Match Report

Harrow Borough
1
Hendon
3
Date:
Tuesday 24 September 2002
Competition:
Isthmian League Premier Division
Attendance:
233
Venue:
TBA

Match Report

Hendon finally won an away game, when they were far too good for Harrow Borough at Earlsmead on Tuesday evening, winning 3-1. "We were outplayed for 75 minutes and didn't deserve anything," was how one philosophical Borough fan put it.

With Ricci Crace suspended and Martin Randall unable to start, it meant that Rob Haworth was partnered by Eugene Ofori, and they hit it off very well. The return of Steve Forbes in the midfield released Paul Yates to play out wide and that too made a big difference.

In the 6th minute, Harrow had a great chance to open the scoring, but John Lawford saw his effort beat David Hook, but not a defender on the goalline. It was to be their last chance for 70-odd minutes.

Ofori fired a shot across the face of the Harrow penalty area and Steve Butler just failed to reach a cross from Paul Yates as Hendon began to exert control. It was no surprise when the opening goal arrived in the 29th minute.

A corner from Yates was flicked on by Butler and fell to FORBES on the edge of the penalty area. He struck a first time shot that flew past Keita Karamoko and rocketed into the net a foot inside the far post.

In their entirely different styles, Ofori and Haworth gave the Harrow defence fits. One run and - admittedly wayward - shot by Ofori was almost turned into the net by Haworth who gambled on a half-chance and it almost paid off.

Five minutes into the second half, Ofori made and scored the second goal. A long pass from the excellent Jon-Barrie Bates seemed to be going out of play, but Ofori somehow kept it in and hooked the ball across the penalty area.

Haworth ran to the far post and tried to set up Paul Yates, but he couldn't twist his foot far enough round. It didn't matter, because OFORI had sprinted back into the middle of the pitch and he rifled a shot off the underside of the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

While Butler, Paul Towler, James Burgess and Robert Hollingdale were barely troubled by the Harrow attack, Haworth, Forbes, Ofori, Yates and Gallagher found themselves in increasingly more space. The only surprise was that it took 27 minutes for the next goal to arrive.

There was a hint of farce about it as a driven cross by Gallagher just eluded Ofori as he dived in. The ball was kept in by Haworth who drove it back across the penalty area and it hit the prostrate OFORI, who had time to pick himself up and toe-poke the ball over the line from 6 yards, all without a single Harrow player reacting to the situation.

Karamoko appealed for handball by Ofori, but it tould have been a harsh decision to penalise him when the ball hit him on the arm as he was lying on the ground.

Almost immediately, Harrow reduced the arrears with a spectacular strike. Substitute Clemente LOPEZ had little on as he collected the ball out of the left wing. He cut inside and smacked a rasping drive that beat Hook all ends up, bounced off the inside of the post and into the net.

Even with a lifeline, Harrow were well sunk and Haworth came desperately close to breaking his duck with a header and two lobs, all of which beat Karamoko, but just missed the target.

"We passed the ball really well tonight," said a happy manager Dave Anderson after the game. "I must mention how hard Robbie Haworth worked tonight without luck. It will come for him soon.

"As I am handing out praise, I should also say how well our defenders have done in recent games. That is Jamie Burgess, Paul Towler, Mark Cooper and Steve Butler, as well as Robbie Hollingdale and of course Hookie in goal. They have been tremendous."

Report by David Ballheimer

Hendon

1
David Hook
2
Paul Towler
3
James Burgess
4
Rob Hollingdale
5
Steve Butler
6
Paul Yates
7
Eugene Ofori
8
Steve Forbes
9
Rob Haworth
10
Jon-Barrie Bates
11
Kieran Gallagher
12
Martin Randall
14
Pat Sappleton
15
Brian Haule
16
Iain Duncan
17
Warren Kelly

Match Events

29''
Steve Forbes
Clemente Lopex replaced Pat Gavin
46''
Robert Charles replaced Darti Brown
46''
50''
Eugene Ofori
Ross Fitzsimon replaced Davis Haule
66''
77''
Eugene Ofori
Clemente Lopex
78''
80''
Brian Haule replaced Eugene Ofori
85''
Iain Duncan replaced Kieran Gallagher

Harrow Borough

1
Keita Karamoko
2
Daniel Dyer
3
Michael Jatto
4
Perry Norman
5
Pat Gavin
6
Dean Marney
7
Wayne Walters
8
Davis Haule
9
John Lawford
10
Richard Goddard
11
Darti Brown
12
Ross Fitzsimon
14
Godfrey Torto
15
Fabio Valenti
16
Clemente Lopex
17
Robert Charles