STEVE BAKER is glad Harrow Borough got the big draw he felt the whole club deserved when they were paired with former FA Cup winners Portsmouth – and the Boro boss was even happier they avoided Dagenham & Redbridge!
The Pitching In Southern League Premier South outfit beat National League South Chelmsford City to reach the first round proper.
It was their second Step 2 scalp having dumped Welling United out in the second round qualifying.
Next they travel to 2008 FA Cup winners Pompey in a draw that has the whole club bouncing. And Baker pleased he can play keeper Josh Strizovic, who is on loan from the Daggers.
“You could see our ball number swirling around in the bowl – honestly I was like a five-year-old watching it,” Baker told The NLP. “I was talking to somebody the day before and saying that my family don’t live too far from Portsmouth so they would be brilliant.
“The one we were concerned about was Dagenham & Redbridge because our keeper is on loan from there so he wouldn’t be able to play! Their ball came out just before us. When it came out I was thinking, ‘Please don’t be’. Imagine getting Dagenham away and having no goalie – that would about sum Harrow Borough up!
“Thankfully it didn’t. Then when we came out against Portsmouth it was fantastic. For Step 3, 4 or 5 clubs, the first round really is the Holy Grail. Once you get there, you want a big one.
“The players have been brilliant. We’ve won ten out of the last 12, and knocked out two National League South sides, and sometimes you get what you deserve.
“As great as Saturday was, getting Portsmouth just tops it off. Financially it will make a big difference to the club, especially after the last couple of years.”
Baker is relishing the chance to go up against Danny and Nicky Cowley, who made their names in Non-League, and are now in charge of the League One side.
Having reached this stage in 2017 where they lost to Northampton, Baker plans to enjoy the occasion more this time. And he can’t wait for his players to grasp their opportunity.
“There aren’t many Step 3 players who get to play against Portsmouth in the first round,” he said. “It’s pleasing for us as a group. Our pre-season was a disaster. If it could go wrong, it went wrong.
“We had players leaving because they weren’t happy with the way they thought we were going, the signings we were making, we were getting smashed by other teams, we had injuries and covid. Probably what everyone has but it was hard.
“But they’ve just clicked. We’ve got the lowest budget in the league. We’re team of misfits, rejects, we’ve got a couple of wrong’uns, a couple of strange ones – but we’ve got a bit of that Crazy Gang mentality. We all stick together, we’ve got a fantastic spirit, we’re a young side and all in it together.”
