Match Report: October 16^th 2004: Old Harrovians 2 – 2 Old Wykehamists

After the previous week’s hugely disappointing 4-0 defeat to Brentwood, the Old Harrovians returned to the Phil pitches for what should have been the somewhat easier task of defeating the newly-promoted Wykehamists, a side that had so far struggled on their return to the Premier Division.

There was also encouraging news on the team selection front, with several players who were absent the previous week, back and available for selection. In goal, Bert Worthy returned to replace John Frederick and Tim Dalton, having served his one match suspension, replaced Obi Umenyilora. Ben Hypolite ceded his place to the returning captain, Quentin Baker and Jamie Waugh was promoted from the bench to the starting XI following Charlie Tweddle’s absence.

Despite the home side’s desire to re-assert their authority on their home ground and get back to winning ways, it was the visitors who fared better in the opening exchanges. With a vastly changed side to the one that had last lined up against Harrow, there was a more youthful and energetic feel to the Wykehamists play, if not an excess of quality. At the back, Gordon Baker once more showed himself to be an absolute man mountain, dominating in the air and with a sure touch on the ground.

It was therefore slightly against the run of play when Harrow took the lead after ten minutes, with their first real effort on goal coming from absolutely nothing. A move down the right hand side culminated with the ball being fed inside to David Lederman. Having tried and failed (miserably) with a variety of left-footed efforts so far this season, one was bound to go in, and so it proved as the right-winger connected sweetly with his latest effort to send the ball arrowing into the top corner from 22 yards out.

The goal settled the nerves of the home side and they began to see more of the ball, although their play still lacked the fluidity of the opening two performances of the season. Lederman had another chance to double the lead ten minutes later when he beat Baker inside the box, only to see his right-footed shot flash just past the post. Indeed, the Harrow winger was enjoying his own personal duel with the Winchester talisman, and was extremely unfortunate not to win a penalty when he was tripped under a careless challenge – the referee however denied that appeal and a slightly less clear-cut one a few minutes later. Lederman then tried to chip the ‘keeper from 18 yards following a superb move which had involved half the side and some excellent one-touch football.

Winchester had rarely threatened, their best chances appearing to come from long range or from set-pieces – Gordon Baker was the obvious target, and although he connected with a couple of corners, he was put under enough pressure by Messrs Dalton and Q. Baker that his efforts were well off target. With Harrow seemingly content to control the game at 1-0, they then gifted their opponents an equaliser: Piers Bourke, who up until that point had had a relatively quiet game, was being forced back down the touchline by some tight Winchester marking, when he decided the safest option was a long pass back to ‘keeper Worthy. Unfortunately, the pass was badly under-hit and left the Winchester centre-forward the simple task of rounding the stranded Worthy and rolling the ball into the empty net.

Having surrendered the lead in the tamest possible manner, Harrow then suffered two destabilising injuries within the space of a few minutes. First, the goalscorer pulled up in pain following a chase for a long ball. Lederman’s self-diagnosis of a slightly torn hamstring meant that he was immediately substituted with Ben Hypolite. Then, Rupert Hoffen screamed out in agony after colliding with the Winchester goalkeeper following a fifty-fifty challenge. Fortunately, the initial fears that a broken leg had been suffered were allayed after a lengthy recuperation period and Rupert was able to return to the field for the second half.

The home side dominated after the break. Winchester’s tactic of playing a lone striker and five men in midfield meant that the back four were rarely troubled, the calamitous errors of the previous week all but ironed out with the return of Tim Dalton to the heart of the defence. Indeed, goalkeeper Bert Worthy had still not had a save to make, when he suddenly found himself under further unnecessary pressure from one of his own players. Paul Molloy decided it was his turn to test the ‘keeper’s reactions with a back-pass and although this time the pass was firmly struck, Worthy took slightly too long in setting himself for the clearance and it struck the advancing Winchester forward in the face, before rebounding into the empty net. It was a truly extraordinary way to concede the lead and an unbelievable scoreline given that Winchester had not yet managed any attack of note.

Harrow kept plugging away however, despite the fact that several of the team were now clearly struggling with knocks they had picked up in the course of the game. Tim Dalton and Quentin Baker both had sore ankles and Rupert Hoffen was still struggling with his knee, but the side continued to drive forward, prompted by the determination of Molloy, the fleet-footedness of Warner and Bourke and a willingness by Harry Hoffen to chase every lost cause with relish. After several half-chances were spurned, the equaliser eventually arrived with just over ten minutes remaining. A strong run down the right from the increasingly-impressive Warner ended with a low cross to the penalty spot, where Paul Molloy showed admirable composure in side-footing the ball firmly towards goal. Although it was a good strike, it may well have been saved had it not been for a slight deflection off an opposition defender which sent the ball flying into the roof of the net.

Harrow desperately poured forward in search of the winner and they almost had it a few minutes from time when Molloy sent a close-range header flying towards the top corner. Unfortunately, the ‘keeper produced a magnificent save, diving full-length to tip the ball over the bar. It was to be Harrow’s best chance of winning the match.

The 2-2 draw was a hugely disappointing result, the sole cause of which was the two goals given away through the two poorly-executed back-passes. In general though, Harrow played well enough to merit a comfortable win, although the flowing football which carried the team to the heights of the Championship last season has only been displayed in patches so far. It is certainly true to say that whilst silly individual errors are costing the team goals, several of the attacking members of the team are not playing to the level they can and this in turn is putting greater pressure on the defence not to make any mistakes.

Next week sees the visit of Lancing to the Hill, and whilst they have not made a spectacular start to the season, like Brentwood, they will have an enormous incentive to beat the Blues following last season’s hugely controversial Harrow victory, which practically gave the Blues the title.

A huge improvement in all areas of the pitch is required if Harrow are to make any progress in the League.

Harrow (4-4-2): Bert Worthy; Nick Warner, Tim Dalton, Rowley Higgs, Jamie Waugh; David Lederman (Ben Hypolite, 40), Quentin Baker, Paul Molloy, Piers Bourke; Harry Hoffen, Rupert Hoffen

Goalscorers: Lederman (10), Molloy (78)

Magnifico: Nick Warner

Muy Bueno: Paul Molloy

Bueno: Tim Dalton

Vaya Dia! Bert Worthy

Leading Goalscorers 2004/5 (after 4 league games):

3 Rupert Hoffen

2 Paul Molloy

1 Nick Warner

Quentin Baker

Jamie Waugh

David Lederman

Freddy Brunt