Last Updated on: 24th februar 2022, 12:55 pm
Ryman League Premier,Saturday 7th November 1998:
Billericay Town – Harrow Borough 2-2 (0-1)
0-1 20.min. Kumah N.
1-1 57.min. David Adekola
2-1 61.min. Leon Gutzmore
2-2 80.min. Kumah N. (pen)
Match report: Paul Bakewell
MoM: Root 8/10 – consistent yet again .
Overall match: 7/10 – marked improvement from previous matches, but still not quite there yet.
Teams:
Billericay Town: Root, Goldstone (B – 80), Davidson, Moore, Waters, St. Hilaire, Ridout (S – Blaney 51- B-65 B/SO ), Parratt (B -85) , Adekola, Gutzmore (S – Parmenter-93), Hooker
Subs: Blaney, Parmenter, Charles
Harrow Borough: Hook, O’Brien, Nwaokolo, Roberts, Coleman, Paris (B – 86), Adolphe (S-Belgrave), James (Towle), Dodds (B – 63- S-Toussaint), McCormack
Officials: Ref: R Evans – Asst. refs: M Basten/F Mead
Apologies for the cliché ‘a game of two halves’ but for the 2nd time this season this was it! Boro’ dominated Town for the first half and had it not been for Dave Root they could have been further ahead at the interval. 2nd half and presumably a suitable bollocking from Kendall saw Town put Boro’ under considerable pressure but Boro’s first half performance was just enough to earn a point.
At the start ,James was just wide with a long range shot and Dodds did well to turn his marker but Root saved. Boro’ then had a good chance as Kumah latched on to a back pass, rounded Root but drove into the side netting. McCormack, gave Billy hard time, sent a fine cross into the box where Adolphe outjumped the defence but was denied once again by Root. A corner from Roberts was met by Coleman who mishit his shot and headed it in. Dodds went close after good work by Roberts and a strike by McCormack was met by an another fine save by Root.
I was pleased at last to see Hooker included from the start, but – ‘sod’s law’ he missed 2 sitters, the 1st on 28. Adekola also shot wide from on 29. Hook made a good stop with his legs to deny Hooker. Just before halftime Billy cocked up a header back to Root and McCormack nipped in to steal the ball but Root was out quickly to smother the shot. At halftime Boro’ were well worth their lead and we were lucky to be just one down.
The second half was a different story with Town bombarding Boro’s goal, winning six corners in five minutes. On 46 Hook saved well from Leon but was left standing on 57 when Adekola drove into the net for Town’s equaliser from a Hooker cross from the left. Then a miracle- on 61 a long ball from the back dropped over Boro’s defence and at last Leon ran on to score.
Boro’ levelled on 80. A corner by Roberts caused havoc in the box and Coleman had his legs taken from under him by Waters and the referee Evans gave a penalty. Kumah put the spot kick beyond Root.
The ref marred the game with petty stoppages and found ten minutes of stoppage time necessary and capped it by sending off Blaney following two yellow cards for late tackles. We had a great chance to gain three points eight minutes into extra time but Hooker was far too slow and elected to blast and clip the bar over. In retrospect the 3 points could have been ours but a draw was probably fair.
