Borough made an impressive start to their Bostik North campaign with a very hard-fought win at Norwich United, their fellow play-off chasers last season.

The visitors began brightly and after five minutes Dean Fenton burst down the right and slammed over a cross from the byline which Norwich captain Andrew Eastaugh managed to prevent reaching onrushing Borough players, but only at the expense of a diving header past his own ‘keeper.

A very powerful outfit, Norwich hit back strongly and the Borough defence was given a thorough examination for the remainder of the half which it passed with flying colours.

The pattern continued much the same after the interval with Norwich becoming ever more urgent in their pressing but the nearest they came to equalising was a header against the angle of bar and post.It was the introduction of Michael Ademiluyi which turned the game in Borough’s favour as he had been on the field for only 15 minutes and had already drawn a superb save from the home keeper, before he used his lightning fast acceleration and speed to show his marker a clean pair of heels in the 84th minute to slot home a cool precise finish low to the ‘keeper’s left.

That was the insurance Borough needed and although the relentless Norwich endeavours continued unabated, the possibility of Borough’s defensive composure being breached never really looked likely.

Borough’s squad of 16 included four new players - goalscorer Ademiluyi having been with Thamesmead Town last season.

In the impressive Borough back line, 18-year-old Scott Mitchell (with Dagenham & Redbridge last season) and Quba Gordon, a 19-year-old youth loanee from Boreham Wood both showed immense maturity and staked their claim to permanent starting places.

Goalkeper Valery Pajetat (ex Margate) was a commanding and confidence inducing presence his area, but it was 100 per cent sustained effort for 90 minutes by players old and new which garnered the spoils.

After their first Home League game against newly promoted Essex Senior League champions Barking on Monday, Borough face two visits to Bowers & Pitsea - also play-off spot chasers until the final game of last season.

They meet firstly in the preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday 19, followed by a Bostik League match the following Saturday. Should their cup tie be drawn, there would be a third meeting inbetween at Coles Park on Monday 21.

Haringey: Pajetet, Olufemi, O’Donoghue, Gordon, Mitchell, Sherriff, Richards, Dtassi-Smith, Fenton (Kay 63), Benjamin (Alkividou 85), McDonald (Ademiluyi 69). Unused subs: Loizou, Edwards.