Report by ALAN EVANS

A tough opening game in the County Cup brought the Woods to Earlsmead for probably the last-ever time with Harrow Borough selling up and planning to move out of their ground at the end of the season. Good for nostalgia but not so good for the Woods new side as they were well beaten by their Step 4 opponents.

For the first time in ages, the starting line-up had nobody making their debut but the Woods were still missing International pairing of Kieron Lake-Bryan and Kayne Connor while Adeyemi Adewale’s injury at the weekend ruled him out.

There was a particularly fast start to the match with the Woods having to defend solidly, especially against the dangerous Jayde Crotty but it was the visitors who recorded the first couple of efforts on goal. The first came after 12 minutes with some great work from Mark Osei, beating his marker, cutting in from the left and firing just wide of the near post. Two minutes later, good approach work from Amara Fofana saw him feed Ilyas Khader. The Woods winger saw his effort blocked but the loose ball fell kindly to Arnold Mengi and it took a good block from Borough skipper Lewis Cole to deny him.

It was on 19 minutes that Harrow first tested Woods goalkeeper Finn Rushton as Adam Kolli hit a good shot from distance but it was claimed comfortably. Three minutes later, the home side were in front when a well-delivered corner was met by a firm header from Harry Nevins who had run to the near-post unmarked.

It was another set-piece that doubled Borough’s advantage on the half-hour. This time it was a free-kick from Cole that caused the damage and although Rushton managed to keep out the initial shot from close range, Seye Okunlolo was on hand to follow up to score.

The Woods continued to battle through to half-time without looking dangerous in the final third but just five minutes after the break the cup-tie was pretty much over with Rushton penalised for a clip on a pressing forward after he looked to clear the ball. Kolli tucked the penalty away clinically.

Harrow stayed on top for much of the second-half and Archie Morris, who had played a couple of games for the Woods on dual-registration recently, was unlucky to see an effort crash against a post before Okunlola headed over when getting on the end of an excellent cross from Luke Brophy.

Northwood made a series of substitutions to little effect and Borough netted a fourth goal after 70 minutes which two of their own substitutes created. Lucias Vine saw his low shot saved by Rushton but again it ran loose and KJ Bailey slotted home.

The home side were in cruise control for much of the remainder of the half but on 87 minutes Northwood did grab a consolation goal. Osei burst into life with a battling dribble through the centre, former Woods goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell, back out of his retirement as cover for Harrow, managed to block his shot but the ball looped up and Lucas Da Silva Luz headed neatly over keeper and defender and into the net.