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Robert
Charles - late goal |
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| For the second
league game running, young Robert
Charles was the Harrow hero
on Saturday with a late, late
goal that gave Borough a point
that had looked very unlikely
at half-time.
Borough boss Edwin Stein found
himself with a defensive crisis
on Saturday lunchtime. Already
missing the suspended Adam Everitt,
Jimmy Aggrey, on loan to Yeovil
with a view to a permanent move,
and the injured Richard Clarke
and Clemente Lopez, Dean Marney
went down with a bad asthma
attack on the day of the game.
Wayne Walters was repositioned
from midfield, to join Phil
Gridelet and Pat Gavin in central
defence.
The hosts started very sharply
and should have scored after
three minutes. Keita Karamoko
was unable to hold a shot and
Covington hit the loose ball
against the post when it seemed
easier to score. Karamoko, who
had passed a fitness test prior
to the game, received a knock
in the scramble and for some
minutes looked unsteady on his
feet. Sensing this, Bedford
pressed forward again. Paul
fired a shot too high, and Williams
spooned his close-range shot
over the bar when set up by
Lawley’s tricky left-wing
run and cross.
Borough began to settle and
missed a good chance to go in
front after 21 minutes. Fabio
Valenti sent Charles clear of
a square back-four. Wilson was
quickly off his line to narrow
the angle, and Charles poked
the ball just wide of the post.
Harrow’s defence had
settled down by the 27th minute,
but Tobi Jinadu then held down
a Bedford attacker as the pair
jockeyed for a cross. Lawley
stroked home the resultant penalty
to give the hosts the lead.
Davis Haule set up Daniel Dyer
for an immediate chance to equalise,
but the young wing-back’s
shot flew over the angle of
post and bar. Charles then intercepted
a short back-pass, squeezed
the ball past Wilson but saw
it hit the foot of the post
and roll clear of goal.
Referee Kirkup incensed the
Earlsmead contingent after 34
minutes when he awarded Bedford
a second penalty, for a tackle
by Gavin that seemed to win
the ball very cleanly. Justice
was probably done when Karamoko
guessed that Lawley might put
the penalty the same way as
the one seven minutes earlier,
dived that way and made a fine
save. But Borough were so incensed
by the decision that Gridelet
was booked for remarks to the
official, who then marched over
to the side-line and ordered
Edwin Stein from the dugout.
Paul sent an early second half
effort past the post for the
Eagles, but it was Harrow who
dominated the period in the
search for an equaliser. But
Bedford’s defence was
well-marshalled and kept attempts
on Wilson’s goal to a
minimum. With Howey and Covington
continually heading away crosses,
it showed how much Borough are
missing Richard Goddard’s
presence up-front. The tall
striker was kicking a ball around
prior to the game so is hopefully
nearing fitness.
When Gavin’s 83rd minute
effort from Esayas Yhdego’s
corner was off-target, it looked
as if it was to be a fruitless
afternoon. But with two minutes
of stoppage time played, debutant
Brian Haule (brother of Davis)
played the ball to Dyer, who
played a fine pass through the
defence to Charles. He ran on,
rounded Wilson and from an angle
to the right of the goal, fired
into the roof of the net for
the equaliser.
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