For only the third time this century, Harrow have navigated their way through two rounds of the FA Trophy. A goal in each half got them through a brieflyfeisty West Middlesex derby at The Rogers Family Stadium.
Steve Baker was able to name an unchanged side from the one that brought home three points from Gosport on Wednesday. There was an early scare when Jaden Sharman miscontrolled the ball and Liddle advanced to draw a good save from Jacob Knightbridge. Harrow’s first attack saw Montel Brown pulled back, Byrne in the Hayes goal saving George Moore’s deflected free-kick. And Harrow went ahead in the ninth minute. Ahmet Biler picked up a Hayes clearance and found Sharman. He worked it on to Isiah Noel-Williams, who spotted Moore just outside the box, and he hammered a right-footer past Rhys Byrne in the visiting goal.
Jalloh headed over at the far post for the visitors, before Kai Omoko Brosnan spurned an opportunity to double the lead, when Moore’s forward pass sent him in on goal, but he side-footed narrowly over. Knightbridge kept out Liddle’s flick following a surging right-wing run by Field, but a first half dominated by Borough ended with Byrne tipping over Moore’s 35-yard free-kick.
Hayes started the second half strongly but the Borough defence held firm, Shaun Preddie again playing through his knee injury, Sharman looking increasingly stable alongside him, and Keegan Bloom and Ahmet Bilerperforming really well in the full-back slots. Noel-Williams, Moore and Bloom all had shots blocked, and a driven Billy Leonard cross was too hard for Brown to direct into goal. Harrow went close to a second when Moore’s shot was half-blocked by Byrne, who recovered to stop the ball on the line. But the second goal came in the 65th minute when Brown met Moore’s deep right-wing cross with a low shot, maybe slightly mishit, back across the keeper.
When Wishart mishit a clearance high into the air, Byrne and Preddie challenged for the ball. Byrne hauled Preddie to the ground but no offence was deemed. A big melee in the 70th minute saw referee Mr Cresswell dish out three yellow cards, and players on both sides ought to look back on the incident with a degree of guilt: a red card or two would not have been a surprise. Moore shot wide for Harrow, Jalloh doing the same for Hayes, and Wassmer hit the far post when he arrived unmarked onto a left-wing cross. Knightbridge made a good save from Thompson-Brissett, and Samuel Adenola, moved back to centre-back after Preddie limped off, blocked Tavares’s shot, and Harrow were through to Monday’s draw, when the Conference South sides will also be in the hat.
With his side’s huge injury list, Baker will welcome the blank midweek that is now coming up, prior to the very important league trip to Yate next Saturday.
Result: Harrow Borough 2 – 0 Hayes & Yeading Utd
Attendance: 248
