Harrow Borough suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Yate Town on the opening day of the new season.

Off the field, there’s been many improvements at the The Rogers Family Stadium since a ball was last kicked in anger there.

But it’s on the field that is the bigger priority for nearly all those who come along to games, and there was very little evidence that the side has done anything but regress in this opening day defeat to a side who many reckon will be fellow basement battlers with Borough this season.

Despite playing a raft of friendlies, both at the end of last season and in the run-in to this, Seve Baker was probably no nearer knowing his best line-up for this game a day or two before.

One of the biggest headaches was between the sticks, not for the first time as a season begins.

With Dan Lincoln having seemingly broken his contract by prioritising his cricketing career, and the club unable to clarify whether Loris Marcimain’s visa allows him to play competitively, a deal had been signed with Fulham on the eve of the game to bring in American Under-17 international keeper Damian Las.

Covid has also been an issue, and continues to be. New skipper Ben Tricker is recovering from a pretty serious bout, though hopes to be in contention for a place in midweek, and Dernell Wynter is also known to have been suffering, though there is little information coming out about if and when he will return.

Aside from the goalkeeper, Harrow fielded a defensive line in which not one of the players was on the books last season.

The midfield had a familiar look to it, while up-front there were two debutants, sadly both of them on the small side given the passes they were looking up at for much of this game.

On a warm afternoon that became hotter, it was Yate who had the better of the opening exchanges, although the Harrow defence coped well with the threat.

Borough’s first attempt was when George Moore picked out Ahmet Biler on the left.

He chose to shoot from a narrow angle when a pulled-back cross would have been a better option and although the effort was on target, Hannah in the visiting goal held it comfortably.

At the other end, when Lewis Cole was booked for a foul, the resulting free-kick was only half-cleared and Sims-Burgess hit a low 18-yard drive that went narrowly wide.

The Moore-Biler combination was in action again late in the half, with the latter’s re-delivery hacked clear by the visitors.

How many times have Harrow started the second half in a soporific state? Last Tuesday against Barnet ought to have been an up-to-date lesson, but it had not been heeded.

The half was not even a minute old when Michael Bryan made a needless challenge on Sims-Burgess. But Las flew to his right to keep out Tumelty’s spot-kick, a marvellous save.

It ought to have injected some life into Harrow but, although a breaking Ayodeji Owoeye was stopped by a terrific tackle by Tunnicliff, it was the Bluebells who broke the deadlock in the 56th minute.

James Mansfield lost possession near halfway, and Rees held off the chasing David Taylor to rifle a shot past Las. Yate were close to a second when Tumelty’s curling free-kick went narrowly over.

Baker made a double change in the 62nd minute and one minute later, Harrow were level. One of the substitutes, Alfie Cain, swung in a corner from the left, and Taylor met it with a soft shot that somehow Hannah allowed to creep in, between himself and his near post.

But, rather than get some impetus from their equaliser, Harrow allowed Yate to gain the upper hand again, and they restored their lead in the 69th minute as Las could only parry a low shot, and Rees was on hand to gobble up the rebound.

Harrow’s efforts to get back in the game were pretty sparse and with another small striker, Lekan Orimolusi, off the bench to partner Ewington, it was troubling to see just how many high balls they were expected to make something of.

Yate came close to a third, first when Bryan presented the ball to Lewis, whose shot came back off the post, and then Sims-Burgess got up highest to head just over.

One Ewington strike did hit the upright, but the offside flag had been raised so if it had gone in it would not have counted.

Borough now have two away games, both against sides who got draws on the road in their opening games.

First they go to Hartley Wintney this Tuesday (note this is a 7:30, not a 7:45, kick-off) and next Saturday they head to Salisbury.