Barima strike clinches points
4:01pm Wednesday 16th January 2002
Boreham Wood 1
Harrow Borough 2 (Jan 12)
HARROW secured their third league win of the season with a victory at Boreham Wood in a game which will not linger long in the memory.
Both goals had an element of good fortune but in Boro's predicament, three points will be accepted in whatever form they come.
Amazingly, Harrow were the form team going into this fixture as Boreham Wood sitting comfortably in mid-table had lost their previous seven league games. Harrow had achieved a solitary point from their Christmas draw against Hampton. Given the current form of both sides, the first half was predictably drab.
Boro created one decent chance in the first half. A superb ball by Paul Adolphe sent Fabio Valenti clear down the left and his perfect cross was met by Carleton Mitchell six yards out, but he sent his header wide. The player deserved credit for getting into the box but chances don't come much better than this.
For Wood, ex-Earlsmead favourite Micky Engwell now joint manager at Meadow Park brought a good save from Duncan Roberts with a shot from 20 yards but the rest of the half was eminently forgettable.
The second period saw some improvement in quality with Sinclair working hard for the home side. But Fabio Valenti had the first real chance when he dispossessed home defender Harvey, only to see his fierce drive from the edge of the box claimed by keeper Noel Imber at the second attempt.
Surprisingly, it was Boreham Wood who went ahead after 52 minutes. Corey Browne picked up a headed clearance and fed Damian Markman, who poked the ball past Roberts despite the close attention of two Boro defenders.
Boro levelled after 67 minutes. An attempted clearance by Harvey, under pressure from Scott Bennetts, cannoned into his own defender.
Mark Xavier was quickest to the loose ball and he outpaced the home defence before drilling the ball into the corner for a classic striker's goal.
After 77 minutes, Xavier was defending on the edge of his own penalty area and cleared the ball into the Wood half.
McDonald, under no pressure, back headed the ball without checking keeper Imber's position, leaving Imber stranded on the edge of his penalty area. Michael Barima won the chase for the ball which was gratefully knocked into an empty net.
Boro had to withstand some pressure from Wood over the last 10 minutes and Roberts did well to keep out a shot by Browne with his legs. At the other end, Adam Everitt brought an excellent stop from Imber following a well struck free kick.
Both sides at times played as if the teams had been drawn for position from a hat, but this was a game where the result far outweighed the importance of the performance.
For Boro, Xavier was outstanding in defence and Valenti also caught the eye, but Barimer stole the show with his late goal.
Harrow Borough play Southall Town in the Middlesex Senior Charity Cup at home on Tuesday, January 29, kick-off 7.30pm.
Boro: Roberts, Xavier, Everitt, Walters, Haapima, Gavin (Barima), Minton, Adolphe, Valenti, Clarke, Mitchell (Bennetts)