Superb display sees 1s earn first victory of the season

Old Harrovians 1st XI
7 : 0
Old Aldenhamians 1st XI
  • October 7th 2017, Philathletic Ground, 1:30pm
  • Division 1
  • Referee: Stephen Bodell
  • Weather: Drizzle, breezy
  • Pitch: Excellent
No. Starting XI Goals Yellow & Red Cards Subs On/Off
1 Emre Sert
2 Hugo Trower
3 Ed Poulter
4 Yunus Sert (c)
5 Hamish MacIntyre
6 Josh Adejokun 25'
7 Fred Richardson 25'
8 Jack Hill
9 Daniel Firoozan
10 Alex Breeden
11 James Breeden 15', 35', 40'
Substitutes +o.g. 20'
12 Chester Robinson 30', 75' 25'

The OHAFC 1st XI were delighted to finally play their first home game of the season against the Old Aldenhamians on Saturday following a somewhat tricky start to life back in Division One.

Some questionable refereeing away to Cholmeleians and a venue cock-up at Bradfield (of Harrow's own making) had seen Yunus Sert's men collect just a single point from their opening two games. With only nine teams in the division this season, the room for further errors had been significantly reduced.

Fortunately the squad were all on time and in the right place on Saturday, putting last week's nightmare firmly behind them. With conditions on the Phil once again perfect, there was a real sense that this was the perfect opportunity to kick-start the season.

Ed Poulter, back in the side after missing the previous game, was in particularly good spirits, showing some of the younger members of the team that he is still 'down with kids' by telling them about the current rap scene in London, even breaking out some lyrics that didn't make much sense.

The 1s lined up with Emre Sert in goal, a back four of Trower, Poulter, Sert and MacIntyre; Richardson, Hill and Alex Breeden formed a midfield trio with Josh Adejokun, James Breeden and Dan Firoozan up front, Chester Robinson ready to come on from the bench.

Aldenham kicked off and it was clear from early on that Harrow were very much the better side, playing some simply beautiful football. The very basics of pass and move and one-touch passing showing the potential of this Harrow side when in full flow. Aldenham struggled to string two passes together and it seemed only a matter of time before the hosts took the lead.

After ten minutes a foul just outside the Aldenham box provided an excellent shooting opportunity. James Breeden stepped up and curled it beautifully into the top left hand corner causing some wild celebrations among his teammates.

The side did not let up despite this early advantage and continued to mount pressure on the Aldenham goal, the midfield trio linking up superbly, using the space and switching the play.

A second Harrow goal arrived following a spell of pressure at a corner. Adejokun fired in a cross-shot which went through a load of bodies, was blocked on the line before an Aldenham defender comically drilled the ball off one of his teammates only to see the ball ricochet back into the net.

Following more fluid play from the Harrow front three, the third goal soon arrived: Alex Breeden pulling the two centre halves apart with a well-timed run that allowed Adejokun to be played in. The youngster made no mistake, sprinting through and rounding the 'keeper to slot home.

By this stage Harrow were rampant - all the frustration of the early part of this season was being taken out on a shell-shocked Aldenham team. An attack down the left saw ball squared low into the box where substitute Chester Robinson, having only just come on, took a touch and fired past the keeper. 4-0 to Harrow with barely half an hour on the clock.

The hosts were far from done however. James Breeden scored the fifth, his second, beating his man on the edge of the box before drilling into the far corner.

The sixth goal was an absolute peach: a ball over the top from skipper Sert found MacIntyre sprinting down the left wing. He crossed first-time into the middle of the box, where James Breeden slotted home with a first-time finish. A superb move and a fitting way for Breeden to complete his second hat-trick for the club.

Finally the referee gave Aldenham some respite, halting the Harrovian onslaught with the whistle for half-time and ending one of the best forty-five minutes the side has produced for some time.

The second half, understandably, saw the scoring rate drop. Aldenham came back out with a more defensive, resilient shape and Harrow struggled to play with the same intensity, the result having long been determined.

Harrow still played some neat football however, although perhaps began taking too many touches on the ball and over-complicating their play.

Midway through the half Robinson displayed some neat footwork to beat a couple of men and provide himself with a clear-cut opportunity but he put too much power behind his effort and the ball sailed over the bar.

Shortly afterwards he would find the net, although in slightly odd circumstances. Jack Hill won a free-kick on the right-hand side of the box and Robinson stepped up, surprising everyone, including the opposition goalkeeper, by hitting a slow cross-shot that trickled into the bottom far corner. Nobody could quite work out how such a weak effort had ended up in the net but frankly nobody cared: Robinson had his second and the OHAFC, for the first time since March 2016, had scored seven in a League game.

One final goal was harshly ruled out for offside, James Breeden unselfishly squaring for brother Alex to tap in when clean through, but the referee judged the ball to have gone forwards and the goal was chalked off.

Nevertheless, a superb performance by all to claim a first win of the season and lift the side into fourth in the table. The team played with pace and purpose in the first half and dismantled an Aldenham side that had caused the Blues plenty of problems when they met in the same division a couple of seasons ago.

The 1s now travel to east London for their next fixture, to be played on astroturf against a struggling Wellington side. A win and the OHAFC will be right back in the thick of the promotion race.

*Many thanks to Alex Breeden for this report