Lying 10th in the league after 2 games and with a positive goal difference were Harrow in a renaissance period after recent years of being tagged relegation fodder. Bishop Stortford had just hammered Canvey Island at their ground so this was a good test.

On 8 minutes Harrow went back to bad habits when the pacey Roy Essendoh out manoeuvred the lone defender Adam Everitt and drove the ball from 15 yards across and past keeper Andy Pape’s despairing fingers. Harrow responded with Everitt racing along the left flank and squaring the ball to John Lawford whose diving header was brilliantly saved by Micky Besborough down low at the far post. Then Richard Goddard left with the ball in the visitors area and a good chance, dwelt too long and defender Alex Richard blasted off his legs and away for a corner. From a throw in by Everitt he found Goddard who headed into the area and as the ball dropped low Lawford dived and his goalbound shot was finger tip saved by the keeper around the post for a corner.

The visitors came more into the game with Essendoh just being disposed by Phil Gridelet as he was preparing to shoot. Then on 24 minutes Borough conceded a free kick outside the area and the innocuous lob into Harrow’s defence heard Pape shout “It’s mine” but his jump with attacker Vinnie John saw a weak punch down into the path of Troy Braham who slotted the ball into an empty net. John and Essendoh continued to torment the home defence with John left in open space lobbing the advancing Pape but Dean Marney raced back to kick off the line. Harrow regrouped and shots from Lawford and Goddard were pushed and punched out with the latter falling to Godfrey Torto who slammed in from 5 yards but the keeper made an instinctive block.

In the second half Borough brought fresh legs into the attack and midfield and immediately Fabio Valenti run on the left flank saw him lob a speculative 40 yarder at the visitors goal which the backpedalling keeper watched keenly and under pressure tipped over the bar. Then Anton Innocent,s left foot struck a sweet cross to the far post where Valenti,s glancing header slipped around the goal post. Lawford continued the pressure when harassed by the visitors defence he spun around quickly and his shot narrowly missed the upright.

On 83 minutes Harrows dominance paid off when from a central position outside Bishops Stortfords area Valenti’s free kick hit their wall and was deflected past the keeper’s outstretched hands for Harrow’s first goal. Harrow’s defence concentration then lapsed as Danny Wolfs free header sailed thankfully over the bar and shots from John and Essendoh were thumped at Pape in the goal who blocked cleverly. Richard Clarke then blocked a goalward shot by John, but did himself no favours when his misdirected clearance went straight to Braham who’s powerful drive from 15 yards was pulled down into Pape’s save hands. With minutes to go Harrow pushed forward and went for the equaliser.

Three successive corners saw Lawford go close with a header sailing over the bar, but in the final minute there pressure told as the visitors fouled just outside the area and from the free kick Valenti inswinger found Goddards head and the ball went high into the roof of the netting. Our first “Get out of Jail” free card of the season.