A dramatic end to a highly competitive encounter on the Sunley Field saw the OHAFC’s George Taylor rescue a point for the hosts in a 1-1 draw with the OId Kimboltonians before being sent off for a second yellow card by referee Kacper Ignatiuk for kicking the ball away. A point does little for either team, the Kimboltonians now at risk of being overtaken for the second promotion spot by both the Wykehamists and Ardinians, the OHAFC still deep in trouble just one place above the relegation zone, albeit with a couple of games in hand on the Old Radleians below them.

Following last weekend’s desperately disappointing 4-0 defeat away to the Old Rugbeians, OHAFC skipper Dan Firoozan was, for the third time in four weeks, at least able to name a full squad of fourteen, the lure of playing on the immaculate Sunley Field on the Hill no doubt a powerful draw. There was a change in goal, Tom Mitchell returning to play for the 1s for the first time since mid-November, and both Nsouli brothers made their first appearances of the season, Talal starting at the back alongside Ed Beecham, Walid on the bench. Miles Kellock started on the left, the 2s not in action this weekend, Chester Robinson in the ten role, his first appearance in the League for two months.

Conditions on the Hill were perfect with little breeze and the pitch, as usual, in pristine condition. The first meeting between the sides back in mid-October had been as one sided as any Arthurian League fixture is likely to have been this season, the visitors rather embarrassing themselves in a pathetic 7-0 defeat at the University of Hertfordshire. But the opening skirmishes here hinted that this would be a far tighter affair and so it proved, the first half remaining goalless but full of incident.

The visitors were presented with the first half chance of the game, following a fairly even start, a loose ball in the middle of the Harrow half saw keeper Mitchell caught in no man’s land outside of his area, but the attempted chip from forty yards out sailed well wide of the post. The hosts gradually began to exert some control in the middle of the pitch however, and ten minutes in served notice of their threat with a lovely move down the right wing, Firoozan playing in Ciaran Jordan and he squared for George Taylor but his first-time flick from inside the six yard box defelcted off the keeper and was hacked clear off the line by a covering defender, the ball inches from creeping over the line.

Kimbolton have won their previous three fixtures in Division One, scoring fourteen goals in the process, but found themselves in a much tougher battle here. Striker George Taylor proved a constant threat with his tireless runs down the channels, coming close on several occasions to latching onto balls played over the top, the Kimbolton keeper alert to sweep up anything entering the area.

But it was the visitors who were then gifted a huge chance as a backpass from left-back Jack Dolbey caused confusion in the Harrow rearguard, nobody quite sure who it was intended for. The hesitation proved fatal as a Kimbolton forward snuck in only to lash his shot wildly over the bar from the right side of the box, Mitchell setting himself to make the save. Both sides then traded chances: Firoozan produced an excellent volley from the edge of the box but it was too straight and easy meat for the visitors’ keeper; at the other end, a free-kick into the Harrow penalty area wasn’t cleared, the loose ball falling invitingly to a forward only for another snatched finish to follow as the ball was dragged wide of the far post. Back came the hosts, a flowing move that saw Hayes switch play to Talal Nsouli on the left, the youngster fed Dolbey outside him and his cross into the box was headed over by a surging Ciaran Jordan.

The home side were enjoying themselves and looked the more comfortable on the ball, but the visitors continued to threaten sporadically, a dangerous cross from the right wing just evading two onrushing midfielders. But with eight minutes remaining to the break, the home side then made their life difficult when George Taylor was needlessly sent to the sin bin for ten minutes for a verbal exchange with the referee. The Blues managed to reach the interval without further scare, although keeper Mitchell endured a tricky moment when he was beaten to a loose ball just inside his box only for the Kimbolton forward to miss the target from a narrow angle.

Skipper Dan Firoozan made a change at half-time, Ollie Atkinson replacing Miles Kellock out wide, and within two minutes of the game restarting the home side were restored to their full complement of eleven, George Taylor having now served his ten minutes on the side. But this failed to turn the tide in Harrow’s favour and it was the visitors who enjoyed the better of things at the start of the half. The home side found themselves increasingly penned inside their own half and unable to escape, although some solid defending prevented keeper Tom Mitchell from having to make too many interventions, a couple of close-range blocks aside.

But as the game ticked into the final twenty minutes with the scoreline still blank, hopes began to grow that the Blues could yet hold on for an encouraging, and badly needed, point. But further indecision at the back then fairly gifted the visitors the lead: a long ball down the inside right channel saw Mitchell hare from his line to clear but only effect a partial clearance – fortunately the ball fell to Jamie Jordache midway inside the Harrow half but he was immediately robbed by an opponent who looked up and chipped the retreating keeper from thirty-five yards out, the ball brushing tantalisingly against Mitchell’s fingertips as he desperately tried to divert the ball wide.

The hosts responded by pushing their line higher up the pitch and, despite some obvious signs of fatigue, trying to pressure the opposition inside their own half. And this seemed to have the desired effect as the Blues began to compete on more even terms. Nevertheless, the powerful Kimbolton back four maintained their shape well and chances continued to elude the Blues. A couple of long range efforts sailed over but the visitors’ keeper remained untroubled and, as the minutes ticked down, hopes of a comeback began to fade.

Then, dramatically, with the clock showing ninety minutes played, a corner was won on the Harrow right and swung into the box. The Kimbolton keeper, under little pressure, somehow fumbled the ball and George Taylor was on hand six yards out to pounce, swivelling on the spot before thumping a volley in past a phalanx of defenders on the line. It wasn’t to prove his final contribution to the game however, as his joy was short-lived, a second yellow card being brandished in his direction for kicking the ball away a minute later after a free-kick had been awarded for offside. Although he protested his innocence, claiming he was trying to send the ball back to the keeper, the one-game suspension he will now receive could prove costly with a tricky trip away to the Chigwellians up next.

Nevertheless, if the Blues manage to salvage their Division One status by a single point come the end of the season, it will prove an incident long forgotten in OHAFC history.