HARROW BORO 2 MET. POLICE 3
The relegation trap-door opens wider and wider. Another performance of calamitous defensive howlers saw Harrow’s awful run extend to just one win in seventeen games amassed since a glorious Tuesday night at Bognor Regis in late October. The pressure is surely increasing on the ‘improved’ management team after this defeat to a side that looked no more than mid-table in its own quality, but nonetheless fully deserved taking the points here.
On a filthy night, Harrow played into a strong wind in the first half. Debutant Juan Onieva lost the ball early on, allowing the Met to build an attack on the left. The ball was crossed to Smith, who had far too
much room to spin and shoot narrowly wide. A terrible header by Michael Peacock then allowed Collins in on goal, Michael Barima coming across to stop him with a fine challenge. Newton’s shot was then saved by Ross Fitzsimons. Harrow finally built a good attack which ended with Charles Ofusu-Hene’s cross deflecting off Sutherland and into the hands of Butler. It was Harrow who went ahead after 26 minutes. Onieva won a free kick, which Garry Jones tapped wide to Frankie Merrifield, whose 25-yarder sailed over Butler into the roof of the net. Whether he meant it as a shot or a cross, only the Wimbledon loanee will know.
The Police were close to equalising when Crook twisted away from a defender and hit a shot that bounced off the post, although Fitzsimons appeared to have it covered. Ola Williams floated a 20-yarder past the post, while Fitzsimons had a dodgy moment when he only just reached his counterpart Butler’s wind-assisted punt.
Harrow were close to doubling their lead as the second half began, Saheed Sankoh’s shot saved by Butler, the ball falling to Ofusu-Hene whose attempt from the left went across the goalmouth. Fitzsimons held a header by Simtin but he was terribly at fault with the Met’s equaliser after 58 minutes, Smith’s swerving free-kick going straight through the keeper, who it seemed only needed to push up a strong hand to keep out the ball.
Borough went back ahead after 71 minutes. Ofusu-Hene forced a free-kick on the left-hand by-line. Jones delivered the ball to the far post, where Sankoh’s jump forced a poor defensive header, the ball falling to Danny Leech, eight yards out, and he fired back across the keeper into the far top corner.
Butler immediately saved well from Ofusu-Hene, but the Met threatened immediately at the other end when a poor header allowed Crook in, Fitzsimons saving. But he was left horribly exposed in the 79th minute when Jones lost the ball in midfield and the Police broke quickly, the ball played left to Knight who calmly ran through to score.
Jones nearly atoned with a free-kick that came back off the bar, but the Met hit the woodwork too when Knight’s shot beat Fitzsimons and came off the post. A point would not really have been good enough for Harrow but things got worse still three minutes from time, Borough’s defence horribly exposed as the Met got round the back on the right and the ball came in for Watkins to angle a shot across Fitzsimons for the winner.
Harrow need to rediscover confidence, leadership, strength and craft, and do so now. They are not marooned at the bottom, yet, but their form is the worst of any struggling team and they simply have to come up with wins, and as soon as possible.
HARROW BOROUGH: Ross Fitzsimons, Michael Barima, Garry Jones, Ola Williams, Michael Peacock, Danny Leech, Frankie Merrifield (sub Jordan Berry, 90 mins), Juan Onieva (sub Emmanuel Akokhia, 65 mins), Saheed Sankoh, Jon-Jo Bates, Charles Ofusu-Hene. Unused subs: Ruddock Yala, Shaun , James Burgess.
METROPOLITAN POLICE: Jamie Butler, Jay Lovett, Harry Wise (sub Chris Bourne, 65 mins), Steve Sutherland, Dan Simtin, Billy Crook, Sam Clayton (sub David Knight, 73 mins), Ty Smith, Charlie Collins (sub Craig Hughes, 88 mins), Craig Watkins, Howard Newton. Unused subs: Hanif Boyle, Brannon Daly.
Referee: Mr R Hodges