10:50am Thursday 4th March 2010
By Simon Mail
Harrow Borough manager David Howell is refusing to talk up his side's play-off chances despite extending their unbeaten run to eight league games.
Boro have climbed to seventh in the Ryman Premier, their highest position of the season, after picking up a 3-0 win at Maidstone United on Saturday and a 1-1 draw at fourth-placed Hastings United on Tuesday.
Howell, who won February's manager of the month award, said: "The players deserve all the credit for our form. It is a great testament to the players.
"But if we start to take note of our league position then we're riding for a fall.
"The league table gives you false hope and the only time it tells the truth is at the end of the season. My philosophy is that if you are high up the league you need to keep on doing what you’re doing. And if you're struggling at the bottom you have to work even harder.
Boro fought back from 1-0 down to draw at United after a second-half header from Rocky Baptiste. But Howell insists his team dominated for long periods and should have taken all three points.
He said: "In the second half we were too strong and quick for them. They didn't get out of their half until the last five minutes.
"We should have had the game won but I was happy with how we played. To go there 48 hours after the Maidstone United win, to the team in fourth place and to command the game showed our fitness levels were incredible.
"It was one of the most one sided halves of football. Once Rocky scored the equaliser I think they would have been happy to stop the game there and then.
"I set a target to get seven points from four away games. We managed that, despite one game being postponed, so we’ve reached that with a match to spare."
Boro eased to victory at muddy Maidstone last weekend after efforts from Baptiste, Tobi Jinadu and Dewayne Clarke.
Howell's side play strugglers Bognor Regis Town at Earlsmead this weekend but the manager is full of respect for the opposition.
He said: "Bognor are probably the best passing side in the league. They're a real footballing side but sometimes they shoot themselves in the foot. For us, it's a matter of counteracting their passing game."
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