After a convincing 5-1 defeat of Shrewsbury last week, Harrow began a series of three home games in four weeks on Saturday, a run punctuated only by the long trek to Shrewsbury next week for the first round of the Arthur Dunn Cup. The first visitors to the new pitch on the Philathletic ground were old adversaries Eton, a team who had started their campaign brightly, apparently with a number of new young players drafted in over the summer months – a fact confirmed when only two of their team were recognisable at the start of the match.
For the home side, there were selection problems. David Lederman’s torn hamstring ruled him out of contention and both Jamie Waugh and Charlie Feather were unavailable. This led to an unexpected call-up for second team veteran John Wyn-Evans who filled in at right back, with Nick Warner, one of the most versatile Harrovian players, asked to play on the right of the midfield four. To complete the lineup of new faces, the referee was also a newcomer and, if truth be told, one about half the average age of the normal Arthurian League referees!
Unlike last week’s encounter, when there was barely a chance in the first half hour’s play, this week there were already two goals scored by the time your correspondent had made the long journey from the Sixth Form Pavilion down to the pitch!
Harrow struck first after barely a couple of minutes, when Rupert Hoffen fell under a challenge in the Eton penalty area. The referee, not for the last time during the game, made a controversial decision and awarded a penalty, much to the dismay of the Etonians. With regular penalty-taker Lederman watching on, Paul Molloy took over the responsibility and drilled the ball home low, sending the ‘keeper the wrong way.
Any notion of another easy afternoon for the Harrovians was quickly dispelled however with the Eton equalizer just a couple of moments later. What looked a fairly innocuous build-up down the Eton right wing led to a sudden parting of the Harrow back four and a half-chance for one of the Etonian strikers, which was gleefully accepted. The misery was compounded when Piers Bourke then had to limp off having damaged his left hamstring – the curse of the Harrow winger had struck again!
With no substitute present, Harrow soldiered on with 10 men, Rupert Hoffen dropping back to augment the midfield, leaving his brother as the lone target man. The switch did not seem to harm the Harrovians however – several direct balls over the top of a ponderous Eton defence led to chances for Harry Hoffen, Nick Warner and Quentin Baker, all of which were squandered. But Harrow were playing well and Eton knew it.
A further boost then arrived in the unlikely shape of Alex Gifford – initially, the long-haired lothario had come down to spectate, but with no other Old Harrovians capable of filling in as substitute, Gifford accepted the challenge and took his place on the left of midfield, Rupert Hoffen returning to his natural habitat up front. ‘Giff’ had last been spied on the OHAFC tour to Budapest and he quickly showed he had lost none of his enthusiasm for the game.
Harrow continued to make the running for the rest of the half: Rupert Hoffen’s corner kicks caused problems, especially with Baker’s prodigious ability to out-jump his marker from a standing start, and Nick Warner was having a blinder down the right hand side, using his seldom-seen pace to stretch Eton to the limit. The two sides remained level until the break however.
The first half had showcased much of what is good about Arthurian League football: two sides playing good football, in a pleasant setting, and in a competitive yet friendly spirit. The second half unfortunately became a display of football more commonly seen on Hackney Marshes on a Sunday morning.
The level of football deteriorated and this in turn caused frustration amongst both teams. Harrow felt they were on the wrong end of some of the referee’s decisions and their mood was not helped by the knowledge that they were playing against a team whom they should have been comfortably beating.
That task became even harder after an hour when Harry Hoffen became involved in a fracas on the touchline with the Etonian right back, Mike Strutt. Although both players fell to the ground in a rather unseemly scrap, Harry’s apparent use of his elbow necessitated a red card according to the referee, whereas Strutt’s less serious offence of pushing and shoving received only a yellow. Harrow were indignant and it showed in the remainder of the game. Tackles were made with extra relish and Paul Molloy almost single-handedly took on the Eton midfield.
But although Harrow’s numerical disadvantage failed to see Eton take control of the game, it also made it very difficult for the Blues to create a breakthrough. Warner had become anonymous on the right (barely possible with his hair, but it happened) and Rupert Hoffen toiled in vain up front as the supply of balls to him almost trickled to a halt.
There were two more goals scored in the last ten minutes of the game, but neither warrant much description. Harrow thought they had scored the winner when Man-of-the Match Molloy badly overhit a free-kick from over 40 yards out, only to see it sail into the far top corner of the Eton net.
If Harrow thought their luck was in, they were wrong. A couple of minutes later a speculative long-shot from one of the better Etonian players crashed against the Harrow bar and an unmarked striker headed the ball home past the stranded James Harper. There was still time for Harrow to have a clear penalty claim refused by the under-fire official, but there was also the impression that a deflated Harrow side were now clutching at straws.
A very disappointing result and a strange performance from the team to christen their new home. An excellent first half turned into a scrappy and angry second 45 minutes, with only a few players playing to their true potential. James Harper had a confident game in goal and was powerless to stop either Eton goal, John Wyn-Evans put in a commendable performance, Nick Warner played superbly for half the game, and Molloy was tireless for the last half hour.
Problems are now beginning to mount for the side however: Lederman is a long-term injury absentee and Bourke, depending on the gravity of his own hamstring injury, may now join him on the sidelines for a lengthy period. Harry Hoffen will be banned for two games for his sending off and several tough fixtures lie ahead, starting with the long trip to face Shrewsbury in the Cup next weekend. Much Harrovian spirit will be required in the coming weeks…
Harrow (4-4-2):
James Harper; John Wyn-Evans, Obi Umenliyora, Tim Dalton, Charles Tweddle; Nick Warner, Paul Molloy, Quentin Baker, Piers Bourke (Sub: Alex Gifford 15); Harry Hoffen, Rupert Hoffen