For what it is all worth now, here are some of my thoughts from Saturday's visit to Harrow for my first game of the season.
First I was very surprised to bump into Barry Fry after he entered the clubhouse asking for the latest score on the Arsenal v Man U match, sporting his Peterborough tracksuit. So no trying to diguise his presence then. Some felt he was was actually at the game looking at the Harrow winger, so not neccessarily looking at Cody. But only he knows, and yes he does have a reputation at scouring the non league scene for players, doesn't he.
From the Darts point of view, I had an unerie feeling coming into the match that perhaps that record of no Harrow home wins was perhaps going to bug us. Personally, I have to disagree with some of those who felt Harrow were a bad side, as, to me, they played far better than a team supporting the rest of the league, and I sensed that perhaps some of their more recent results were showing an improvement. To me they came out of the blocks very fast at us for the first 5 to 10 mins, and I thought we were defensively very slow covering back in that time. Whether Guesty was struggling from the very beginning I don't know, but to me, the team was slow gettin back - or in fact - was it the fact Harrow were very quick going forward. We certainly came into the game as the first half progressed, and yes, it was a splendid goal from Cody. And yes, we could have scored a couple more too which might have put more pressure on Harrow. But to be fair to them, they competed throughout the game, and I always felt nervous that they could score - and score more than once.
Steve Butterworth impressed me in the first half and was a tad unlucky not to score. Am I the only one to see shades of Peter Beardsley in his style of play? Indeed, he was my early runner for man of the match. However, having seen other reports questioning how Youngy could be man of the match, I have to say I thought he brought off no end end of saves in the second half to prevent us conceding a hatful of goals. Given the diabolical rain conditions as well, it has to be a keepers nightmare to play in those conditions, so perhaps one slip in those circumstances was allowable. I am certainly one who would prefer to see Young in goal over Kessie, simply because Young got to shots that Kessie would never have reached.
If as some say, Harrow were the worst side we have played, then it certainly shows how the standard has been raised this season, and that includes the Darts, even on a poor second half performance. Having said that, the last 10 minutes saw the Darts pushing forward attempting to get the equaliser. But with the side struggling on the day a little with the loss of Noble to flu, the loss of Guesty very early on in the game to injury, Ossie trying to fill in at left back in an emergency, then perhaps Saturday was a case of the bad day at the office, which the lads themselves were well aware of and disappointed at the end of the game. Perhaps the lads did see it as an easier game against the bottom team - who knows. But I've said it before, no easy games in this league. Just ask Tooting and Billericay, who might have also just been thinking that the Darts were for the taking as we took all the points!!!
This league is wide open, and in the same way as recovered from a poor start point wise, not performance wise, we all know what a few wins on the trot can do in this league, and there will be a few more surprises along the way before the end of the season.
It's not nice seeing your favourite team beaten when you've travelled a few hundred miles. Nevertheless, I remain upbeat, and still see us making progress through the season. The cup game at St Albans will be a tough game no doubt when we will regarded as the underdogs, especially with their recent form, but at least we will have an opportunity to compare the difference between the Ryman Premier and |Conference South. Perhaps we have already made the biggest jump in getting out of the Ryman North. I would just like to see the lads start chalking up a few home wins at PP to keep the home faithful coming through the gates.
Great to see so many regulars at the game. Still enjoyed the atmosphere of the non league scene. Harrow were excellent hosts. I'll be back for more, but hopefully seeing us grab a few more points. I'm sure TB is on the case, given today's announcements.
Now then, who do I vote for MOM now. Well, I'm going to stick with Butters on this occasion, but not an easy decision I have to say, with Young and Cody also in the frame.
COYD
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Topic: Harrow Borough (away) [Live Text + Reaction] (Read 15259 times)