Ryman League Westview Cup, Round 2, Tuesday, September 12.

THE ISTHMIAN League Cup, in its various guises over the years, is a competition in which Borough's record could not remotely be described as a successful one.

The club's best showing was a semi-final appearance back in 1979 and the poor history continued into 2006-07 as they spluttered out at the first stage to a lively Enfield side at Earlsmead on Tuesday.

The Harrow side showed lots of changes to that which had taken the point at Staines on Saturday. Gary Ross had a chance to show what he could do between the sticks, while Jamie Diston, Junior Adeoye and Leon Morris also had promotion from the reserve team. Messrs Walters, Onochie and Frempong all had the chance to rest their knocks, while the news of Danny Leech, helped off at Staines, is good: there is no break but he is likely to miss ten days' football or so.

The visitors from north London looked the livelier from the off. Stanley, a pacey centre forward, burst between the Harrow central defenders to force Ross into an early save, and then Costelloe shot against the foot of the post after a neat right-wing build-up.

Case shot wide while Harrow's only early threat was a James Bent shot from ten yards that was blocked. Enfield continued to look the more threatening and when David Idemudia lost the ball, a right-wing cross saw Costelloe glance the ball past Ross's post.

Harrow's closest effort of the first half was after 30 minutes, when Daniel Nielsen's cross was headed across goal by Bent. Enfield keeper Anfossy, under pressure from Daniel McGonigle, could only punch the ball a short distance, and Abby Nsubuga volleyed the dropping ball a whisker past the upright.

A Leon Morris effort from 25 yards was held by Anfossy but it was no surprise when Enfield took the lead after 40 minutes. Ross was caught in no-man's land as he came for a long ball but hesitated, and Stanley nipped in to lift the ball over him.

Bent forced Anfossy to tip his header from an Adeoye cross round the post as the half ended, but it was no surprise to see the ineffective Adeoye replaced for the second half by Albert Adomah. Rob Sterry also made a welcome return, replacing McGonigle, injured in a heavy tackle.

Sterry might have equalised early in the second period had he gambled on an Adomah cross which flashed past in front of him.

Enfield still threatened, with Costelloe's shot blocked and Stanley shooting across the goal. But Harrow were now looking stronger. A Bent cross fizzed across the goalmouth and Rickey Browne's header from Adomah's corner was hacked off the line.

The 67th minute saw a big moment for Harrow supporters, as Dean Marney returned to first team action, coming off the bench for his first appearance after 16 injury-hit months.

Stanley was close to doubling the Enfield lead when he beat Nielsen but poked his shot wide while, at the other end, Adomah's shot was deflected wide and Bent's flick from the resulting corner was blocked. As the game went into stoppage time, Marney nearly completed a dream return to action when he picked up Adomah's pass and hit a low shot from the edge of the box just past the post, but it was not to be for Harrow.

Of far greater importance is this Saturday's FA Cup tie at Earlsmead with Northwood.