The Woods conceded a huge advantage to local rivals Harrow Borough in their opening game in this season’s Middlesex Senior Cup by resting nine of the team that had defeated Beaconsfield a few days earlier. It meant some needed minutes on the pitch for several of the squad that hadn’t been involved much recently and a few call ups from the reserves with goalkeeper Dan Daggett making his first appearance of the season and Jeff Boateng making his debut in defence. Former Woods manager Dave Anderson was happy to field a strong side and the Borough team contained no less than six ex-Northwood players, including the complete back-line.

The domination of the visitors during the first half was fairly comprehensive. Daggett saved well early on from Jerome Walker but Harrow took the lead on 13 minutes when Walker crossed from the left and Carl McCluskey flicked home at the far post. That lead was soon doubled as Mason Yorke rather lunged into a rash tackle in the box on Lewis Driver and Ben Long scored from the resulting penalty.

The pressure continued and a couple of chances were spurned before the third came on 27 minutes. Kameron English’s attacking run saw him knock the ball too far forward but although Daggett got there first, the ball rebounded off of him and Driver was there to knock in the loose ball. Driver bagged his second when running through a square-defence and slotting home coolly and it could have been five before half-time but for a clearance off the line from Alex Nolan.

The second half was a bit better for the young Woods side who also introduced reserves Calvin Moses and Josh Lambe to the fray. Lambe made a few inroads but his final ball was lacking and eventually Harrow found a fifth goal on 72 minutes when McCluskey was put through by a miscued defensive header and he finished well for his second of the game. McCluskey then turned provider to set up Walker for a tap-in and the sixth goal while Daggett made a good save to deny Howard Hall.

Tommy Walsh had a couple of late efforts, finally forcing visiting goalkeeper Charlie Horlock into a save but the Borough notched a seventh and final goal when Sekou Kaba chipped across for Ryan ebattista to knock home in the 87th minute.