Erith & Belvedere   1          Walker 45

Harrow Borough    1          Pennock 54

FA Trophy 3rd qualifying round, 2 December 1989

 

Harrow Borough    2          Pennock 65, Gurney 80

Erith & Belvedere   2          Wilson 71, Fells 84

Replay, 5 December 1989

 

Harrow Borough    2          Hardy 22, O’Connor 30

Erith & Belvedere   0                     

2nd replay, 11 December 1989

 

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, a 3-game FA Trophy epic which ended in honourable defeat and a dust-up.

 

During the historic autumn which saw the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of Communism in eastern Europe, Deres weren’t having a good time.  After a few seasons of improvement in the Southern League we were heading for the bottom again, and this despite some notable cup results.  The FA Cup brought victories over Hornchurch and Ashford before we took Woking to a replay (a year before they knocked out West Bromwich Albion).   The Trophy saw famous victories over Gosport and Southwick which brought attractive visitors in the third qualifying round in the shape of a Vauxhall Opel Premier side boasting former West Ham goalkeeper Tom McAllister between the sticks.

 

In the first game, Harrow took the lead after 54 minutes when Pennock took advantage of slack marking to tap home from three yards.  Deres fought back well and Burman and Wilson both missed half-chances before a well-worked free-kick freed Walker in the box and he fired home from 14 yards on the stroke of half-time.

 

Both sides played some good football in the second half but goalkeepers Micky Orme and Tom McAllister were in sparkling form.  Orme’s best save came when he diverted a fierce hardy shot over the bar while McAllister got his body in the way of a fine goalbound effort from Gary Andrews with 3 minutes to go.

 

 

The replay was three days later.  Kevin Alexander was pressed into service when Brett Walker came down with flu, and although he failed to get on the scoresheet, there was no shortage of goalmouth action.  Harrow went on the offensive from the kick-off, but Dave Beagley and Ian Ball marshalled the Deres’ defence superbly and Micky Orme was rarely troubled.

 

The first half was goalless but the game exploded into life after the interval.  Pennock missed two easy chances for the home side while at the other end Gavin Tagoe headed wide and Alexander was denied by the frame of McAllister.  Joe Francis played a delightful one-two with Alexander after 62 minutes but ballooned his shot over the bar with just the keeper to beat from six yards.

 

To rub salt in the wound, Harrow opened the scoring soon afterwards.  Tagoe failed to clear properly and O’Connor set up Pennock, who knocked the ball home.  The Deres fought back and Tony Wilson volleyed the equaliser from 15 yards with 19 minutes remaining.

 

Alexander and Burman his shots into the side netting and Robinson cleared off the line before Gurney put the home side ahead for the second time.  However the Deres rallied again and with just six minutes left Tony Burman turned his marker in the box, crossed into the crowded goalmouth and Dave Fells darted in to drive the ball past McAllister.

 

Both sides looked tired in extra time and although chances were created by both sides, neither could get the winner so they had to go through it all again.

 

 

So to the following Monday night and a controversial end to the tie.  The injury-hit Deres had a very good chance early on when Burman turned brilliantly on the edge of the box but his left-foot shot drifted narrowly off-target.  Harrow opened the scoring after 22 minutes when Duncan Hardy powerfully headed a corner past Micky Orme, and went 2-0 up eight minutes later when Eamon O’Connor hit a scorching 35-yard free-kick into the top corner.

 

Then two minutes before half-time, Ian Ball was late with a tackle near the halfway line and all hell let loose.  Every Harrow player and some of their officials on the bench raced towards the incident, as did several Deres players, and punches were thrown.  Order was restored and referee Mr Norbury sent off Ball and then Alexander, but amazingly took no action against any Harrow player.

 

The bad feeling had stemmed from earlier dubious decisions by the match officials, particularly the stand-side linesman.  He upset both sides and at one point early in the first half had snarled “Shut it!” at the Harrow subs’ bench.

 

Once they were down to nine men, Deres rarely threatened McAllister.  But manager Peter Peters defended Alexander after the match.  “Ian Ball had a brainstorm and deservedly got sent off but Kevin was innocent.  He did not get involved.  Alex was distraught at half-time because he had done nothing wrong.  I can only think it was a case of mistaken identity.  I watched my players closely to make sure they did not get involved and I did not see any of them throw a punch.  I’ll have a talk with them later in the week and find out if any of them did hit out.  If someone did, we may appeal on Kevin’s behalf on the grounds of mistaken identity.”

 

DERES: Micky Orme; Gavin Tagoe, Ian Ball, Dave Beagley, Lou Robinson, Gary Andrews, Joe Francis, Jeff Fulton, Tony Burman, Brett Walker, Tony Wilson (first game) – Kevin Alexander and Dave Fells in for replays.

 

Deres went on to finish third bottom in the Southern League Southern Division, ahead of Corinthian and Sheppey United.  After a derby victory over Wealdstone in the first round proper, Harrow went out to Redbridge Forest in the second round.  Redbridge went out to Stafford Rangers, Stafford lost to Leek Town in the semi-final and Leek lost to Barrow at Wembley.  I was there and sat behind celebrity Barrow fan Emlyn Hughes!