Winning starts to the season are rare sightings for Harrow followers, and this was certainly one for the family album, as Borough went three-up within a quarter of an hour before cantering to a comfortable victory.

There were two debutants in the starting line-up, centre-back Bradley Fraser coming in alongside Danny Leech, and Alwayne Jones leading the line.

Highly welcome was the appearance alongside him of Simeon Akinola, cleared to play while negotiations continue with Borehamwood about a possible permanent move.

Harrow might have led straight from the off, Akinola breaking and feeding Alwayne Jones, who was dispossessed in the act of shooting. Seal in the visiting goal held a dangerous cross from Evandro Delgado at his near post, before Stimson, son of the manager, cleared a Delgado header from Garry Jones’s corner off the line.

Akinola then rose above Seal to head on a long throw from Steve Ferguson, but was grateful to see a defender hack the ball clear.

Borough’s swift start then turned to goals, three of them in six minutes.

After nine minutes, Delgado burst through three challenges on the left before squaring the ball for new skipper Rob Wolleaston to fire home from close range.

After 13 minutes, Alwayne Jones rose to head on a clearance to Akinola. Akinola advanced before returning the ball to Jones, who took it wide of Seal and netted from a narrow angle.

And then, after 15 minutes, Ferguson hit a lovely ball out of defence that Akinola nodded on to Delgado. In a very similar scenario to the second goal, and with the Thurrock defence looking very square, he returned the ball inside to Akinola who clipped it past Seal.

On a baking hot afternoon that was the hard work done, and the remaining half hour of the half was fairly dull by comparison, Seal diving bravely at Delgado’s feet to save, while Jamie Jackson pulled off a fine save at the other end to keep out a shot by Collins that followed a clever free-kick routine.

Referee Woodison showed huge common-sense in allowing a break midway through the half for participants to grab a drink, very gratefully.

Harrow grabbed a fourth six minutes after the restart when they were awarded their first penalty in the league since last August, Akinola felled as he shaped to shoot following Delgado’s pass.

Garry Jones netted the spot-kick, only for Mr Woodison to order a retake for encroachment. The left back calmly put the retake a different way past Seal.

A Ferguson long throw caused chaos in a Thurrock defence that was now looking very jittery, but the Essex side were unlucky not to pull a goal back when Taylor got past Delgado and Garry Jones, crossing for Perkins to fire against the bar.

The same player then headed over from close in.

Danny Leech picked up a worrying injury, Rob Laney coming on in his place for a debut.

Another substitute, Tristan Toney, charged down a Thurrock clearance, setting up Akinola who drew a good save from Seal. But in the 79th minute Toney was guilty of a careless crossfield pass that allowed the visitors to break. Taylor found Barnett who hit a clean strike past Jackson.

Seal pulled off a fantastic save to stop Akinola, and at the other end Taylor held off Lee Wootton and Laney before shooting over.

Laney cleared a Jeffries header off the line late on but Harrow were well safe by then, this their best opening day result for many a year.