Harrow Borough slumped to a dismal 3-0 home defeat to struggling AFC Hornchurch on Tuesday night in the Ryman Premier Division.

AFC Hornchurch were bottom of the table heading into the match at Earlsmead but the win lifted them off the basement and left the Reds looking over their shoulders following their sixth defeat in eight league matches.

Dave Anderson’s side got off to a dreadful start when they conceded after just two minutes.

George Purcell’s shot took a big deflection and wrong-footed goalkeeper Charlie Horlock.

The visitors doubled their lead after 25 minutes after a major blunder by the Boro keeper.

Horlock raced out of his goal to the touchline and cleared the ball straight into the path of Purcell leaving him with a simple finish into the unguarded net.

Former Watford and Northern Ireland international winger Michael Bryan made his debut as a substitute at half-time after joining the club this week. The 24-year-old has moved to the Reds after leaving Hampton & Richmond Borough.

But it did not take long for the visitors to kill off the match with their third goal.

Courtney Homans sent in a cross which was bundled past his own keeper by Michael Peacock.

The Reds were awarded a penalty when Lewis Driver was brought down in the area but their night was summed up when Daniel May’s effort was fired tamely at Sam Mott.

Substitute Bryan came close with a 20-yard chip which required Mott to tip the ball over the bar while the keeper also made an excellent save to keep out Anthony Maissiat’s flick.

There was more positive news last Saturday after Boro claimed a 2-0 home win over Leiston.

All the action came in the final 16 minutes as the Reds left it late to defeat their opponents. The opening goal came when May’s delivery picked out Driver and he headed powerfully home from eight yards.

Boro sealed the points when Ryan Hope’s header forward released Driver and he kept his composure to chip over the visiting keeper.

The Reds face a break from the league this weekend when they travel to bottom side VCD Athletic in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.