After
a week’s break from the Arthurian League, the Old Harrovian first eleven
returned to action with a tough home game against the team just below them in
the league, Lancing Old Boys. Having overcome Lancing 6-5 in a thrilling
encounter only a few weeks earlier, Harrow were keen to make it a ‘win double’
and virtually secure runners-up spot in the league behind an unstoppable Forest
XI.
However,
team selection was a burden for skipper Quentin Baker this week: Obi Umenliyora
underwent a hernia operation last week and will be out for most of the rest of
the season, Harry Hoffen is not back from Australia until next week and Charlie
Feather pulled out on the eve of the match with a stomach bug. Added to this,
Charlie Tweddle, who has had an extremely capable season at left-back, was
suffering with a dead leg sustained the previous week and Nick Warner could
only play the first half before he had to return to London for a more pressing
engagement. Call-ups were awarded to Justin Litherland, Andy Butler, Jamie
Waugh and Alex Wilkes.
Conditions
were mixed in Cobham – the excellent state of the pitches, thanks to the
absence of heavy rain in the last few weeks, was counter-balanced by a strong
wind blowing across the pitch, which made passing of any kind a tricky affair.
The
first half saw both teams trying their hardest to cope with the elements.
Lancing has the better of the early exchanges without really threatening. For
the home side, Tim Dalton was vigilant as ever at the back and the central
midfield pairing of Molloy and Baker as ever to the fore. But this game was in
stark contrast to the 11-goal feast served up previously. Chances were few and
far between and the general play did little to warm the spectators on the
touchline.
The
two goals that were to settle this match both arrived before the break and both
stemmed from similar situations. With half and hour gone a Lancing corner flew
over a static Harrow defence and was headed in from six yards out at the far
post, Harrow’s marking non-existent. Ten minutes later and a break down the
Lancing right resulted in a far-post cross again headed home from very close
range. The two-nil half-time scoreline flattered Lancing but in truth Harrow
had done little attacking of note and had conceded two goals that were easily
preventable.
The
Harrow half-time talk was not difficult: two goals behind in the first
encounter against Lancing, a stirring second-half effort had propelled the team
to a memorable last-gasp victory. Hopes were high that a similar achievement
was possible this time around.
However
it was not to be. The second half came and went almost without a scare for
either goalkeeper. Towards the end, the Harrow attack did liven up and begin to
look as though a breakthrough was possible. But Lancing weathered the storm and
claimed three important points. With games running out, they and Forest look to
have secured second and first in the table respectively.
For
Harrow, it was one of the more disappointing performances of the season.
Although the team was well below full strength and conditions were tricky, the
team rarely played cohesive football and perhaps even more disappointingly,
rarely showed the desire required to overturn a two-goal deficit against a team
of Lancing’s quality – something that there has been an abundance of in recent
performances.
Remaining
games include two matches against the champions-elect Forest and the team will
need to ensure they rediscover their passion for the fight if the season is not
going to tamely fizzle out into a mid-table finish – this season the first
eleven deserve more than that.
Harrow
(4-4-2): James Harper; Justin Litherland, Tim Dalton, Andy Butler, Charlie
Tweddle; David Lederman, Paul Molloy, Quentin Baker, Nick Warner; Rupert
Hoffen, Jamie Waugh
Sub:
Alex Wilkes (replaced Nick Warner on 45mins)