HARROW BOROUGH EXIT FA TROPHY IN PENALTY SHOOT-OUT
Harrow Borough’s much postponed Isuzu FA Trophy 4th Round match against FC Halifax Town took place at The Rogers Family Stadium on Tuesday last, 31st January. Your reporting team attended the game.
Harrow Borough started this season’s FA Trophy campaign in the 3rd Qualifying Round with a 3-1 penalty shoot-out victory at Corinthian Casuals, following a 2 all draw. They then progressed by beating Hayes & Yeading United (2-0 at home) in Round 1, Concord Rangers (4-2 away) in Round 2 and Swindon Supermarine (2-1 away) in Round 3.
FC Halifax Town entered the competition in Round 3 and won at Guiseley by a single goal.
Harrow Borough should be very pleased and proud of their performance in this match. They matched their National League opponents throughout and were unfortunate to exit the competition. A casual observer would certainly not have been able to distinguish which of the teams competed at two divisions higher in the pyramid.
The home side played a more attractive passing game, compared to the long ball tactics of their opponents. Another difference between the two sides was the number of niggling fouls perpetrated by the visitors. For instance, referee Gary Parsons penalised several instances of pushing, while the ball was in flight from corner kicks.
After an uneventful first half hour to the match, Halifax took the lead just before the interval. Borough equalised with a beautifully struck free kick midway through the second half. The visitors regained the lead 5 minutes from time but Borough scored again in added time, to take the game to a penalty shoot-out, which was won by the visitors.
The opening stages of the match were very scrappy, with almost no action of note. The first shot on goal came after 20 minutes, when Borough’s George Moore fired wide from around 25 yards.
Then visiting keeper, Sam Johnson beat Kai Omoko-Brosnan to George’s through ball.
Halifax’s Millenic Alli was fouled just outside the Harrow box. Keeper Jacob Knightbridge pushed Tylor Golden’s free kick for a corner.
Festus Arthur headed home a free kick from Tylor Golden but the score was disallowed for a foul.
George Moore was creating problems for Halifax. He made a dangerous run through the middle but his shot was palmed away.
Rob Harker put the visitors ahead in the 44th minute, with a low shot into the corner of the net, from the edge of the penalty area, after a clearance had been headed out to him.
Jacob Knightbridge saved with his feet from Town’s Angelo Cappello and at the other end, Ahmet Biler’s long shot flew narrowly wide.Score at half time: Harrow Borough 0 FC Halifax Town 1
George Moore worked his way into a good position but fired over the bar.
James Taylor was injured in the 55th minute and was replaced by Keegan Bloom.
George Moore’s free kick found Ezra Ikebuasi, whose shot was well saved by Halifax keeper, Sam Johnson with his legs.
Jacob Knightbridge saved well at Angelo Cappello’s feet.
George Moore equalised with a fantastic strike into the top of the net, from a free kick around 40 yards out, following a foul on Billy Leonard.
Billy Leonard broke into the visitors’ box. A sliced clearance from a defender went high into the air but was punched away by the keeper.
Festus Arthur headed home Harvey Gilmour’s corner for Halifax but the referee had spotted a push in the box while the ball was in flight.
Halifax retook the lead in the 86th minute. A cleverly taken free kick by Harvey Gilmour found Rob Harker who netted his second goal of the game.
Halifax then had chances to make the game safe. A good tackle by Ahmet Biler dispossessed Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, who was clear through on goal. Then Jack Hunter shot wide.
In the 4th of the 5 added minutes, George Moore forced a corner and Borough threw all their resources, including their goalkeeper into the Halifax box. The kick was headed clear but fell to George, who volleyed it into the bottom corner of the net off of a post.
Score after 90 minutes: Harrow Borough 2 FC Halifax Town 2
Billy Leonard converted the first kick from the penalty spot for Borough and then Jack Senior of Halifax shot wide.
Sam Johnson saved the second Borough kick, which was taken by Sam Adenola and Rob Harker converted for Halifax to level the scores at 1 each.
The remaining kicks in the respective sets of five were all converted, taking the shoot-out score to 4 each. The successful strikers were Biler, Moore and Assidjo for Borough and Dieseruvwe, Alli and Clarke for Halifax.
We went to sudden death. Isiah Noel-Williams (Borough) and Jamie Stott (Halifax) both converted.
Sam Johnson saved the seventh Harrow kick, taken by Keegan Bloom and Jordan Keane converted his kick to take the visitors into Round 5.
Penalty shoot-out score: Harrow Borough 5 FC Halifax Town 6
TEAM LINE UPS:
Harrow Borough: Jacob Knightbridge, Ezra Ikebuasi, Ahmet Biler, Shaun Preddie (capt) (Kamon-Sherell Assidjo 65 mins), James Taylor (Keegan Bloom 55), Isiah Noel-Williams, George Moore, Billy Leonard, Montel Brown (Maxxine Ndambi 87), Kai Omoko Brosnan and Sam Adenola.
Unused substitutes: Charlie Taylor (GK), Prince Kandolo, Johnny Allotey and Jaden Sharman.
Manager: Steve Baker
FC Halifax Town: Sam Johnson, Tylor Golden, Jack Senior, Jamie Stott, Jordan Keane, Jack Hunter, Festus Arthur (Tom Clarke 90 + 5), Rob Harker, Harvey Gilmour, Angelo Cappello (Emmanuel Dieseruvwe 71) and Millenic Alli.
Unused substitute: Ted Lavelle.
Manager: Chris Millington
Referee: Gary Parsons Assistant Referees: Ryan Head and Karl Sear Fourth Official: James Keane.
Attendance: 293
We thank Chris and Jim for covering this match in behalf of Middlesex FA, as ever they have reviewed the images from the match and have inserted their favouirtes into the report. Chris has also very kindly provide a full album of imagery.