Harrow Borough 3-2 Sholing

Scorers : Harlem Hale 19,  Reece Mitchell 33 (pen) & 61 / Wayne Robinson 63 & 71

Date: Saturday 9 September 2023, 3pm – Southern League Premier South

Venue: The Rogers Family Stadium   Attendance: 155

Harrow Borough : Tyler Tobin, Elliott Poley, Mack Miskin, Ross Oulton (Nagheeb Ibrahim 46), Reece Yorke ©, Prince Kandolo (Harry Seabrook 73), Harlem Hale, Ronny Mfinda, Reece Cameron (Excellence Muhemba 62), Lonit Talla, Reece Mitchell.  Unused subs : Richie Mbele, Troy Walters

Bookings :  Elliott Poley, Ross Oulton, Lonit Talla
Red Card : Elliott Poley (2nd yellow)

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Alex Sawyer (Fin Du Port 89), Marv McLean, Charlie Wagstaffe, Rob Flooks (Tyler Edmondson 46), Owen Roundell, Wayne Robinson, Byron Mason ©, Dan Mason, Adam Payce, Jake Adams (Jake Cope 58). Unused subs : Ryan Harfield, Charlie Fox

Bookings : Owen Roundell, Wayne Robinson

Sholing Man of the Match : Wayne Robinson

A late Sholing fight back wasn't enough as we slipped to defeat at Harrow Borough on a brutally hot day in West London.

Team News : We were without Brad Targett, Dan Miller, Jake Hesketh, Jake Flannigan, TJ Cuthbertson & Pete Castle, but Marv McLean returned from injury.  There was also new loan signing Adam Payce, who has joined us from Farnborough.

At kick off, my weather app said the temperature was 31c with a real feel of 36c and it wasn't kidding, making it brutal conditions to run around and kick a football.  Thankfully for spectators, there was plenty of shaded seating & standing at Harrow, whilst the players endured the heat.

It looked like a dream debut for Adam Payce when inside 2 minutes, he headed in a Charlie Wagstaffe cross, but a debatable offside decision put an end to the goal celebrations.

The home side picked up two early bookings for fouls just outside the area, but we were unable to captalise from the freekicks and then found ourselves behind on 19 minutes.  Hesitation at the back allowed Harlem Hale to collect the ball in the box and he fired past Gosney. 

After all the stonewall handballs not given to us in recent seasons, it was a big surprise to see the referee point to the spot after the ball was fired at a Harrow defender with the ref harshly saying he blocked it with his arm.  However, Dan Mason's penalty was too close to the keeper and Tyler Tobin made the save and then another from Adams follow up.

It already felt like "one of those days" and that feeling sunk in deeper when a clumsy challenge saw Harrow awarded a penalty of their own and Reece Mitchell made no mistake, tucking his spot kick just inside the post.

Tyler Tobin made two excellent saves to deny us before half time.  Firstly, a freekick was touched to Dan Mason to smash a shot that was deflected and heading to the bottom corner, but the keeper changed direction and somehow tipped it round the post.   The second save was a double one, firstly from Adams and then blocked the rebounded effort by Payce.  HT 2-0

Tyler Edmondson replaced the injured Flooksy for the second half, but Harrow continued to take advantage of our mistakes in midfield and defence.  They really should have been 3 up on 53 mins when with the whole goal to aim at from 6 yards, the striker headed wide.  It wasn't to matter though as more mistakes allowed Harrow to get that killer third on 61 minutes when Reece Mitchell tucked away his second.

We got a goal back almost instantly, WAYNE ROBINSON letting fly from 20 yards and the ball deflected off a defender and the spin took it over the keeper and in. 

The comeback looked more of a possibility on 71 mins when Marv McLean's ball over the defence saw WAYNE ROBINSON chest it forward, outpace his marker and run into the left side of the area before slotting past the keeper at his near post.

Harrow were more than happy for the drinks breaks, several injuries and a farcical lack of match balls, to kill any momentum that Sholing then had.  However, to be fair, we didn't create a clear chance in the 8 minutes of added time, even when Harrow were reduced to 10 men on the 90 minute mark.  We resorted to long throws into the box, but the home side were strong in the air all game and comfortably coped with them and Harrow gleefully picked up their first win of the season.    FT 3-2

Next Game : Sholing v Basingstoke Town - Saturday 16 Sep 3pm - Southern Premier