OHAFC II 4 Old Epsomians 2

Harrow enjoyed a good victory on Saturday in game where they were the better side for most of the afternoon.

The day began less auspiciously for the hosts, however, as the referee they had booked became increasingly conspicuous by his absence as kick off loomed. When referee Higgs did arrive, he became unnervingly infatuated with young Ollie Curry’s socks. In fact so infatuated was he that a protesting Ollie was asked to leave the pitch to remove some white strapping from his blue socks which was deemed to clash with the opposition’s white socks. That an Epsom player was wearing a very blue pair of blue socks, and that this was pointed out to him by players on both teams, seemed not to ruffle Mr Higgs’s feathers as he blew for kick off with the blue socked Epsomian very much still on the pitch.

The game started encouragingly for Harrow with the home side pressing hard and forcing Epsom to retreat into their own half. They were rewarded for their efforts with an early goal. Von Hirsh played it into skipper Taunton-Collins inside the Harrow half who turned his man and drove hard towards the Epsom goal down the right flank. Having got in behind the defence he opted to shoot rather than cross, and his ensuing primeval scream as the shot beat the keeper at the near post signalled Harrow were 1 up to everyone unfortunate enough to be in the borough.

Harrow’s second goal came soon after. Following good work from Robinson, Alhadeff and O. Curry the ball fell between Khan and Taunton-Collins on the edge of the box. The former laid up the latter, who let fly with his right foot. The ball found its way over the keeper and into top left hand corner.

Having played well for the first half hour Harrow made the fatal mistake of relaxing and took their foot off the pedal. Epsom took advantage of the lapse. First they scored from a corner in which a tall Epsomian managed to wriggle free of his marker and slide in to convert – Taunton-Collins held his hands up as the guilty absent marker. Von Hirsh then cleared an Epsom shot that rolled tantalisingly towards the Harrow goal. Epsom did get their second moments later, however, as a muddle at the back ended up with Epsom lashing the ball into an unguarded net.

At half time Harrow discussed the need to keep composure in possession and to regain the zest that had been lost in the preceding 15 minutes. Tentative football followed with Harrow in the ascendency but with both sides creating few clear-cut chances. This was in significant part due to Will Orr-Ewing who was back to his imperious best at the heart of defence after a long recovery from a summer seemingly involving many things except for football.

With 15 minutes left Harrow finally got the goal they had been chasing. A long ball forward from Beresford was made the most of by Jack Alhadeff, who was bright and tidy in possession throughout the game. He hustled the centre halves and got his just rewards as he poked the ball goalwards wrongfooting the Epsom keeper and finishing into the bottom right hand corner.

When Epsom blazed over the bar in a one-on-one moments later Harrow realised the day was likely to be theirs. The victory was then sealed with three minutes to go. Taunton-Collins latched onto a diagonal Max Curry through ball over the Epsom defence, took a touch and let loose a terrible shot while being bundled over. Confusion then ensued – following a brief time out in which the bundled recovered and Epsom prepared for a goal kick, the now exasperated looking referee decided to point to the spot. Max Curry converted the penalty convincingly with a shot into the bottom left corner. Suffice to say, Epsom were not best pleased with the decision.

Following a sweaty, high-spirited, and now facebook famous team photo, Harrow were able to reflect on a game in which, aside from a spell at the end of the first half, they played with aggression and confidence. If this is replicated in the coming weeks it will stand them in good stead for the challenges ahead.

Team lineup and stats can be viewed here. Photos from the game can be viewed here.