Harrow Borough boss makes play-offs vow

Feb 25 2010 By Tim Edwards

HARROW Borough players have been ordered to forget the Ryman Premier League table after moving to within touching distance of the play-offs.

Saturday's 2-1 win at Aveley pushed them up a place to 12th with 38 points, just three points behind fifth placed Sutton United.

"Nobody seems to want to take the play-offs by the scruff of the neck, so we've got to go for them," said the manager.

"Forget the table - if we win our games that will take care of itself. We've got to go to Maidstone on Saturday where there is a heavy pitch and on Tuesday we go to Hastings, who are one of the form teams at the moment."

While Howell insists the race for the play-offs is wide open he has told his team to concentrate on putting away sides in a more clinical fashion.

Harrow missed more than they scored at Aveley, something which has become a common trait.

"We're a bit like Arsenal in that we try and pass the ball into the net," said the Borough boss.

"They've never had that penentration in the final third since Adebayor and Henry left the club. We've got that but out problem is we don't make use of it.

"For the territory and possession we have we don't have a good return and that is something we have to work on. We attack teams like we're 5-0 up and while there is nothing wrong with playing the pretty stuff there is a time and a place where we have to go and win the match in any manner we can."

Howell continued: "I would take a few players scoring off their backsides but I don't think we can win ugly. We just need to be more precise, just like Aston Villa were against Burnley in midweek - they won that game in 12 minutes."

One player Howell will be without on Saturday is goalkeeper Andray Baptiste, who serves a one-match ban. Keita Karamoko should start in his place.