson’s free-kick. Ben Tricker, having his best game since his return from injury, then made a crucial tackle to stop Jones. Harrow began to settle again: Moore whistled a shot inches over the bar from 20 yards, and in the 68th minute they doubled their advantage with a fine goal. Frank Keita found Ewington, who showed clever close control inside the area, before feeding Otudeko. Showing superb skills, he stepped past two defenders and blasted the ball past Cogman.

Harrow were looking fairly comfortable at two-up, with Keita’s 25-yarder bringing a save from Cogman, and Tricker nearly getting a toe to Otudeko’s cross, but they were given a warning when Morgan cut in from the left to shoot past the near post. The game was three minutes into stoppage-time when Jones turned to beat Strizovic with a shot across him into the far corner. Suddenly Harrow were in danger of not going home with all the points and, with almost the last kick of the game, they had a huge let-off when Traylor’s right-wing cross drew an air-shot from an unmarked colleague inside the six-yard box.

Up to ninth, just a point off a play-off position, and with games in hand on all bar three of the teams above them, Harrow travel west again this Tuesday evening, to face a Swindon Supermarine side that are not doing as well as many had expected them to before the season began.

MERTHYR TOWN: Jamie Cogman, Adam Davies, Cameron Keetch (sub Connor Davies, 14 mins), Ismail Yakubu, Daniel Barnard, Alex John (booked, 44 mins), Curtis Jemmett-Hudson (sub Kerry Morgan, 59 mins), Corey Shepherd, Dylan Jones, Tom Hillman (sub Kieran Evans, 62 mins), Ian Traylor (booked, 86 mins). Unused subs: Toby Raison, Morgan Clarke.

HARROW BOROUGH: Josh Strizovic, Samuel Adenola, James Taylor, James Mansfield, Ben Tricker, Leo Donnellan, Kunle Otudeko, Frank Keita (sub Lewis Cole, 75 mins), James Ewington (sub David Ozobia, 85 mins), George Moore (booked, 65 mins), Michael Bryan (booked, 58 mins; sub Dernell Wynter, 69 mins). Unused sub: Ahmet Biler.

Referee: Mr A Sheppard

Att. 384

By Simon Grigor