HARROW fell to their heaviest loss of the season and, more significantly, their seventh defeat on the bounce at a cold Hartsdown Park on Saturday.

The optimists at Earlsmead will note that Borough were pressing for an equaliser at 2-1 down when Margate scored their third, in the 81st minute, but the more pessimistic will note the defensive howlers were to blame for three of the goals.

And Lynchpin skipper and defensive organiser Wayne Walters remains at least a month away from returning thanks to his broken toe.

The good news before the game was the return from suspension of Elliot Onochie, but James Bent remains sidelined by his groin injury.

Margate had the early efforts on goal. Kieran Jimmy was quickly off his line to snatch the ball off Pinnock's toe after some head tennis in the Harrow box. Then a long throw by Sappleton was flicked on for Saunders to head just over. Saunders then had a shot deflected just wide.

It was 15 minutes before Harrow had a serious attack. Albert Adomah fed Onochie with a short corner and his clever turn away from a defender led to a dangerous cross that the home defence hacked clear.

The unfortunate side-effect of this was that Harrow tried the same short-corner tactic at least five more times in the game. By then the home defence were alert to the threat and the chances to put some pressure on them wasted.

Sappleton picked up a booking for a dangerous, indeed verging on nasty, challenge on Jimmy after 18 minutes that left the Borough goalkeeper needing lengthy treatment.

With Jimmy needing a period to shake off the pain, it was important that the Harrow defence kept any pressure off him for the next few minutes.

Alas, a bad 21st minute mis-control by Daniel Nielsen let in Saunders on the left. Jimmy parried away his shot but McKimm was able to ram the loose ball into the goal for the opener.

Hockton headed wide for Margate, while Kwasi Frempong and Onochie were off target with efforts for Borough and Margate doubled their lead after 31 minutes.

A left-wing corner was swung in, the ball was flicked on and Hockton dived to head across Jimmy into the goal.

With Danny Leech looking out of sorts in an unfamiliar support striker role, leaving Onochie to pretty much plough a lone furrow up-front, Harrow were looking second-best at this stage.

When Daniel McGonigle was caught in possession, Protheroe's shot was saved by Jimmy. Pinnock then got to a cross in front of Rickey Browne but again Jimmy was equal to his effort.

Fans of both sides were united in amazement when the already-booked Sappleton was allowed to remain on the field after directing some profanities, audible to any spectator within 50 yards, at referee Rendell, who was just a few feet away. He escaped with a lecture, hardly a correct interpretation of the rules.

As the half was drawing to a close, Harrow began to pose a threat for the first time. Leech shot wide from Onochie's cross, and Adomah drove over the bar.

Browne got to an Adomah corner ten yards out but skied his shot, and an Adomah free-kick clipped the crossbar. Adomah's cross was just in front of Leech, but Onochie returned the ball from beyond the far post, leading to a frenzied scramble and an Adomah shot that Mitten flew to his left to turn round the post.

Into the second half, Jackson had two early efforts off target for the hosts, but Borough looked a different side. Mitten was equal to Onochie's quickly-taken free-kick, before saving from Adomah.

Jonathan Constant was then introduced, bringing a further element to the Harrow attacking. Pinnock shot wide for Margate but it was now Harrow's turn to enjoy some ascendancy and Constant pulled a goal back after 59 minutes when Onochie rose above Mitten at the near post to flick on Adomah's cross for the substitute to net from six yards.

Onochie spun and shot wide after a good run from an increasingly influential Adomah. Frempong interchanged with Onochie to curl a shot the wrong side of the post, and Constant beat two defenders only to shoot poorly at the important moment.

Adomah then beat three defenders, his cross going just beyond Onochie. Constant then had a shot blocked after good work on the right by Jamie Diston.

Frempong was withdrawn, with Dean Marney coming on into a midfield role. However important it is to give Marney some match-time in his return to fitness, it was not a successful substitution, as Margate immediately began to get back in the game. A Browne mistake allowed McKimm through to drag his shot past the post.

If there was going to be another goal, it would be the most important of the game, and alas for the travellers from Earlsmead it went to Margate, in the 81st minute. Unfortunately, it came from another Nielsen mistake. He short-changed Jimmy with a back-pass, and Hockton nipped in to beat the Borough keeper to the ball and roll it in.

Constant hit a dipper just wide of goal with Mitten beaten, but Harrow now looked a beaten side, and Nielsen's unhappy afternoon was completed when he was beaten in the air in the 85th minute, allowing Hockton, the league's top-scorer, to run through to complete his hat-trick.

Right now, Harrow desperately need a positive result. If they are to get it, they are going to need a 90 minutes with far fewer defensive errors than were seen here. There's an early chance to put things right on Tuesday evening when they travel to Billericay.