Harrow Borough 2-4 East Thurrock United

From the Earlsmead Stadium

Ryman Premier Division

 

A REMARKABLE turnaround saw East Thurrock United come from two goals behind to record a memorable win at Harrow Borough.

Rocks now have the best away record in the division, having recording eight victories in 14 matches, and they not sit a mere two points outside the play-off places.

Braces from Lewis Smith and Sam Higgins ensured John Coventry’s men rescued what appeared to be a hopeless situation into a memorable day.

And it was the away side who started the brighter, with John Sonuga judged not to have handle a fierce cross, much to the away side’s displeasure.

Nicky Symons shot wide before Higgins was denied twice by the agile Nick Jupp.

But it was the hosts the struck the first blow. In the 23rd minute, Nick Salapatas put through Marc Charles-Smith and he beat two men before shooting through David Hughes from a narrow angle.

Salapatas missed a golden chance to double the advantage after shooting wide of the target, before Hughes was called into action.

Young Joe Paxman, starting his second game in succession, kept Jupp on his toes as his cross was pushed away before George McCluskey got it wrong in front of goal and shot wide for the hosts.

Harrow were let off after McCluskey cleared off his own crossbar, and they took full advantage after the break.

Sonuga headed in a fine cross by Salupata to double the advantage.

But East Thurrock, after suffering only one defeat in 14 league games before this, bounced back and it was Lewis Smith who halved the deficit curling beyond Jupp into the far corner.

Kye Ruel was denied by the stopper before Symons shot over but Harrow could do nothing to stop the equaliser 15 minutes from time.

An initial shot was blocked but Higgins was in the right place to score his 25th goal of the campaign.

And four minutes later the game had been turned on its head. Fullback Daniel Dyer was exposed and a cross was met by Higgins to make the score 3-2.

The hitman shot wide in the search for his hat-trick before Smith scored a deflected free-kick in injury time to compound Harrow’s misery.

 

East Thurrock United: Hughes, Sammons, Stephen, Wood, Goodacre, Witherspoon, Paxman (Bryant), Symons, Higgins, Smith, Ruel