The OHAFC 2nd continued their climb up Division Two of the Arthurian League with a third win in four games on Saturday, this time holding on to clinch a vital 2-1 win over bottom side Lancing 2s on the Hill. The two substitutes were the stars of the show, with centre-half Fred Milln returning from a lengthy injury lay-off to head home an equaliser prior to the break, before Harry Dalzell produced a moment of magic to seal the win, turning past two defenders at the far post before hammering the ball home from close range with his left foot. Some rugged defending in the closing stages ensured the visitors’ efforts to earn a point ended in vain.

Availability for Saturday’s encounter was excellent with a full squad of fourteen named for the game. The narrow 2-1 defeat suffered at the hands of Lancing back in October was still fresh in the minds of many – defensive lapses allowed the hosts to open up a two-goal lead but an excellent second half display saw Harrow narrowly fail to earn a point. Confidence was high that amends could be made for that particular disappointment.

Once again skipper Geoff Taunton-Collins went with a back-five, with Woolley, Ward and von Hirsch the central three, Barwick on the left and the captain on the right. A strong midfield trio of Hutchinson, Lederman and the returning Alexi Pittalis were tasked with controlling the game, the latter safely overcoming a niggling back injury that has been troubling him. Up front, Mike Okoigun, fresh from his brace against Forest, was joined by the pace and guile of Doug Morrison, whilst Milln and Dalzell were joined on the bench by Ed Massey.

Prior to kick-off there was an unusual snafu (Situation Normal All Fouled Up) when referee Mal James noticed a small but rather deep hole about six inches in diameter in the middle of one of the goal lines. After some thought as to how best to fill the offending area, Woolley led a brave trio including Pittalis and Hutchinson around the back of the rather foreboding shed at the far end of the pitches. ‘We’re off to see Hagrid!’ shouted an excited Woolley, unable to prevent his Harry Potter-powered imagination from running away with him as he skipped energetically out of sight. When they emerged a few minutes later, each player was carrying not a horcrux, but a large pile of brown leaves. On their return, they began stuffing the foliage into the hole, although skipper Taunton-Collins doubted the suitability of the filling. Pittalis was in agreement, enthusiastically suggesting that ‘there’s some dirt over there too if we need it.’ A few blank stares followed, at that point everyone agreeing that the leaves would more than suffice.

With the playing area now up to standard, the next item on the referee’s agenda should have been the equipment used by some of the Harrow team. No less than five of the squad had deemed it cold enough to wear leggings, despite an agreement having been reached the week before that only temperatures below zero could justify such behaviour. Lederman took out his Stat Attack thermometer and held it up to the sky: ‘just as I thought,’ he muttered to himself, ‘illegal use of leggings.’ Indeed, the thermometer was showing a balmy five degrees, the threshold for acceptable use of gloves, but nowhere near the level set for leggings. For the record, the quintet of miscreants included three of the back five (von Hirsch, Woolley and Taunton-Collins), plus two of the strongest specimens in the lineup, Pittalis and Okoigun. Oh for the days when men were men and lycra was yet to be invented…

Disappointingly, the match was allowed to proceed with ‘The Lycra Lads’ all on the field. For once, Harrow actually made an accomplished start, enjoying the bulk of possession and switching the play nicely across the pitch. Lancing’s deep-lying back four prevented any through balls for the ever-alert Morrison and Okoigun, with the result that play was generally concentrated inside Lancing’s half but well away from their goal. At the other end, Emre Sert, making his first start between the posts for the 2s, was untested, with the triumvirate of centre-backs in control and, for the first time in a while, actually playing a relatively high line.

Chances were at a premium with both sides struggling to produce any quality of note in the final third. That all changed however when Lancing took the lead just before the half hour with a splendid goal, although it came very much against the run of play. A cross from the Lancing right flew across the Harrow box where it was collected by the opposition’s best player – for the second consecutive week, this was a short, stocky midfielder with excellent ball control. And, just as the Forest player had done a week earlier, the quality of the opponent was highlighted with a superb goal, the Lancing man cutting inside Taunton-Collins before curling a beautiful shot into the far top corner from just outside the box, Sert a mere spectator.

Harrow remained positive despite the setback and continued to plug away at Lancing without ever giving the impression that an equaliser was imminent. It took a set-piece to provide it and, as Woolley was to point out in the aftermath of the celebrations, it was an old 1st XI double act that was the source, Lederman curling a perfect ball to the far post for Milln, just on as a substitute, to glance in from close range.

