2s get off to prolific start in pre-season opener

Old KCS Wimbledon 2nd XI
2 : 6
Old Harrovians 2nd XI
  • August 23rd 2017, Hampton Sports Centre (3G), 8pm
  • Friendly
  • Referee: Mike Naylor
  • Weather: Cloudy
  • Pitch: Astroturf
No. Starting XI Goals Yellow & Red Cards Subs On/Off
1 Charlie Walsh
2 Rollo Hovey
3 Harry Woolley 85'
4 Simon Maydon
5 Phil Berry 75'
6 Will Payne 60' 75'
7 Tom Beeley 75'
8 Anthony Beresford 60'
9 Josh Adejokun 12' 75'
10 David Lederman 80'
11 Harry Hoffen 70'
Substitutes
12 Geoff Taunton-Collins 15'
13 Jack Alhadeff 35', 55', 70' 25'

The 2nd XI kicked off their pre-season campaign with an impressive 6-2 friendly win over Kings College Wimbledon IIs. With the score level at half-time at 2-2, Harrow shrugged off the summer cobwebs and put in an excellent second half display netting four goals and playing some attractive football in the process.

A 13-man squad assembled at the Hampton Sports Astro on Wednesday evening evidently pleased to be reunited after a long summer break, and with the added bonus of welcoming back long-standing season ticket holders Fred and Jackie Woolley. Along with plenty of regulars from last season skipper Taunton-Collins was delighted to be able to welcome Harry Hoffen, Pom Beeley, and Simon Maydon to the ranks from the 1s, 3s, and the clutches of his now slightly more grown up children, respectively. Two new club recruits were also introduced to the squad: Will Payne fresh out of school and on his gap year, and Josh Adejokun fresh out of university and now working in London.

After a quick warm up under the lights of the excellent 4G astro the side set out in their customary 4-4-1-1 formation - new boys Payne and Adejokun being given an opportunity to shine from the start, with regular wingers Taunton-Collins and Alhadeff watching on from the bench. Harrow got off to a blistering start creating a series of early chances and putting KCS under considerable pressure. This pressure told when Anthony Beresford won a free kick on the halfway line. Hovey took the ensuing set-piece quickly and pinged the ball over the KCS right-back onto a well-timed Adejokun run. The youngster – who went on to play well in a series of different positions throughout the game – made no mistake with the finish, placing the ball into the bottom right hand corner. The remaining 30 minutes of the first half were more even with both sides sharing the possession. KCS got an equaliser courtesy of a rare Walsh mishap, the ‘keeper failing to field a relatively simple catch as the ball floated over him: 'too much marzipan over the summer' Lederman surmised at the final whistle. As expected, however, this had no impact on the ‘keepers confidence and he went on to have an assured game including a series of brave blocks at close range.

alt text

Harrow’s second was scored by Alhadeff, Lederman playing a clever ball between centre back and full back – the clinical winger, who had just come on, scurrying on to the ball and finishing into the same corner Adejokun had found a few minutes earlier. KCS finished the half with a well-worked goal down their right to make the score 2-2 going into the break.

The second half proved to be relatively one sided, with Harrow enjoyed the lion’s share of the ball, the back four and holding midfielders Beresford and Beeley in particular showing good composure to establish possession and provide a base for the forward players to create chances. Will Payne, who enjoyed an excellent second half on the left wing, got the side’s third. Lederman floated a diagonal cross from outside the area into the six yard box with Harrow queuing up, and it was the youngster who jumped highest to loop a header over the keeper. Payne then turned provider – after good work down the left on the counter he crossed the ball low to Alhadeff who finished comfortably.

Phil Berry was the unlikely source of the side’s 5th – Hovey fizzed the ball into Taunton-Collins who turned neatly on the edge of the area and crossed to the back post to find an onrushing Berry. The left-back turned the ball home and fully deserved his prize following a first-rate performance, particular given this was his return from an almost yearlong ankle injury.

Alhadeff rounded off the scoring and bagged a hat-trick in the process. He showed good awareness to intercept a pass at the back and demonstrated his usual composure to drill into his favoured right-hand corner with his left. The side finished the game with ten men as Woolley, Beeley and Beresford were forced off with a combination of cramp, hamstring tightness and exhaustion respectively. Nevertheless, they saw out the remaining 5 minutes with relative ease.

alt text

The result is, of course, inconsequential but the performance nonetheless provides plenty of cause for cautious optimism and the run around did fitness levels no harm at all. Kings Wimbledon IIs finished mid-table in Division 2, the division Harrow IIs will now be plying their trade in following their promotion last season, which bodes well for the side’s chances of holding their own at this level.

The players’ next outing will be in the intraclub friendly on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Merchant Taylors on Saturday 2nd September. This all leads up to the opening league fixture a week later on September 9th (opponent still TBCed).