RYMAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Harrow Borough 1 Leiston 1

The former Carshalton striker struck in first half injury-time to end a goal drought stretching back to the Boxing Day defeat to Metropolitan Police, so cancelling out Craig Parker’s opener for their Suffolk visitors.

Several other chances escaped the Borough front-man, including a glaring miss within 30 seconds of the restart.

Thereafter, Leiston keeper Danny Gay produced a one-man show to keep the rampant hosts at bay, yet Borough needed a stunning save from ex-Arsenal custodian James Shea (pictured) at the death to preserve a valuable point.

Dave Anderson’s team showed just one change from Saturday’s impressive 2-0 win over Canvey Island with Victor Osobu replacing the ill Spencer Bellotti.

They twice went close in the opening minutes with Saturday’s two-goal hero Marc Charles-Smith heading narrowly over and Osobu showing his pace to sprint beyond Leiston’s Blake Saker only to fire over the top.

The next 20 minutes though belonged to the visitors with Gareth Heath producing one diving stop from Shea following a swift counter attack, while another fast break saw Parker denied by Michael Peacock’s magnificent block.

However, Borough were undone by an excellent piece of football from the men who play in the shadow of the Sizewell nuclear reactor on 19 minutes.

Leiston kept the ball for what seemed an eternity before a neat touch off on the edge of the box set Jack Simmons up for a shot which beat Shea only to cannon off the inside of the post.

Borough’s keeper recovered to deny Heath’s follow-up effort, but Parker was first to the loose ball to force it beyond two defenders on the line.

The goal served to stir Borough into life who came close on 27 minutes when Butterworth scooped an effort wide after a storming run from Harry Odametey.

It was the start of a period of pressure from the hosts which soon saw Shaun Lucien play Michael Barima in on the overlap, the veteran defender forcing a smart stop from Gay before the ball was scrambled behind.

The resulting corner was only half cleared and when it was played back in the under pressure Leiston defender was forced to head over from underneath his own crossbar.

Heath saw a powerful effort blocked by the excellent Leech at the other end, but Borough were on top and when Butterworth raced clear from Lucien’s astute pass a leveller looked certain, but Gay got a glove on the ball as the striker tried to go around him to divert the danger.

Borough were even closer a minute from the break as Butterworth turned his marker to race away down the left before pulling the ball back into the run of Charles-Smith whose shot was fumbled by Gay, but the defence hacked clear as Osobu was set to pounce.

There was still time for two more pivotal moments at the end of a breathless half.

 First Leiston should have made it 2-0 when Connor Hubble’s pass saw Parker get the wrong side of Peacock only for Shea to stay big and deny him from point-blank range.

From the ball up-field, Gay for once miss-timed his clearance and when the ball was returned to Butterworth he fired a shot into the far corner.

If that was a smart finish his effort 30 seconds after the restart was a horror story of a miss as he latched onto Charles-Smith’s ball over the top only to scuff his shot beyond Gay but wide.

Shea denied Parker once more before the hosts spurned a second great chance to take the lead on 56 minutes as Charles-Smith, again clean through took one touch too many allowing Gay to cut down the angles and save once more.

The former Staines man then headed against the post, but the flag was up for offside, before Peacock’s flying header was also deflected a whisker wide of the target.

With 11 minutes left Borough were closer still as Odametey’s surging run released Lucien for a shot Gay could only parry at full stretch, but even then the experienced custodian recovered his balance to somehow block Osobu’s follow-up effort.

Lucien too was denied by Gay as the clock ticked down and when Odametey was harshly penalised for a foul right on the edge of the box in stoppage-time Borough fans feared the worst.

Leiston’ Stuart Boardley got the free-kick up and over the wall with pace, but Shea twisted in mid-air to somehow claw the effort over and ensure honours finished even.

It was the least Borough deserved for one of their best displays of the campaign and leaves them in good heart ahead of Saturday’s trip to playoff contenders Bognor.