For the second consecutive season, the OHAFC 1st XI travelled to Eton and stuck three past their opponents, but a late equaliser denied the Blues a superb come-from-behind win in their opening League fixture of the 2020/21 campaign. Despite falling 2-0 behind to a couple of controversial goals, the visitors fought back splendidly to lead through efforts from Harry Bick (2) and Chester Robinson. But Eton forced an equaliser with less than five minutes remaining to ensure both sides would have to settle for a point apiece in their first outing of the season.

After a thunderous 5-2 win against Marlborough and a 3-1 hiding against the Alleynians, pre-season preparations, when weighed and measured, had been neither great nor terrible.

Despite talk of getting a shoulder in and saying hello in the first five minutes, the OHAFC were second best in most duels and lacked composure on the ball. Eton, in contrast, started brightly, were winning everything and playing passes long and short to feet on the pristine playing surface. Several chances came and went for the hosts, the visitors, in contrast, were restricted to a couple of speculative pot-shots.

It was at this point that the first moment of controversy arrived. An Eton corner was swung into the box and comfortably collected by Harrow skipper Fraser McGuinness. A late challenge from one of the taller Etonians then saw the ball prised out and moments later it was thumped into the back of the net. Despite vociferous protests, the goal stood.

Trailing at the break, the skipper urged his men to compete better and the opening ten minutes after half-time suggested the Blues had listened to the instructions: the Blues were sharper, more aggressive and now competing on equal terms. But a second hotly-disputed Eton goal suddenly halted Harrovian momentum, a cross from the left appearing to play in a forward in an offside position. Again, vociferous complaints followed, Doug Morrison earning ten minutes in the sin bin as a result.

Harrow admirably rode out the ten minutes a man down with their goal in tact, mainly thanks to a series of fine saves from their skipper, and slowly managed to wrest the intiative back. And they were back in the game almost as soon as Morrison returned to the fray, his flicked header from a goal kick bisected the Eton centre halves and allowed Harry Bick to sprint through and coolly volley home with a deft finish.

Harrow confidence grew and less than ten minutes later they were level following some good interplay down the right-hand side between Jordache, Firoozan, Tippett and Bick. The finish itself was almost comically poor, Chester Robinson shanking a shot that rolled towards the keeper and somehow bobbled in over his hand.

Debutants Peter Chadwick and Christopher Abdo continued to work their socks off as the visitors strove for the winner and it appeared as though Harrovian prayers had been answered from the most unlikely source: a corner from the left was whipped in by Harry Bick and everyone watched in astonishment as the ball curled over everyone and straight into the far corner.

With less than ten minutes left, the visitors somehow led 3-2. But, finally, it was the Etonians who had the last laugh, equalising with less than five minutes remaining when a cross from the byline was pulled back and turned in from close range, despite another sterling effort from McGuinness to prevent it from crossing the line.

In truth, a draw was a fair result and both sides can take plenty from this hotly contested affair. The Blues now enjoy a week off before resuming their League programme on September 19th.