OHAFC II 1 Old Millfieldians 8

The OH 2s endured a Valentine's Day to forget as they went down 8-1 to top of the league Millfield.

The match was the replay of the fixture Harrow had lost 3 weeks earlier, required to be played again due to Millfield using too many substitutes. Harrow lost that game 3-1 in the final minutes, but had lost the rematch before the half time whistle.

Harrow took a strong squad to play on an excellent Phil 1, playing with 14 for the first time in the season.

Pittalis - Massey - Orr-Ewing - Maydon - Robinson - Khan - Bajwa - Stead - Taunton Collins - O Curry - M Curry

Bench: Dalzell - H Richardson - T Gordon

The game started positively for the home side, getting into the game early and matching the table topping visitors for athleticism and technical ability. Massey and Robinson provided more control for the defence by tucking in close to their centre backs, and Khan and Bajwa were disciplined and communicated well defensively to ensure gaps didn't occur.

The game turned when the Millfield skipper followed through with a nasty challenge on Orr-Ewing, leaving his studs in after the ball was cleared and causing the Harrow captain to roar in pain like a Lion on the Savanna. Realising that it was his £129 personalised boots that had borne the brunt of the challenge and that his foot was in fact absolutely fine, the defender limped off with exaggerated expressions of anguish and changed his boots.

It was during this period that first goal was conceded - Gordon was thrust directly into the action and hadn't adjusted to the pace of the game - his first challenge didn't clear the ball beyond the Millfield striker, who controlled and slotted into the far corner before Maydon could close in.

Harrow then rode out the next 20 mins in relative comfort, showing comfort on the ball and good structure. Bawja and Khan's defensive shape was excellent, but didn't provide a lot of creativity through the middle, meaning that most of the Harrow chances came from corners won by Taunton-Collins' runs to the by-line.

As the first half drew to a close, Harrow conceded two sloppy goals that effectively ended the game as a contest. From an attacking corner, Harrow were out of shape as Millfield broke on the counter attack. As the cross game in to the back post, the ball should have cut out. When it bamboozled the defender and went through his legs, the Millfield striker again slotted home to make it 2-0.

And minutes later, a short back pass from Orr-Ewing to Gordon caught the defender by surprise, allowing Millfield to rob him of possession and make it 3-0.

At half time, the prospect of a pumping on Valentines Day was brought up by Kyri Pittalis, but the team collectively decided that this wasn't on the horizon. Indeed, as the second half started, Harrow looked to be coming back in the game. After the first clear penalty shout of the afternoon was denied by the ref, Harrow scored shortly afterwards. Dalzell, returning after a couple of weeks nursing an ankle injury, took a beautiful free kick from wide on the left, curling the ball into the top right corner when everyone expected him to cross it. We'll never know his intentions...

Unfortunately, Harrow were then undone by a series of errors and refereeing decisions that conspired to restore Millfield's 3 goal cushion. A relatively safe long ball should have been better dealt with by Orr-Ewing, whose hooked clearance was controlled by the striker’s hands covering his face. Although it was only a matter of yards from the clearance, even the jowliest of faces couldn’t have controlled a ball as expertly as the striker’s hands – his shot was almost saved by Pittalis and Gordon, but was eventually turned into his own net by the defender.

Having had a “difficult” first 20 mins on the pitch, Gordon had a better game from right back, showing his fitness had improved in his weeks off the pitch and that with more game time and confidence he’ll be able to contribute to the end of season actions for the 2s. His burst into the box at 4-1, which caused the Millfield keeper to take him out and raise claims for the second clear cut penalty shout, showed ambition and skill, and could have provided hope for the 2s in the game had the decision gone the right way.

Indeed, Harrow played relatively well in the first 30 mins of the second half, with some fluency returning to their game. Max Curry’s return to the starting line up showed his usual hard work and effective link play, and Dave Stead’s form showed signs of returning as he tries to put a string of games together and find some consistency.

However, when Khan left the pitch in the last 15 minutes , Harry Richardson’s 3rd position of the day in centre mid made for a shapeless side that had all but given up. It was at this point that Harrow’s one spectator arrived, just in time for the most abject period of the season. Conceding 4 goals in 10 mins, most of which were scored with Maydon the only Harrow defender anywhere near the attackers, was an embarrassing end to the game that needs to be forgotten quickly. Pittalis made a number of saves to stop the score being even more hopeless, but Harrow were a beaten side that was hoping for the final whistle long before it game.

Orr-Ewing celebrated his birthday with Khan in the glamorous Kukui nightclub in Newbury, writing off the loss as a gentlemanly deliberate action to compensate the visitors for having to return to Harrow to finish the job.

In reality, Harrow need to improve in time for their next fixture away to Winchester in the Junior League Cup. With a consistent squad to choose from, the quality and teamwork should improving. Next week we hope for the good Harrow to turn up and get a result!