The start of the F.A. Cup road to Wembley or wherever began today against Tring Town three divisions down but in contention. Borough started brightly with a header from Mark Cooper and a powerful drive from Otis Roberts testing the Tring keeper.

Mark Xavier given a roving role was proving difficult for Tring to control and laid on passes for firstly Nikolaj Lund to blast the ball just outside the far post and then Frankie McCormack to hammer the ball straight at the keeper from 20 yards. Xavier then took on three defenders and still made space for a shot but there was no pace and it was easily saved.

From the goal kick Xavier managed to secure the ball and ran at the defence on the left flank but his shot was pushed out to McCormack who's right footed blast sailed over the bar. The next attack saw Lund and Xavier combine well with Xavier forced tight to the line managing to swing round and his rising shot was pushed away for a corner. From McCormack's corner into the middle the overworked defence scrambled it out to a waiting Dwayne Lewis who's powerful 15 yarder was put round the post.

Tring then gave away a free kick just outside the area and McCormack's lob into the middle found an unmarked Lund running in who's header flew way over the bar- a good chance missed. Tring responded and a defence splitting pass over Harrow heads saw Kinsley put through, but under pressure from Oliver Lyons and the outrushing Dave Hook kicked high and over the bar. Then Tring with a speculative lobbed free kick from the halfway line bouncing into the Borough goalmouth caused pandemonium and Hook under pressure from the Tring attackers finally punched out.

Borough replied with Andy Rose, Xavier and Pat Gavin combining well on the right flank to enable an onrushing Rose to smash a low shot which the keeper did well to smother.

Within two minutes of the restart Borough scored after Lund from the right wing swung the ball into the middle and Xavier under pressure lobbed the ball over the despairing keeper's hands - a good goal but judged offside. Five minutes later the pressure told and Xaviers superb jinking run on the right flank taking on two defenders somehow managed to pass across the face of the goal to an unmarked Lund who slotted in from 5 yards.

Borough continued to turn the screw and from a corner Gavin's well directed header through a packed defence doubled the score. One way traffic led to a further goal when Otis Roberts' powerfully struck shot was well parried out but to an inform Xavier who deservedly scored from five yards.

Tring looking tired still came back and shots from Underwood and Kinsley were safely dealt with by Hook. Xavier continued to worry the Tring defence and only a great one handed save by Bill Davies the 38 year old veteran and then defender Bartlett clearing off the line prevented a Xavier hat-trick. Rose continued to bolster Borough's attack and his wing play jinking through three defenders and shooting goalward somehow bounced off a despairing lunge by a defender for a corner. From the corner Xavier downward header was smothered by the keeper.

Substitutions came thick and fast and Oliver Petersen receiving the ball 20 yards out pivoted round in a packed defence and connected with a rising then dipping shot that was well saved by the flying keeper preventing goal number four. Wembley or wherever our final is, here we come.

HARROW BOROUGH: HOOK, ROSE, PROTAIN, LEWIS, COOPER, LYONS, ROBERTS (HURLOCK), LUND, GAVIN (GUSAVAC), XAVIER, McCORMACK (PETERSEN) SUBS UNUSED NWAOKOLO, BRAATHEN

TRING TOWN: DAVIES, UNDERWOOD, HARRHY, BARTLETT, JOHNSON, BOAD (GROVES), HEMINGWAY, SANGSTER (TURNER), WALTERS (ANOTHER), KINSLEY, BEAMISH REFEREE: A.S.FIELD

BOOKINGS: None

GOALS: LUND 52 mins GAVIN 55 mins XAVIER 58 mins

A Day In The Life of a Harrow Borough Fan