With 3 clubs again to be relegated instead of the recently adopted 1 this put Borough once again in the crowded dogfight area and a 6 pointer against lowlier Gray's.

Borough won the toss and chose the bright sun behind them. From the kick off Gray's first attack on the left caught out the Borough defence for speed, but although Mark Cooper managed to back pass back to Dave Hook, under pressure, his sliced clearance found defender Edmund Protain, who slipped and Gray's Douglas pounced.. His shot from 15 yards went flying into the top left despite Hook's despairing dive.

Within 2 minutes Cooper had headed a long clearance out to Pat Gavin racing on the right flank who looking up saw the Gray's keeper off his line and lobbed the ball over his head from 30 yards for the equaliser. Gray's went on the offensive and shots from Douglas, Edwards and Southgate peppered the Boroughs goal until a move by Douglas hemmed in by 2 Borough defenders saw him swing the ball into the middle where a glancing header by Cooper sailed over Hook's head into the roof of the netting. Borough responded and Gavin pushed the ball out to Nikolaj Lund who swung in low from the right but speed beat both the inrushing Gavin and Marcus Richardson.

Then Steve Barnes weaved his way through the close attentions of 3 Gray's defenders on the left flank but his shot from 10 yards was hit straight at the oncoming keeper. Gray's countered and Craig with a clear shot at goal dwelt with the ball and was then blocked by Cooper. Then the pacey Abraham having rode tackles by 3 Borough defenders with Hook to beat was awarded a free kick for an earlier tackle with the ref not playing the advantage rule.From the free kick Southgate hammered in but Hook made a superb one handed save to push round the post.

The 2nd half saw Borough caught out with a throw in going straight over the heads of 2 defenders and falling to the feet of Douglas, who unmarked and with Hook to beat panicked and fired straight at Hook. Then Douglas fed superbly on the wing by Cooper was left 5 yards out with the goal at his mercy but sliced the ball over the bar. Borough came back and Paynes freekick from outside the area was booted back to him and his volleyed returned shot just went around the post. Borough continued the pressure and a Cooper header and a Richardsons scuffed shot were easily dealt with by their keeper.

Then Cooper from defence directed a headed ball over midfield and the Grays defence to Richardson but his hasty shot flew over the bar. The visitors responded and a good team move by Gray's ended with O'Sullivan smashing over the bar from 20 yards. Then Douglas with a clear chance but hounded by Andy Rose shot from 8 yards and Hook managed to push round the upright for a corner. The game continued to ebb away for Borough and it was no surprise when the speedy and unorthodox Douglas was given another clear chance but panicked and Hook saved easily.

HARROW BOROUGH: HOOK, ROSE, PROTAIN (ROBERTS), LEWIS, COOPER, WALSH, LUND (NEWBY), PAYNE, GAVIN(HURLOCK), RICHARDSON, BARNES

GRAYS ATHLETIC: NEWELL, ROBINSON, SOUTHGATE, SOGBE, MANUEL, FEDIS, ABRAHAM (BAJADA), O'SULLIVAN, DOUGLAS, EDWARDS, COOPER (McLOUD), SUB (UNUSED) BRAZIER.

BOROUGH GOAL GAVIN 3 Minutes

GRAYS GOAL DOUGLAS 1 Minute, COOPER 18 Minutes

REFEREE: PAUL VOSPER
ASSISTANT REFEREE: PASI PIEPPONEN/STEVE ROGER

The beginning of the end of the Champions League?