Harrow v merthyr

Another good away win for the martyrs
Harrow 1. Merthyr 2
Goals scored by Ricardo and handley
Jamie our young goalkeeper made an incredible penalty save

Merthyr up to ninth place.

Attendance 198

HARROW BOROUGH 1 - 2 MERTHYR TOWN

The Martyrs took the points back west down the M4 with a more comfortable win than the score suggests, with results elsewhere meaning Boro slipped into the bottom four.
Samuel Adenola had injured his leg in Thursday training, and Ahmet Biler was passed unfit before the game, further lengthening the Borough injury list. A new face was central midfielder Marcel Campbell, signed on Friday on loan from AFC Wimbledon.

George Moore made an important clearing header from Handley’s cross, Quaine Bartley forced a save from Cogman and Anointed Chukwu put a far post header wide at the other end, before Merthyr took the lead after 17 minutes. And it was, I’m afraid, another truly horrendous error by young Borough keeper Jacob Knightbridge. Prince Kandolo’s bouncing back-pass put him under more pressure than it ought to, but nonetheless he should have leathered it into the stands. But instead he tried to control it, succeeding only in presenting it to Rees who ran it into the net in a near-identical, nightmare, way to how Swindon Supermarine opened the scoring a fortnight ago..

Six minutes later, Harrow had a golden chance to equalise when Evans handled Isiah Noel-Williams’s cross, presenting the hosts with a penalty. But Billy Leonard’s shot was at a saveable height, Cogman pushed it away and the loose ball was cleared. There was a further blow five minutes later when Isiah Noel-Williams, one of the most important players in the side, went down with a serious hamstring injury that’s going to keep him out for a few weeks. Harrow confidence seemed to evaporate and serious threats on the Merthyr goal after that were few and far between.


Merthyr doubled their lead in the 42nd minute when they were briefly down to ten men. Too much room was allowed for Handley to be picked out, running through the middle. He twisted Jaden Sharman one way and then the other, before rifling the ball past Knightbridge. It was the stand-out moment of a dire game. Adams shot across goal as the Martyrs nearly added a third before the break.

The second half began with Handley’s dangerous cross bouncing across the home goalmouth, and Thomas’s shot saved by Knightbridge. Bartley shot over from Kandolo’s cross but the visitors were content to keep men behind the ball and generally restrict Harrow to long range efforts. Merthyr were closest to scoring when Admas lifted the ball over the bar from close in. Brain shot across goal for the visitors, and Sharman had a looping header from Kai Osman Brosnan’s cross saved by Cogman. It wasn’t until the fifth minute of stoppage-time that Borough netted what was, by then, merely a consolation, Johnny Allotey’s inswinging cross converted at the far post by Sharman.

It was certainly not the ideal start to a run of five home league games from six, with Tiverton Town next to visit on Tuesday evening. Despite some battling draws and not falling to any heavy defeats, Boro are now eight without a win and must quickly find a way of changing that, especially with games against teams challenging for promotion to come.

HARROW BOROUGH: Jacob Knightbridge, Marcel Campbell (sub Johnny Allotey, 66 mins), Kai Omoko Brosnan, Prince Kandolo, Sonny Hart, Jaden Sharman, George Moore, Billy Leonard, Anointed Chukwu, Quaine Bartley (sub Hami Berchiche, 66 mins), Isiah Noel-Williams (sub Shaun Preddie, 28 mins). Unused subs: Ahmet Biler, Keegan Bloom.

MERTHYR TOWN: Jaimie Coglan, Callum Ryan-Phillips, Noah Smerdon, Jamie Adams, Liam Angel, Jack Evans (booked, 79 mins), Frazer Thomas (sub Owen Brain, 62 mins), Alex John (sub Alex Bonthron, 85 mins), Nick Rhodes, Ricardo Rees (sub Lewis Powell, 43 mins), Thomas Handley. Unused subs: Curtis Jemmett-Hutson, Will Fuller.

Referee: Mr L Torz-Brown
Att. 198

by Simon Grigor

Massive commitment shown by Jack Evans and those around him to get him to the game, especially at non league level. A mention too for the referee, who apart from putting on a very good performance of his own, by letting play continue, without ‘whistle stop’ attention, he even had the ‘bottle’ to approach our dugout and apologise for not seeing the stray elbow that saw Ricardo Rees leave the field prematurely. If he had a little help from the linesman, there could have been an early bath for the home defender. Quality won us the game…… The two goals and the Cogman penalty save which was outstanding. Harrow had an injury list, but they have recruited recently, a few midfielders from AFC Wimbledon, a defender from Swindon and a ‘keeper from West Ham Utd. All played on Saturday.