Thamesmead’s winless run has now reached ten matches as Spencer Bellotti’s 25th minute winner was decisive in Harrow Borough returning around the M25 with three points that may have been crucial to the Mead’s hopes of survival.

With all the teams in the lower reaches of the division having games in hand on his team, Thamesmead’s manager, Keith McMahon, admits it may take as many as five wins out of the remaining seven games to retain their Premier Division place.

He added “Obviously we’re in a tough position where we are fighting for our lives.  It wasn’t a great game and we’re struggling to put the ball in the back of the net at the moment.  We lacked a bit of an edge today. We thought this could be a winnable game and that’s three points there that we’ve let go.”

“It was an awful goal to concede; the ball has come a long way after we’ve given it away cheaply.  It’s a straight ball, and we’ve given him too much room.  He’s had a touch and still got room, and we cannot defend like that at this level.”

“We’ve set up with our two smaller lads, Rashid (Kamara) and Danny (Phillips) looking to find space in the hole, but the quality of the final ball was poor, we were making it easy to defend.  They got a lot of bodies back in the middle, but we weren’t positive enough to open them up.”

“We’ve got to put a run together now, we need a bit of confidence, to keep fighting.  If we can get a win next week, we need to turn it into two, three or four.  A win today and we would have been out of the bottom four.  We’ve got to believe, hang in there and not give up.”

In blustery conditions, both sides struggled for any rhythm on a dry, bouncy pitch, with chances at a premium.  Thamesmead had the wind at their back in the first half and it played a part in a moment that could have changed the course of the match after a quarter of an hour.

Ashley Probets’ ball over the Harrow back four turned the defence and allowed Shamir Mullings to challenge Anthony Maissiat in a foot race.  Harrow’s goalkeeper, James Shea, raced from his area and the ball appeared to strike his chest and left arm simultaneously, but to the relief of the Harrow bench and disbelief of the home bench, Mr Foley produced a yellow, rather than the expected red card.  McMahon explained “I spoke to the ref at half-time and he felt it wasn’t a deliberate handball.  If he doesn’t stop it with his arm, Sham is clean through.  We’re not getting the luck with decisions at the moment and it could have been a different game.”

Steve Butterworth dragged a shot wide as the home defence looked shaky, and Mullings diverted a Rashid Kamara cross goalward as each side tried to settle.  But Thamesmead’s defensive frailties were exposed again after 25 minutes as a straight ball from Michael Peacock dropped between the two centrebacks, allowing Spencer Bellotti to nip in.  The Harrow forward held off Junior Baker’s challenge and whipped a shot across Steve Northwood into the corner of the net.

Harrow were glad that Shea was still between the posts as he pulled off a wonderful save to his right to deny Derek Duncan’s freekick, and Thamesmead closed the half the stronger as Mullings and Carter were each unable to convert good chances.

Thamesmead kicked off the second half without Mullings, but the striker had joined the action in time to meet Danny Phillips’ cross, but the effort ballooned over the bar.

Phillips, of all the home players, looked the most likely to create an opportunity, as he drifted into the space between the Harrow midfield and defence, but it was Shaun Lucien who drew a save from Northwood as the Thamesmead defence switched off.

Baker was fortunate not to set up a second Harrow goal, as he attempted a header back to Northwood from the centre circle.  Marc Charles-Smith muscled his way past the Thamesmead defender and the home side were grateful to Northwood who blocked as Charles-Smith tried to touch the ball past the keeper.

Both sides were able to work the ball into good areas of the field, but there was a lack of quality into the penalty area, and neither keeper was called into action in the closing third of the game.  Harrow resorted to long range shots with Wolleaston, Lucien and Bellotti all firing over from outside the box.

Phillips, Thamesmead’s last minute hero in their previous home game, came close to snatching a point in stoppage time, as Duncan’s freekick was flicked on by Mullings, with Phillips volleying over from close range.  After this, Harrow were happy to run down the clock and now move 12 points clear of the dropzone.

THAMESMEAD TOWN: Steve Northwood, Rob Carter (Tyrus Gordon-Young 63), Ashley Probets, Junior Baker, Lewis Tozer, Jack Hopkins, Sean Roberts (Steven Smith 82), Derek Duncan, Shamir Mullings, Rashid Kamara, Danny Phillips.

Subs not used: Richard Butler, Jay Porter, Simon Glover.

Bookings: Derek Duncan 56, Lewis Tozer 81.

HARROW BOROUGH: James Shea, Michael Barima, Adam Louth, Michael Peacock, Anthony Maissiat, Jake Gilbert, Steve Butterworth (Harold Odametey 57), Rob Wolleaston, Marc Charles-Smith, Shaun Lucien, Spencer Bellotti.

Subs not used: Danny Leech, David Taylor, Matt Cooper.

Goal: Spencer Bellotti 25.

Bookings: James Shea 16, Michael Peacock 90.

Referee: Mr Matt Foley
Assistants: Mr Craig Cox and Mr Alex Lewis