Dover Athletic 4 Harrow Borough 0

Harrow boss David Howell admitted his side "ran out of petrol" against one of the pre-season promotion favourites last Saturday, but said a favourable result could have transpired had Borough taken their first half chances.

Harrow went into the break at the Crabble Athletic Ground goalless, before the hosts' superior fitness prevailed in the second half, with three of the goals coming in a devastating 14-minute spell. Despite the result Howell said there were grounds for optimism.

"The first game of the season is always a false indicator of a side," said the manager. "We should have been 4-0 up after 15 minutes and if we'd have taken those chances it would have been a different game altogether.

"Dover, with their resources, were a bit more organised and up for it and they did to us in the second half what we did to them in the first, but they took their chances.

"We didn't look a threat in the second half and didn't have enough petrol in our tanks."

Howell also paid tribute to new signing Simon Dahl, who played despite being the victim of a vicious street attack the night before.

Dahl and a friend were set upon by a large gang of youths near his East London home as he went to buy milk and were in hospital receiving treatment until the small hours. However, the bruised defender insisted he was fine to play on the Kent coast.

"He was adamant he wanted to play and he did well," added Howell.

Jonathan Constant was Harrow's guilty culprit, coming off second best in two one-on-ones with Dover's goal-keeper before another brace of chances went begging as Harrow set out their stall.

Andre Baptiste, superb in the visiting goal, was powerless to prevent Jon Wallis firing Dover ahead just a minute into the second half, the goal taking the wind out of Borough's sails.

Athletic substitute Jerahl Hughes then made an immediate impact, crossing for Rogers to blast home before a quick-fire Sammy Moore double compounded Harrow's misery, who had a late Warren Goodhind effort disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Harrow: Baptiste, Goodhind, Dahl, Walters (cpt), Leech, Highton, Lawrence, McGonigle, Grieves, Constant, L Hall. [25a0] Goals from Jonathan Constant, Darren Grieves and Ismael Ehui earned Boro a 3-2 friendly win over Queens Park Rangers last week.