The OHAFC 2nd XI’s 2-1 comeback win over the Old Chigwellians 2s on Saturday was a tale of three penalties and a triumphant return to action for the club’s leading goalscorer over the past decade: Gbeminiyi Soyinka was less than ten minutes into his first appearance of the season when he shrugged off his marker, swivelled on the six-yard line and turned the ball back across goal to level the scores at 1-1 and fire Harrow with the belief they could go on and win the game. It was then left to veteran David Lederman to finish the job with a late penalty which he duly converted – having already had one saved earlier in the game. There was still time for the Chigwellians to launch furious appeals for a spot-kick of their own, but referee Julian Courtenay waved play on and the hosts held on to claim their first League win since late November.

Amidst all the late drama and the clear frustration of the Chigwellians with the match official, there was an excellent game of football to be enjoyed. The hosts started the better of the two sides and for much of the first half looked in control, passing the ball with authority and switching the play well. Twice in the first twenty minutes the Blues passed up glorious opportunities to take the lead. Lederman played in Taunton-Collins over the top and the skipper raced into the box only to fall to the ground under pressure from his marker. There seemed considerable uncertainty over who had initiated the contact, but after pausing for a few seconds to consider his verdict, referee Courtenay pointed to the spot. Lederman stepped up confidently and struck his penalty well enough only to see the tall Chigwellian keeper dive low to his left to save at the foot of the post. The Chigwellians confirmed post-match that it was the keeper’s third consecutive spot-kick save – a run that, thankfully, would come to an end later in the game.

Minutes later, and following another spell of free-flowing football, Andres Hutchinson broke down the left and delivered a superb cross to the far post but Owen-Edmunds, on his weaker right foot and slightly stretching, could only fire high and wide of the target with the goal at his mercy.

The hosts were dealt a blow, however, when ever-present centre-half Harry Woolley rather suddenly fell to the ground and announced he could not continue – a hamstring strain had already been self-diagnosed when he stretched to clear a ball and confirmed he would be unable to play on. Thankfully, the hosts had a ready-made replacement on the bench in the form of Jack Orr-Ewing.

The Blues continued to make the running for much of the half, with Tom Ward continuing his fine form at the back and Alexi Pittalis challenging for every header he could, winning the vast majority of them. As usual, the pacey front trio of Taunton-Collins, Hutchinson and Owen-Edmunds caused problems for the visitors defence, Hutchinson was especially unlucky not to make more of a couple of half-chances.

But as the half drew to a close, the visitors perked up somewhat and were the better side for the ten minutes before the break. Harrow’s passing became rather lax and the side suddenly found themselves having to defend for pretty much the first time in the game. Several corners were successfully cleared and Kyri Pittalis, making his first League appearance for the team since mid-November, was now the busier of the two keepers. But if the spell before the break was disappointing, the twenty minutes after half-time were fairly dreadful. Despite the final words from skipper Taunton-Collins’ relating to defensive soundness and not dwelling in possession when a simple clearance will suffice, his charges began doing exactly the opposite. First Massey was caught out, forcing Pittalis into making a superb one-on-one block as a Chigwell goal looked certain. Then, the visitors came even closer as they swarmed all over a flat Harrow side, smashing a shot against the underside of the bar only for it to bounce a few inches in front of the line and away to safety.

But there was to be no reprieve shortly afterwards when it was Owen-Edmunds' turn to cheaply gift possession just inside the Harrow half. One pass down the left and the striker, who later admitted he barely ever used his left foot, smashed an unstoppable drive past Pittalis inside the near post. Harrow were rocking. The fluid play of the first half was now a distant memory and a game that had looked eminently winnable at the break was in danger of slipping away.

Skipper Taunton-Collins had little option but to summon Soyinka from the bench a little ahead of the agreed final twenty minutes, his knee finally ready to endure its first significant test in eight months. Gbeminiyi made an immediate impact in at least managing to hold up some of the balls played forwards and gradually shifting the Harrow side up the pitch. But the side still struggled to create many clear-cut chances and a sense of desperation began to creep into their play.

With just under twenty minutes remaining a long throw from Ed Massey finally provided a solution. As he had done throughout the game, Alexi Pittalis got the vital flick-on, the ball bounced across the box and Soyinka turned his man, latched onto the loose ball and turned it back across goal. The shot wasn’t a powerful one and everyone looked on in anticipation, time almost standing still as it finally nestled in the far corner of the net. The celebrations from the goalscorers and his teammates were understandably exuberant.

With a quarter of an hour remaining and their tails now up, the Blues once more took charge, storming forwards as the longed-for three points once more seemed attainable. The game became stretched as a result and both keepers had to be on their toes. Pittalis once more produced an excellent stop to deny the visitors, diving full length to his right to palm away a well-struck shot. At the other end, Owen-Edmunds produced a wonderful piece of skill, flicking the ball over his shoulder and his bamboozled marker, only to ruin it by shanking his shot almost into the Alcock Pavilion.

The final ten minutes saw the main drama come from set-pieces. Another Massey long throw sailed over several players before landing at Owen-Edmunds’ feet. Before he could react, his legs were taken from him by a clumsy sliding challenge. Again referee Courtenay paused and again he then pointed to the spot – the Chigwellians were furious, although were happy to admit later that it was, in contrast to the first decision, a pretty clear-cut penalty. Lederman was again asked to step up and assume responsibility and he held his nerve well, ignoring some Chigwellian barbs to fire his effort high and straight down the middle. The keeper got a hand to the shot but the ball flew in and, for the first time in the afternoon, Harrow had the lead.

The visitors were, by this stage, fairly unimpressed at the change in their fortunes, but in the closing minutes their mood turned to fury as they were denied what they felt was a clear penalty of their own. A corner wasn’t properly cleared and the ball ran loose inside the box. As a Chigwellian lined up a shot, Jack Orr-Ewing found himself in the way and again both players fell to the ground. In a moment of high drama, the referee lifted his whistle almost to his mouth, a sense of dread filling Harrovian hearts. But in contrast to the earlier occasions, this time he refused to blow, deciding he couldn’t be certain any offence had been committed. Post-game discussions seemed to at least hint that he may have had a point.

The visitors had one final chance to earn a point when they won a late free-kick on the edge of the Harrow box, but the chance was wasted and, finally, the hosts could breathe a sigh of relief, a fifth League win of the season secured, already matching their total for the entirety of last season.

Understandably, Man of the Match voting was a split between the two Pittalis brothers, with Kyri making some vital interventions during the rocky patch after the break and younger brother Alexi dominating the aerial battle for much of the game. It was a vital win for the side, who climb back into the top half of the table, although the return fixture at Chigwell in a few weeks’ time should be an interesting affair!

Next week the Blues travel down to Kingston to face the Old Epsomians in the second round of the Junior League Cup, a tricky tie on what is likely to be a fairly average pitch.