Whatever they put into the half-time cuppa at Harrow certainly worked. Two goals in quick succession early in the second half killed off the Ducks, yet up until the interval it was United who were by far the better side.
Experienced defenders Iain Duncan, Kevin Davies and the returning Allan Pluckrose swallowed up Borough's rare attacks and, prompted by midfielder Steve Heard, United made all the running - without the luck in front of goal.
After 13 minutes keeper Pollard did well to tip over a teasing Lee Cook cross. Soon afterwards Pollard blocked an angled drive by Ollie Stanbridge and matched the follow-up by Matthew Hopkin. Midway through the first half Kieran Gallagher skipped past Harvey and Paris, passed inside to Cook and his shot deflected just wide of the post.
Borough's first worthwhile attack eventually arrived on 30 minutes when Markman sprinted clear of Davies and Tom Hill but was stopped by Pluckrose.
The nearest United came to breaking the deadlock was after 38 minutes when Gallagher fired an angled drive past Pollard but the covering Cooper cleared off the line.
A minute from the break a Kumah cross was miscued by Duncan into the path of Bates and his point-blank shot was superbly saved by United manager/goalkeeper Gary Phillips.
The second half was a completely different affair. Markman twice went close before, on 55 minutes, Markman rounded Hill with the aide of a shirt tug to fire past Phillips, and two minutes later a mix-up gifted Markman a second.
Both sides were transformed and it came as no surprise when Markman completed his well-taken hat-trick on 68 minutes.
Ten minutes later Hill slipped on the wet turf just inside his own box and Gavin made it 4-0.
United bagged a consolation four minutes from time when Cooper handled in the box and Gallagher slotted the penalty past Pollard. It's a well-used expression, but this really was a game of two halves.
