Harrow 2-1 Dartford

Ryman League Premier Division

Earlsmead

Saturday November 8

Harrow 2

Kurt Morlese, 63

Robin Shroot, 69

Dartford 1

Cody McDonald, 29

Enjoy him while you can. A sublime strike from Robin Shroot, watched today by Peterborough’s Director of Football Barry Fry as interest in the youngster continues to grow, capped a second-half fightback and gave Harrow their first home league victory since March, lifting them off the foot of the Ryman Premier table.

Skipper Wayne Walters returned from suspension, and Andray Baptiste was fit enough to keep the keeper’s jersey. Jamie Lawrence began the game in a forward role, with Simon Dahl taking a left-sided midfield berth.

Harrow opened brightly, with Lee Hall’s 2nd minute free-kick flashing past the post, and a Ryan Watts effort blocked after good supporting work from Dewayne Clarke.

Bobby Highton fired way over from the edge of the box when Clarke laid the ball to him. Watts was overlapping to good effect, and Young in the Dartford goal saved at his feet after a flick-on.

Dartford’s first effort on goal was a shot by McDonald that Baptiste dived to save. A good visiting move then sent McDonald through for another effort that the Harrow custodian kept out.

Highton hit a low shot past the post, and when Shroot made a good run forward, Lawrence was blocked as he closed in on his cross.

Butterworth then cut in from the Dartford right-wing and cracked a shot against the post. Dartford were beginning to get the upper hand and went in front after 29 minutes, McDonald turning sharply and driving a left-foot strike past Baptiste.

Baptiste saved at McDonald’s feet, before Lawrence and Clarke were off-target with shots for Harrow. Borough manager David Howell sought to regain the ascendancy by taking off Dahl and putting on Jonathan Constant.

Young made a fine save to turn away Hall’s free-kick, Constant chased down the ball and returned it beyond the far post where Shroot brought the ball down and hit a left-footer across the goal.

At the interval, Howell made a further change, Kurt Morlese coming on for Daniel McGonigle, Lawrence dropping back into midfield.

With the rain coming down hard, Young made a great diving save to push Shroot’s fierce shot round the post. Baptiste saved a Dartford header just under the bar but, for the second week running, Harrow staged a second-half revival.

Constant netted when Young spilled Shroot’s shot, but the assistant referee’s flag was up and the ‘goal’ was disallowed.

Hall had a free-kick blocked, while Barnes shot wide for the Kent side. Clarke then chased down a loose ball to set up Shroot who shot past the post.

Young pushed away a dangerous cross by Morlese. Young then made a super save to tip-over a Hall drive, but the corner led to Harrow’s equaliser. Constant’s inswinging delivery was cleared to beyond the far post, but Danny Leech got to the ball and returned it into the middle, where Morlese fired in from six yards. The time: 63 minutes.

Constant made a super run up the left, crossing beyond the far post to Shroot, who returned it across goal when he ought to have hit the target. But the Irishmen made amends in superb style in the 69th minute. When Watts’ free-kick was half-cleared to the edge of the box, Shroot met the ball with a low first-time belter back into the bottom corner of the net.

Young got across his goal to claw away Constant’s curling free-kick but Harrow looked nervy and allowed Dartford to come onto them.

Baptiste caught a dangerous corner at the second attempt, and Powell shot across goal after Clarke lost the ball. Butterworth then ought to have scored when he arrived at the far post to meet a left-wing cross, but put the ball wide.

Young turned away another Constant free-kick, but Baptiste made perhaps the save of the day when he stopped a breaking forward with a brilliant stop with his feet. McDonald’s stoppage-time free-kick went wide and the points were safe for Harrow.

HARROW

1 Andray Baptiste

2 Lee Hall

3 Ryan Watts

4 Wayne Walters

5 Danny Leech

6 Bobby Highton

7 Jamie Lawrence

8 Daniel McGonigle

Kurt Morlese 45

9 Dewayne Clarke

10 Simon Dahl

Jonathan Constant 35

11 Robin Shroot

12 Jonathan Constant

14 Kurt Morlese

15 Kwasi Frempong

16 Tobi Jinadu

17 Gary Ross