Fog over Pilot Field

Harrow’s Harrowing Half-Hour

April 11th 2013

Hastings 2-0 Harrow

On the back of a morale boosting win away at Kingstonian, Harrow visited the Pilot Field. If United won tonight, they would have their first back-to-back victories against a team in the league this season. However, without the injured Zac Attwood and without Bradley Goldberg, the attacking intent of United was slim, so Bailo Camara and Alassane N’Diaye start up front. HOT’s Liam Willis reports.

United started strong and dominated Harrow for the first few minutes. Camara and Crellin both trying shots from outside the penalty area but nothing clinical.  Great play from Bailo Camara saw his shot denied by Fitzsimons, but only for the ball to go into the path of N’Diaye who managed to win a corner.

A dangerous counter attack from Harrow saw East save well from a Lucien drive but a corner was won. An early change for United saw Elliot Cox replace Bailo Camara because of a suspected hamstring problem – this allowed Sam Adams to push further forward.

The fog started to move in and Harrow seemed to use this to their advantage as they took hold of the game. Sankoh had the ball in the back of Easts net, but the linesman had flagged for offside. The second change in the first half happened after United’s Gareth Williams took a knock and Jack Dixon replaced him minutes before half time. Half time; Hastings Utd 0-0 Harrow Borough.

United started brightly in the second half too. Elliot Cox’s cross found the head of Jamie Crellin who was only to be denied by Fitzsimons. More attacking intent saw United win a corner, which was taken by captain Carey. The corner was inviting for the head of Sean Ray, who rose well above the defender to head into the back of Fitzsimons’ net to give United the lead.

The goal gave United a lift and Harrow seemed to take this in their stride. Poor defending allowed Cox to find N’Diaye unmarked in the penalty area, who shot wide. Harrow had few chances in the second half until a free kick that United failed to clear fell to Akinola who fired at goal from no less than six yards away, but East got down well to pull off a superb save, denying Harrow a foothold in the game.

Danny Ellis found space for himself and fired well over the crossbar instead of slipping a more sensible ball into the path of N’Diaye. However this made Ellis more hungry for a goal and only a minute from time, this became apparent. Ellis released a thunderbolt of a strike from twenty-five yards which Fitzsimons couldn’t keep out, despite getting a hand to it. Danny’s strike is most certainly a contender for ‘Goal of the Season’, but more importantly it gave United a two goal lead with three minutes to go.

United kept the ball from here on. Jamie Crellin was tackled and was the third victim to be taken off due to an injury – replaced by Tom Vickers. The last significant chance of the game saw Lee Carey tantalise with a free kick from the ‘D’. The referee blew for full time – United  with back-to-back wins and doing the double over Harrow Borough.

United’s win allowed them to move out of the relegation zone at the expense of Wingate and Finchley. Leiston beat relegation-threatened Thurrock 2-1, but Lewes beat off-form Margate by two goals to nil to avoid dropping into the relegation zone. Three points separate Thurrock in sixteenth and Wingate and Finchley in twentieth. United face mid-table Hendon on Saturday at the Pilot Field –  see you there!

United: East, Adams, Murphy, Carey (c), Ray, Richardson, Ellis, Crellin, Williams, Camara, N’Diaye.
Subs: Vickers, Cox, Judge, Dixon.

Harrow: Fitzsimons, Barima, Jones, Burgess, Leech, Peacock, Lucien, Wolleaston, Akinola, Sankoh, Williams.
Subs: Olima, Berry, Lawal, Ofosu-Hene, Burtenshaw.

Man of the match, as nominated for by Liam Willis: Jamie Crellin.

Attendance: 337.

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