The sides went in level at the break with everything to play for but conditions had begun to worsen, with a stiff breeze now blowing into Harrovian faces. As a result, the standard of football played by both teams dropped a notch and the game became somewhat fractious. Harrow threatened sporadically from set pieces, but the switch to a 4-4-1-1 formation made little difference going forwards, Morrison still struggling to impose himself on proceedings.

Indeed, Lancing actually looked more dangerous on the counter-attack and only a desperate lunge by Milln on the right touchline prevented an almost certain goal – the flying challenge drawing howls of protest from the visitors, referee Mal James content to keep his cards in his pocket for the time being. When, just a few minutes later, the Harrow centre-half launched into another ferocious challenge in the middle of the pitch tempers again flared but it was, in fact, an excellent challenge and the official was almost reluctant to give a free-kick when it was highly debatable any offence had occurred.

The closest Lancing came to snatching the lead was from a free-kick, their goalscorer whipping the ball in from a long way out but Sert was alive to it and flung himself to his right to turn the ball over the bar.

Instead, it was the hosts who took the lead with an effort eerily similar to that of the visitors. Again it came against the run of play, again it was initiated down the right wing, several Harrow players combining to set Taunton-Collins free. The skipper, who had looked more and more lively the longer the game wore on, drove to the byline and drilled the ball across. Morrison missed his kick, the ball flying through his legs, but Dalzell was loitering at the far post and he collected. The two Lancing defenders in front of him were almost sent into the Alcock Pavilion as a languid turn of the hips suggested he was cutting inside, only for the striker to turn back onto his left side and smash the ball high into the roof of the net from barely five yards out. It was a superb effort and a fitting prelude to a Tinder date later in the evening (details to follow).

Keen to prevent Lancing regaining the initiative, Harrow’s skipper removed right-back Woolley, the first time he had not completed a game all season, and the ineffectual Lederman and replaced them with the more robust Hutchinson and Okoigun. The latter made an almost immediate impact, driving into the box before smashing a shot against the outside of the near post.

The game suddenly sparked into life with Harrow looking dangerous with every attack, Taunton-Collins bursting into life down the wing and Okoigun finding his mojo up front, so much so that he could have had a hat-trick within ten minutes of re-entering the fray. A second chance should have been buried but, under slight pressure, he rolled his shot against the far post. Lancing continued to look dangerous on the break but Milln and Ward provided a rock-solid foundation at the back and the whole Harrow team worked tirelessly to close their opponents down.

A third Okoigun chance went begging but, as time ran down, Lancing ran out of ideas and steam – Harrow’s extra pairs of legs proving vital in ensuring a victorious outcome. Naturally, the win brought huge cheers from the Harrow side and their supporters, including many of the 1st XI who had come over following the conclusion of their game on the next door pitch. For Lancing, it was the Phil Brown treatment and a lengthy dressing down in the middle of the pitch. Division Two remains remarkably tight and Staurday’s vanquished opponents are by no means condemned to the drop yet.

For Harrow, the win was further evidence of the increasing maturity of the side, with all fourteen players making valuable contributions and seeing out the game in relative ease despite the tricky conditions and vital nature of the result. The return of a fit Fred Milln to the heart of the defence was a huge plus but it is unlikely the team will see much more of the heaviest OHAFC player still in active service. Chelsea and, more importantly, the OHAFC 1st XI are bound to come calling.

Mike Okoigun produced another superb display up front, using his strength and speed to bully the defence as they tired in the closing stages. Only a goal was missing for his efforts. And skipper Geoff Taunton-Collins enjoyed his best display of the season, deservedly earning himself the Man of the Match award (which he later announced with some modesty) after a typically energetic display down the right. With Mr and Mrs (Senor and Senorita) Taunton-Collins watching on for the first time this season, the captain drove his team on to the final whistle, earning a big hug from mummy as a reward.

There is no rest for the side as they continue on their seemingly endless quest to play their entire League programme before Christmas. Next up on the menu is Westminster away and yet another fixture to be played on an artificial surface. Last season the sides met in the quarter-finals of the Junior League Cup, Westminsters running out comfortable 4-0 winners. Saturday’s result should be somewhat closer.

PS. Cheers were later to turn to even more cheers as matchwinner Harry Dalzell returned from his Tinder date furious with his wasted evening. Apparently his opposite man (woman) flew in early doors with a challenging 'Why are you drinking beer in a wine bar?' Dalzell had no answer to the aggression and trickery of his match, finally hoisting the white flag with a resigned 'Well I don't think this is really working, do you?'

Don't worry Harry, your scoring record is fine with us...Now, another lager?