Harrow attacked the school end in the first half. Kai Hamilton-Olise caused Moneyfields headaches from the first minute on the right. Harrow got into several good attacking positions early on but were unable to create any clear opportunities.
A Harrow corner was cleared to the halfway line in the 20th minute. Mack Miskin won the ball back close to the centre circle and fed the ball to Harry McCorkell on his left. Harry carried the ball forward before delivering a delicious left-footed cross. Dernell Wynter rose unchallenged and headed Harrow into the lead from 6 yards. 1-0
Stephan Langley’s well-timed sliding tackle just outside his own area in the 28th minute started a Harrow counter-attack. Leo Sery’s cross from the right was smothered by Kramer after one of his defenders had miscued their attempted clearance.
Franklyn forced McCorkell into a good save in the 42nd minute, but it was the hosts who finished the half stronger. In the 45th minute, Sery set up Kai Hamilton-Olise inside the Moneyfields area. His shot was saved by Kramer. The ball ended up at the feet of Jordan Hamilton-Olise 25 yards from goal. His right-footed shot crashed against the underside of the bar. Dernell Wynter was alert and headed the bouncing ball back towards goal from the edge of the six-yard box, the ball again hitting the bar before being hacked away from goal.
Half time: 1-0.
Harrow flew out of the blocks in the second half, putting pressure on the Moneyfields defence from both flanks. Several crosses into the box were just out of reach of the red-shirted attackers.
In the 55th minute, Sery’s fierce right-footed shot was stopped by the face of Harry Sargeant on the edge of his own area. The ball ricocheted out of play at pace for a Harrow throw. Sargeant required treatment, having taken the ball flush in the face. Referee George Barker then decided to restart the game with a Moneyfields drop ball on the edge of their own area.
Harrow continued to look more likely to score. Jordan Hamilton-Olise’s low cross from the right looked to give Leo Sery a tap-in at the far post. Unfortunately, the ball gathered pace on the lush turf, and Leo had to stretch for it, sending his left-foot shot wide of Kramer’s right post. Sery had another shot deflected behind for a corner a minute later, with Miskin’s resulting corner forcing Kramer to punch over his own bar under pressure.
In the 71st minute, a Moneyfields corner from the right was half-cleared towards the edge of the Harrow area. A yellow-shirted attacker went down, followed by a half-hearted appeal from a couple of Moneyfields players. Mr. Barker immediately pointed to the spot. Harrow’s players, looking bewildered, protested. It took a lengthy investigation after the game before Kai Hamilton-Olise was revealed as the Harrow player penalised for a foul.
Callum Laycock stepped up and hit his penalty firmly to Andrew McCorkell’s right. The Harrow man threw himself to his right and pushed the ball away with a top-drawer save.
Harrow brought on Odumosu, Williams, and Ifil as fresh legs were definitely required. Harrow continued to look like the more likely team to score.
Six minutes of stoppage time was added. In the 93rd minute, Dan Williams was put through on goal and made it 2-0, rounding the visiting keeper before scuffing an off-balance shot into the far corner of the net.
The game reached the 99th minute when Harrow failed to clear a cross from the right. Callum Laycock found space to hook the ball into the net from 8 yards. 2-1. Thankfully for Harrow, Mr. Barker only played a few more seconds before bringing the game to an end.
Full time: 2-1.
Harrow Boro:
- Andrew McCorkell
- Kai Hamilton-Olise
- Mack Miskin
- Addison Garnett
- Stephan Langley
- James Gurteen
- Carl Stewart ©
- Harry McCorkell
- Dernell Wynter
- Leo Sery
- Jordan Hamilton-Olise
Subs (all used):
Deago Dunbar-Bonnie, Jethro Odumosu, Bailey Lamb, Luke Ifil, Dan Williams.
Brian Walter is a sports writer and former contributor to Harrow Online who specialised in covering Harrow Borough FC. His articles included full match reports, live coverage and analysis of games, providing supporters with detailed updates from across the club’s league and cup campaigns.
