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Marvyn
Watson with a first half
shot |
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| Harrow sailed
ever closer to relegation with
an absolutely woeful display
in a fractious game at Thurrock
on Saturday. Lacking in quality
in all departments, in basic
skills and in organisation,
Harrow now face a four-day period
with games against two of the
bottom four, with few if any
of their supporters having any
faith, on the evidence of this
and other recent displays, that
the necessary points can be
gained.
With a strong wind at their
backs, Harrow threatened early
on with a Kevin McKenna shot
held by Capleton, and a dangerous
corner by Clemente Lopez that
the home keeper had to leap
to prevent from going straight
in.
Referee Chittenden made a rod
for his own back later in the
game when he chose merely to
lecture Grays’ Essandoh
for a nasty elbow that left
Paul Symes, deputising for the
suspended Perry Norman, needing
lengthy treatment.
The home team went in front
after 22 minutes and it was
a catalogue of errors by Borough.
Harrow had a free kick on the
right in the Grays half. Richard
Clarke’s kick was dire,
hitting the first defender and
offering Grays the chance to
break away. But their move seemed
to break down on the edge of
the Borough penalty area, with
both Symes and Dean Marney having
the chance to clear the ball.
But instead they combined to
present the ball to Carthy,
who fired past Keita Karamoko.
Harrow tried to get back on
terms. McKenna shot wide, a
great 30-yard shot by Marvyn
Watson forced a save by Capleton
that took two attempts to gather,
and Pat Gavin curled a shot
inches past the post.
Symes was having a torrid afternoon
and his poor header set up Vaughan
for a shot straight at Karamoko,
but the second Grays goal was
not long in coming. It arrived
after 41 minutes. A long ball
out of defence found Borough’s
centre-halves in disarray, and
Miller was able to run on, round
Karamoko and fire home.
After at least four cautionable
offences, Essandoh finally picked
up a booking in the 45th minute.
Referee Chittenden then ignored
a nasty foul by Vaughan on McKenna.
Wayne Walters took the law into
his own hands moments later
with a dreadful two-footed tackle
on Vaughan, which rightly saw
him red-carded. Essandoh, who
hadn’t heeded the warning
that the referee’s patience
was running out, joined him
in an early bath four minutes
into the second half after lashing
out at Adam Everitt.
Harrow did not look like pulling
back two goals as the second
half wore on, though Capleton
made two good saves to keep
out Watson’s angle drive
and Lopez’s shot. But
it was the home side who wrapped
up the points in the 79th minute.
Once again it was a Harrow mistake
that set up the goal, Brian
Haule’s poor lay-off setting
up Nutter who hit a magnificent
wind assisted dipping 25-yarder
past Karamoko.
Marney then joined the error-making
brigade, first with a clearance
straight to Leaburn who headed
wide, and then with a poor pass
to Miller whose shot skimmed
the bar.
Harrow got a consolation in
the 89th minute, when Ross Fitzsimon
was up-ended by Capleton, and
got up to stroke home the penalty.
But the scoring wasn’t
finished: six minutes into stoppage
time, Nutter waltzed round Clarke
to set up Carthy for his second
goal.
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