Harrow goalkeeper Danny Gladman will no doubt have spent a sleepless night on Saturday, after his dreadful error just after half-time changed the course of this game. With Borough two-nil up at the break and looking like getting more, Gladman miscontrolled a 46th minute back-pass, leaving home striker Dixon with an empty net to roll the ball into. The initiative switched in an instant to the home side, and in the end Harrow were probably pleased to leave with a draw.

Edwin Stein had to make further changes to his line-up. As one injured player, Richard Clarke, returned to the defence, another, Adam Everitt, missed the game as the result of an injury sustained at Hampton on Tuesday. New father Phil Gridelet returned to the line-up after missing the midweek game to be present at his baby’s birth, and a debut was given to full-back Clemente Lopez, though he only lasted 45 minutes before departing injured.

Browne’s shot forced Gladman into an early save, and the Harrow keeper also made a couple of good punches clear under pressure, but Harrow looked confident from the off and Fabio Valenti was inches away from scoring with delightful 6th minute chip over O’Brien’s head. Harrow went in front after 25 minutes, when they were briefly down to ten men, with Davis Haule off the field receiving treatment. Wayne Walters won a header and Robert Charles spun on the edge of the penalty area to hit a perfect shot into the corner of the net.

A nasty foul by Jones on Haule brought a booking for the former Borough player, but Haule’s retaliation put him in the book too. Skipper Richard Clarke showed great captaincy to haul him away before he could get in further trouble.

Walters set up Valenti for a 25-yard shot across the face of the goal before Borough doubled their lead in the 34th minute. Crosses from Clarke and Lopez put pressure on the home defence, before Haule dinked the ball to Charles, who laid it on to Lawford. His turn was too sharp for Wall who tripped him up. Lawford got up to convert the penalty, his fifth league goal of the season. Haule’s header from Clarke’s cros flashed across the goal as Harrow ended the half, probably their best of the season so far, well on top.

The second half opened with Gladman’s mistake and Dixon’s goal, and suddenly the home side gained some belief. Browne headed wide when Wall flicked on a long throw, and Dixon screwed a shot across the face of goal. Harrow introduced Richard Goddard, back from suspension, to some effect as his height caused the home defence some problems, but they then tended to play too many high balls looking for his head, disregarding the success they had gained earlier from a ground-based attack. Goddard does win headers, but Lawford’s strength as an attacker is his subtlety and positioning: he does not have marvellous pace and will not outpace many defences to run onto flick-ons.

The home side equalised in the 63rd minute. Meah had given earlier warning that he posed an aerial danger from set-pieces, and he rose to head home Jones’s left-wing corner.

Harrow survived a couple of close shaves in defence, Meah heading over and Wall diving to head just wide, but they might have come away with all three points when Valenti’s 88th minute free-kick deflected off Harvey’s head and forced O’Brien to make an excellent diving save.

Harrow now face two games against ‘top six’ opponents, at home to Maidenhead this Tuesday and away to Basingstoke next Saturday. However, if they can play in the manner of their first half performance here, they will trouble both these opponents.