THIS EVENING’S MATCH PREVIEW – HARROW BOROUGH (HOME) KO 7.45 PM

After a weekend of contrasting fortunes, Dulwich Hamlet and Harrow Borough go head-to-head this evening in a Ryman League Premier Division clash.

Whilst Gavin Rose’s men were upping the tempo and moving into top gear with a 6-1 demolition of Folkestone Invicta, Harrow’s trip at Merstham was turning into a Saturday afternoon misadventure of nightmarish proportions. Being stuck on the road to hell with a massive snarl-up on the M25 seeing the kick-off at the Moatside Stadium delayed by ¾ of an hour was not the ideal preparation for a Harrow Borough side struggling to kick-start the nascent season. Just twice in the Ryman Premier had the Borough found the net, firing blanks six times in eight games and it was to be the same story against the Moatsiders. Though Harrow tested former Hamlet hero Phil Wilson with their first foray forward, it was the hosts who would strike first. 15 minutes in and Alex Addai found the back of the net. Eight minutes later Charlie Penny sprinted clear of defence for number two. When Xavier Vidal tucked away a spot kick in the first ten minutes of the second half and Dan Bennett took advantage of slipshod defending to poke in a fourth before the hour mark damage limitation was the best Harrow could hope for. The rout was completed in the dying embers of the contest, if that could be a fair description given comments from the Harrow faithful, as Penny galloped clear of the defence once more to make it 5-0 at the final whistle.

The result left Harrow Borough in the bottom four having garnered eight points from their nine league outings so far. More pointedly is their paltry goal tally with just five goals scored since the start of the season in the Ryman League. Though Harrow opened up their campaign with a 3-0 defeat away to newly promoted Ryman South Champions Folkestone Invicta, there were signs of promise in those early games. Defeat on the Kent coast was followed by a sterling 2-0 win over another promoted side, Harlow Town with defence unyielding after two goals in quick succession from Ryan Hope and a Marc Charles-Smith penalty had put the Borough in control. The defensive resolution had to called on once more when Met Police called at Earlsmead the following Saturday. The 16th minute dismissal of George Nicholas for a rash lunge left the Borough a man short but even with diminished numbers they could well have taken all three points from a game that ended scoreless.

A trip to 100% Tonbridge Angels must have filled the Borough with trepidation no more so than when Luke Allen found the net for the highflyers after just 8 minutes. Yet for the remainder of the game the gap between the sides was cigarette paper thin with home custodian Antonio di Bernardo voted Man of the Match by the sponsors. At full time Borough must have felt sorely aggrieved not to end their hosts winning run. Out of that endeavour came a second win of the season. Leatherhead were still looking for their own first win of the season but it was not to be forthcoming. Borough’s Ibrahim Meite had a barnstorming second half, bagging a half-hour hat trick to cancel out Tomi Adeloye 20th minute opener for the Tanners.

Though the FA Cup and Alan Turvey Trophy would prove to be prolific for Harrow, Meite’s goals would be the last fans would see in the League for the time being. Bank Holiday Monday’s Middlesex derby at Donkey Lane brought the crowds out but neither side could find a winner in a scoreless stalemate. Three goals in the last 15 minutes of the first half, including a brace for Michael Brothers gave a Needham Market side belying last season’s relegation struggles a full swap bag of points with a 3-0 victory. The controversial dismissal of Steve Brown swung an even, if largely uneventful, game with Wingate & Finchley, the visiting Blues claiming the match winner seven minutes before Saturday’s annihilation on the Sunday Downs added to manager Steve Baker’s quandaries.

Yet turn to the cups and the goals seem to flow like water. In the Emirates FA Cup, Borough hurdled a potential banana skin in the shape of Essex Senior League side Sawbridgeworth Town. The opposition were in cup mood but with Harrow in cup mode, the gap was evident with Borough two goals to the good at the break with Charles-Smith and Francis Babalola finding the net. Borough added two further goals in a furious final ten minutes, scores from Meite and Michael Bryan sandwiched a consolation as Louis Bristow arrowed one home. The draw for the next round set up a Metroland derby away to Uxbridge, Harrow going behind early to Ashley Quashie 17th minute opener but levelled within 60 as Nicholas struck. A tight encounter ensued but 17 minutes from time came the match winner as Meite added to his growing goal tally to send Borough through.

If the goals had been absent in the Ryman League, the same could not be said of a rollicking Robert Dyas Ryman League Cup tie at home to Wingate & Finchley. After Sean Cronin opened the scoring for Wingate and Finchley after 20 minutes, the contest rocked from side to side like a Glaswegian on Buckfast Tonic Wine. Meite levelled for Harrow, Charles-Smith put them ahead at the interval. Billy Healey brought it back to 2 apiece nine minutes into the second half before Meite again restored the hosts’ advantage. The lead lasted 11 minutes before Healey converted a spot kick. 3-3 now but only for 120 seconds as Charles-Smith fired home his side’s fourth. Six minutes remained when Tommy Tejan-Sie found the net to make it all square at the end, meaning kicks from the penalty mark would decide who would advance. 15 perfect penalties had Wingate 8-7 up with the burden of conversion on Babalola. His kick crashed against the crossbar, bounced down back into play. A moment’s hiatus before the assistant confirmed that the ball had not crossed the line and Harrow’s exit confirmed.

This evening’s game takes place at Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD, kicking off at 7.45pm. Main turnstiles will be open from 6.15 pm with the Greendale turnstiles also open. Guests and officials are asked to enter via the Health Club reception which Season Ticket holders may also use on display of their season ticket.

Admission prices:

• £10 for Adults
• £4 for Concessions
• NB: Concessions cover Seniors - 60+, Teenagers (13-19), Unemployed (JSA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), NHS Staff, Blue Light Services, Serving Members of the Armed Forces and Full Time Students. (Please bring a form of valid ID for your concession as you might not be admitted without that)
• Under 13s FREE accompanied by a paying adult

Programmes: £2