Harrow Borough 2 Canvey Island  0

Borough had only recorded one win over the Gulls in 21 previous attempts prior to this campaign, but thanks to ex-Staines forward Charles-Smith they followed up their 3-1 win back in November with another deserved victory.

Injuries deprived the hosts of Anthony Page, Daniel Dyer and Simeon Akinola, plus there was also the first game of Anthony Maissiat’s suspension following his recent red card at Enfield.

The absences saw Charles-Smith enter the fray up front while Michael Peacock and the recalled Danny Leech resumed their familiar partnership in central defence. 

Jay Curran drove an early opportunity over for Canvey, but Harrow were soon on top and might have been three ahead inside the first 10 minutes.

Spencer Bellotti and Steve Butterworth played a lovely one-two just outside the box before  the latter’s drive came back off the post, hitting Canvey keeper Josh Vickers on the head and bouncing back towards the goal, only for the custodian to gather it before it crossed the line.

Leech then put a free header from Shaun Lucien’s corner over the bar from well inside the six-yard box, Bellotti got to a Lucien cross at the near post but glided the ball wide.

Curran again threatened for Canvey with a turn and shot that brought a save from James Shea, but Harrow were soon back on the front foot with a Shaun Lucien free-kick resulting in Jake Gilbert seeing a shot blocked and Peacock follow-up effort forcing a smart save from Vickers.

The visitors’ keeper was soon excelling again, deflecting an effort from Harold Odametey at point-blank range after Charles-Smith had set up his team-mate with a pull-back from the by-line on the right.

Butterworth’s forced another save from Vickers and the former Carshalton man was out of luck with a back post header which the keeper somehow managed to deflect to safety.

Despite these heroics, Borough took a deserved lead four minutes from the break with ironically Vickers having to shoulder some responsibility for the goal.

Lucien’s deep free-kick caught him in No Man’s Land as he came but got nowhere near to gathering and when the ball dropped to earth and alert Charles-Smith stabbed home.

Chances came at both ends after the break with James Shea denying John Sands at one end, while Adam Louth and Bellotti tested Vickers with a free-kick and a low drive respectively.

The vital second goal came the way of Dave Anderson midway through the half.

Neat interchange between Bellotti and Odametey sent Charles-Smith racing through a square back line and he sent a confident shot beyond Vickers’ grasp.

The outstanding Leech made a brilliant block from Canvey substitute Jason Hallett’s shot to preserve the two-goal cushion before the same player was thwarted once more when Shea’s best save of the afternoon kept out his powerful header.

Vickers produced one last save to keep out an excellent effort from set-piece specialist Lucien, but it could not stop Borough keeping a tight hold on all three points.

It means Borough will attempt to make it three league wins in a row for the first time this season when Leiston visit Earlsmead tomorrow in a 7:45pm kick-off.