A makeshift OHAFC 1st XI battled hard to earn a valuable point away to the Old Aldenhamians on Saturday morning, debutant Joe Murray scoring both goals as the Blues twice came from behind to seal a 2-2 draw. The hosts took the lead courtesy of a superb first-time strike from 16 year-old striker Jasper Berg but were pegged back four minutes later when Murray latched onto a pass from skipper Dan Firoozan to fire over the Aldenham keeper and in off the underside of the bar. The hosts retook the lead just before half-time when a long throw was flicked on and bundled in from close range. But the Blues fought gamely to stay in the game and were rewarded for their efforts when a flowing move ended with the returning Will Payne crossing from the left for Murray to turn in first-time from close range.

With both the 2nd and 3rd XI turning out strong, full squads for their respective fixtures, it was hugely disappointing that the 1s were well below par, requiring assistance from both players freed by the other squads and a trio of debutants. Jo Hult, Dan Blume and Joe Murray all acquitted themselves well, despite none of them having played an eleven-a-side game of football for several years. Given the positive result, it was only natural to wonder at the final whistle what might have been achieved had more of the regular squad been available.

As it transpired, this proved a game of few chances, not least owing to the hard, slightly uneven surface at Aldenham School. There is little that can be done given the ongoing spell of dry weather and all natural grass pitches are suffering from the same problem. The complaints of players from both sides as they left the field at full time suggests nobody is enjoying playing in these conditions, the ball constantly bouncing up at awkward angles, making controlling and passing it tricky. It was commendable, therefore, that three of the four goals scored were of fine quality.

Following an intense but drama-free opening half-hour, the game suddenly burst into life courtesy of a superb goal from the hosts. Lively winger Elikem was freed down the left, he beat Pagani on the outside, cut the ball back to just behind the penalty spot and young striker Jasper Berg, playing his first season of men’s football, swept home majestically into the far corner with his left foot.

But Aldenhamian celebrations were short-lived: within four minutes the visitors had levelled, from practically their first meaningful attack of the game. A long kick downfield from Hassan Hammad was flicked on, Firoozan lobbed the ball over the centre-back for Murray to run onto and he did brilliantly to control his volley from wide on the right so it rose above the keeper but dropped sufficiently to clip the underside of the bar before bouncing in.

Back came the home side in a frantic close to the first half. Hammad pulled off a superb save to maintain parity when he sped from his line to block the winger’s effort, Berg having played in the man who had set him up for his goal. But two minutes later the home side did score, from rather more prosaic circumstances. A long throw was hurled in from the right, flicked on and bundled in at the far post from no more than a yard out by Raphael Barrett, Harrow defenders looking questionably at each other.

The skipper rang the changes at the break, Hugo Morrell-Roberts coming on for his first taste of 1s action since appearing as a substitute in a 5-3 win away to the Old Rugbeians in March 2023. And the defender performed admirably, coping well at left-back and playing a few decent balls into the channels. It remained obvious that over-playing at the back on this surface was to be avoided at all costs, the game continuing as a fairly scrappy but even contest. The Harrow skipper was booked, deservedly, for a rather crude challenge in midfield, the hosts enjoying a couple of decent spells of possession that ended with long shots flying over the bar. The visitors came close from a long free-kick from Cyprian Owen Edmunds, whose lofted ball to the far post was only just missed on the stretch by the unmarked Murray.

But just as was the case in the first half, it was only in the final twenty minutes that the second half really burst into life. The visitors had a strong appeal for a penalty turned away when Will Payne fell under a challenge inside the box, referee Nicholas Kalamaras adjudging, probably correctly, that the contact wasn’t quite sufficient. But the Blues remained undeterred and twenty minutes from time produced a fine goal that would ultimately earn them a point. Debutant Dan Blume turned adroitly in the middle of the pitch and fed Firoozan and he quickly sprayed the ball out to the left to the lurking Payne. There was only one thought in the winger’s head as he drove past his man and delivered a low cross with his left foot, Murray arriving right on cue to fire in first time with the instep of his right foot.

Back came the hosts and the final ten minutes saw them apply plenty of pressure to the Harrow goal. The one defining moment arrived five minutes from time when Hammad produced a truly magnificent save, diving full length to his right to deflect Berg’s powerful drive from the edge of the box over the bar with his outstretched left hand. The shot had seemingly been set for the top corner before the keeper’s intervention, Harrow and Aldenham players alike stunned by this superb reflex save. A couple of half-chances followed, but the keeper would not be beaten and the final whistle signalled a job well done by the visiting team.

Following a very staccato start to the season – the Blues have played just two games to date – the fixtures now come thick and fast and, as they do so, hopefully an improvement in the availability will swiftly follow if the promising start is not to be wasted.