OHAFC II 4 Old Brentwoods II 0

The 2s started 2015 with an excellent win on the 3G astroturf at Harrow against a good Brentwood side. Harrow were surprised to be asked to play on the 3rd January, and many of the more regular squad were still away on their Christmas breaks. This allowed Jack Orr-Ewing to pick some of the rising stars of the 3s team, and put out a strong squad.

Starting: Fraser McGuinnes - Geoff Taunton-Collins - Jack Orr-Ewing - Theo Gordon - Phil Berry - Ludo Callander - Cyprian Owen-Edmunds - Harry Turner - Olly Curry - Max Curry - Azhar Khan.

Subs: Pom Beeley - Ed Page - Arjun Chopra.

Despite rigorous preparation and extensive pre-match reading material sent out, the team had to adapt when the game was moved last minute fro John Lyon onto the Harrow astro. Knowing that Brentwood like a muddy scrap, this perhaps played into the Harrow team's hands as they were able to use the extra legs and technical ability of their team to its full advantage.

The weather was cold and wet, and the subs were unhappy to have to wait their turn to get into the warm melee of the match. And when the game started, it was the visitors that started the brighter of the two sides. Harrow used Cyprian and Ludo Cal as defensive screen, but Brentwood found space in front of them to play balls into their two strikers. Fraser McGuinnes, playing again for the 2s after a string of impressive performances for the 1s, was on hand to bravely mop up the through balls, rushing out and clearing from the toes of the Brentwood 9.

Slightly against the run of play, Harrow scored their first of the afternoon - a delightful piece of link up play between Olly Curry and Cyprian released Harry Turner in a central position, who romped onto the ball and humped it into the right side of the netting. 1-0

On 30 mins, Beeley and Page replaced Calander and Turner and Harrow immediately took the ascendancy in the game. The two midfielders worked as a unit to hunt down possession, backing each other up and making sure the Brentwood midfield had no time to play pick a pass.

As Harrow started to get into the game, chances started to come to the home side. When Harrow won a free kick in a dangerous position, the lively youngster Owen-Edmunds stepped up to take the set piece. His initial shot cannoned back off the wall, but when the rebound dropped back to him, he took on his man, made it to the byline and crossed low and hard. Pom Beeley arrived with perfect timing to hit the cross with his right foot past the opposition stopper. 2-0.

At half time, Harrow knew they were in with a chance of an important win, and resolved to attack the second half with a similar intensity to the first.

Olly Curry had looked lively all game and had run the opposition centre backs ragged. They had no time on the ball, and had to be vigilant to match the strikers runs. Whenever the midfield won possession, the attacking trio offered themselves for the through ball, creating many chances. Harrow were then fortunate to win a penalty, with the Brentwood defender slipping up and impeding Khan in the box. Without VC Stead on the pitch and with the leading scorer Max Curry seemingly unwilling to take the PK, the unlikely figure of Khan confidently took hold of the ball and placed it on the spot. Realising that nothing good could come of this, whether or not he'd scored, Orr-Ewing overruled the decision and asked Olly Curry to take the kick. He stepped up after some kerfuffle with the referee dealing with the protesting Brentwoods, and diligently blasted it wide.

However, Harrow were soon 3-0 up after Owen-Edmunds picked up the ball in the wide left position. Backing his pace, he cut in towards goal and rocketed a left footed drive into the roof of the net, causing a satisfying thwack as it connected with the cross-bar and post on the way in.

Harrow were lucky not to concede a late goal when they switched off at the back and allowed the Brentwood winger to ghost in at the back post. Luckily the addition of linesmen allowed Harrow to call the player offside, keeping their clean sheet in tact.

At the death, there was time for one more goal. With most of the pressure and a beaten Brentwood side, Geoff Taunton Collins' corner was untidily bundled in by Khan. 4-0.

Honourable mentions should go to Phil Berry and Theo Gordon, who were assured in defence and earned their clean sheet with timely tackles and good positioning.

Harrow will want to play the away leg on a good pitch and will offer to host Brentwood again, trying to avoid the long trip to East London to play on notoriously poor terrain.