Harrow Borough 2 – 1 Wealdstone

Harrow Borough

2 - 1

Wealdstone

KO: 0:00 | Sat 5th Feb ’05

Two words summed up the difference between the two sides today and they weren’t ‘Boro Won’ they were Dean Marney.

He was outstanding at the heart of the home defence – not because he stopped everything that Wealdstone threw at him, but because he prevented the Stones front line from actually making much of an impact on the game at all, and when not in position himself he had marshalled his defensive colleagues to do exactly the same.

The game started fairly even with Wealdstone slowly pushing on and forcing the home side to play on the break, and it was Wealdstone who thought they had taken the lead when Beckford scored after a good run by O’Leary, but he dallied long enough on his pass forward to allow Jolly to creep offside and the goal was disallowed.

Stones also could have lead minutes later when Michnowicz broke late into the box, but his shot was over the bar from a tight angle. As it was, Boro were to take the lead from a goal kick. McKeown hesitated around the half way line when perhaps he should have cleared to safety, but the ball ran kindly for Boro – not least the final cross into the Wealdstone box which seemed to bounce around before finally falling to Valenti who played across the sic yard box for Clarke to slot home.

Five minutes later and it was 2-0. Boro were awarded a free kick, a clearance was driven into the back of another Stones defender and the ball fell to Marney this time outside the Stones penalty area and his hard and low shot arrowed into the corner of the net.

Boro had their best spell of the match up until half time, and Carter was brought into the action to make a couple of quick saves as Stones held on for a half time score of 2-0.

The second half saw Wealdstone push on with greater regularity and the introduction of Alexander as a third forward just before the hour gave them greater impetus, however the home defence held firm.

With time running out, Stones piled on the pressure and a series of good reaction saves from Karamoko seemed to have sealed the home victory and a clean sheet until on 88 minutes, the ball fell to McKeown on the edge of the box and he lobbed over a crowded penalty area to score for Wealdstone.

The last few minutes became yet more frantic as Stones searched for an equaliser they probably deserved on the day but it wasn’t to be a Boro ran out winners for the second time this season.