Harrow Borough hammer Horsham

Harrow 6-1 Horsham

Ryman League Premier Division, Earlsmead, Saturday November 29, 2008

With Football League scouts circling, another vintage Robin Shroot display was laid on for the punters at Earlsmead on Saturday.

Scoring two and laying on three more, the young Irishman set out his talents for the assembled representatives from Brighton, Charlton, Hartlepool, Leicester and Wycombe, as well as his adoring Harrow followers.

But this, Harrow’s biggest win of the season to date, by far, was by no means a one-man show. Debutant Miles Jones netted two also, and the whole team display showed an organisation and collective confidence that has grown hugely during a November that has seen them take ten points from five league games.

Danny Leech returned to a centre-back slot following his one game suspension, but last week’s star performer of the defence, Tobi Jinadu, kept his place. To accommodate them, Wayne Walters moved to right-back while Lee Hall was on the bench.

Further forward, Daniel McGonigle had suffered a broken bone in his hand in last week’s game at Tonbridge, and will be out for around three weeks, while Jonathan Constant had been involved in a car-crash on the morning of the game.

This gave a first start to Jones, with manager David Howell feeling that the Barbadian international’s "time has come" after a midweek double for the reserves.

Last Saturday Harrow had scored in the first minute, but today they were close to suffering the same fate in their own goal. Jinadu lost the ball, Sigere appeared to control the ball with his hand, but with the officials missing it, he ran through the Borough central defence but pulled his shot wide of the goal.

Harrow went straight to the other end and Shroot tried a 20-yard chip that went narrowly over.

Horsham’s Haddow broke dangerously up the left in the 13th minute and hit a very dangerous cross that somehow didn’t get touched into the goal. But a minute later, the Horsham midfielder’s game was over, as he fell awkwardly, and was stretchered off, an ambulance then taking him to hospital.

The game was held up for over five minutes, and following the restart, Charman shot wide for the Sussex side.

Harrow went ahead after 25 minutes. Jones won a tackle and broke away on the right, before delivery a great low cross to the far post where Shroot converted from close-range.

There was then a very even passage of play. Shroot collected a short corner, spun and shot over the bar. Sigere was off-target for the visitors, Jones shot wide for Harrow, and Eldridge spun away from Jamie Lawrence but saw Andray Baptiste save his shot. Jones then broke up the left, and his cross was met simultaneously by Kwasi Frempong and a defender, the ball screwing wide.

A dangerous Horsham attack saw Farrell find Sigere, who held off Leech only for Baptiste to save very well. Dewayne Clarke found Jones, whose shot was charged down. A Shroot corner was then returned to him, and he cut to the by-line before hitting a very dangerous cross that found Jinadu at the far post. For the second week running, his shot came off the post, only this week it was from about 25 yards closer than at Tonbridge.

Nine minutes of first-half stoppage-time saw Frempong’s shot blocked, and Jones just fail to convert a Clarke cross. Shroot’s corner was then cleared to Highton, who hit a fierce drive from 20 yards that was charged down. The loose ball went to Shroot, who swung a cross in from the left that Leech rose to head in Harrow’s second goal.

The second half was in its second minute when Shroot ran through on the left, crossing for Jones to open his Harrow account. Those who have seen him score for the reserves knew what was coming next - a double back-flip followed by a mid-air backwards somersault in celebration.

Eleven minutes later, the Harrow fans were enjoying a repeat of the gymnastic celebration, as Jones burst through the middle, holding off a Horsham defender. Tolfrey pushed away his first shot, but Jones forced his way to the loose ball and netted.

Horsham centre-half Page then hit the bar with a header from a corner. The visitors made a double substitution on the hour, and one of the new arrivals, Archibald, got on the scoresheet immediately, from the penalty spot after Jinadu had brought down a visiting forward, making it 4-1.

Shroot was then upended at the other end, but referee Downey waved play on, and was then foiled by Tolfrey’s save when Highton’s cross picked him out at the far post.

A delightful interchange between Shroot and Jones saw the latter again show good strength to hold off a defender only for Tolfrey to save. In the 77th minute, Harrow got their fifth. Shroot was again the architect, getting into the danger zone on the left side of the box before pulling the ball back for Highton to side-foot home from 12 yards.

Horsham had a free-kick close to the Harrow goal after Baptiste picked up a back-pass, but the home wall held firm, before Borough got back on the attack. Jinadu set up Shroot, who left a defender for dead before firing over. Substitute Kurt Morlese then delivered an inviting cross to the far post but Jines, with a great chance of a hat-trick, drove the ball over.

In the 87th minute, Shroot sent Frempong away. The midfielder’s run was blocked but the ball ran to Shroot who battered it home from the edge of the box.

Shroot then had his own chance of a hat-trick, cutting in on the left past Carey. He tried to beat Tolfrey at the near-post, but the keeper reacted very well to save.

HARROW 6

Robin Shroot 25

Danny Leech 45

Miles Jones 47

Miles Jones 58

Bobby Highton 77

Robin Shroot 87

Horsham 1

Evan Archibald 60 pen

Harrow Team:

1 Andray Baptiste

2 Danny Leech