Lowestoft Town 1 Harrow Borough 2

It looked like business as usual for the Blues when Michael Frew fired his side in front in the seventh minute with an excellent finish but Lowestoft proceeded to miss several gilt-edged chances that should have ensured they were out of sight by the break.

Frew fired wide when one-on-one with the goalkeeper before hitting the post while Stuart Ainsley missed a penalty when his effort was easily saved by goalkeeper Nick Pope.

Harrow looked a different side in the second period while failed to rediscover the attacking rhythm they had in the first half.

It came as no surprise therefore when Harrow levelled the scores in the 75th minute thanks to Duane Ofori-Acheampong’s excellent finish and substitute JJ Bates piled on the misery with a good strike in the last minute of normal time.

The Lowestoft management team decided to rest top goalscorer Lubo Guentchev, perhaps to preserve the winger for the FA Cup first qualifying round tie against Heybridge on Saturday, but after seven minutes in they didn’t look like they were going to miss him when Frew pounced from close range.

Godbold, handed his first start of the season, made a jinking run down the right flank and when his cross was only partially cleared Frew was there to ram home.

Frew had an excellent chance to double Lowestoft’s money in the 14th minute when he latched on to a slide-rule pass from Cave-Brown but he dragged his effort wide with just the keeper to beat.

Erkan Okay, handed a rare start in central midfield, looked tidy on the ball and he almost got a second from a quick Lowestoft breakaway but his 20-yard drive was beaten away by Boro stopper Nick Pope.

There was nothing Pope could do a minute later when Frew took advantage of a poor clearance inside the penalty area but his snapshot cannoned off the post with Pope motionless.

Lowestoft had an even better chance five minutes before the break when Francis was fouled inside the penalty area by Papa Agyemang and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Ainsley stepped up confidently but his left-footed effort was tame and easily parried way by Pope.

The worry was that Lowestoft’s wastefulness in front of goal would come back to haunt them and 15 minutes from time it did.

A long punt forward somehow bisected the Blues defence and Ofori-Acheampong latched on to it before producing a perfect lob to level the scores.

It got worse for Lowestoft in the 89th minute when more confusion at the back allowed JJ Bates to fire home and secure Harrow’s first win of the season.

Mark Armstrong
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