Another excellent display earns 2s valuable point

Old Carthusians 2nd XI
2 : 2
Old Harrovians 2nd XI
  • February 3rd 2018, Charterhouse School, 12pm
  • Division 2
  • Referee: Julian Courtenay
  • Weather: Drizzle
  • Pitch: Fair
No. Starting XI Goals Yellow & Red Cards Subs On/Off
1 Emre Sert
2 Geoff Taunton-Collins (c)
3 Alexi Pittalis
4 Tom Ward
5 Doug Pratt 60'
6 Mike Okoigun 25'
7 Max Curry
8 Ollie Curry
9 Jack Alhadeff 75'
10 David Lederman
11 Doug Morrison
Substitutes +o.g. 35'
12 Harry Neville 45'

The OHAFC 2s followed up last weekend’s heroic 1-0 win at home to the Old Westminsters with another excellent display on Saturday, battling to a highly creditable 2-2 draw away to perennial powerhouse the Old Carthusian 2s. Charterhouse opened the scoring after dominating the early skirmishes. But Harrow fought back strongly and scored twice in quick succession to turn the game on its’ head, Mike Okoigun powering home header from a corner and Jack Alhadeff pressuring a defender to turn the ball into his own net following an excellent cross from skipper Geoff Taunton-Collins. A penalty for Charterhouse right on half-time was superbly saved by Emre Sert. The second half turned into a war of attrition and Charterhouse deservedly equalised with twenty minutes remaining, having looked the stronger side. But the visitors gallantly hung on to claim a deserved first ever point in Godalming.

Morale in the squad was high following the victory over Westminsters and the return to action of the two Curry’s: Max earned the Man of the Match award for his display last weekend, Ollie was making his 2s debut here. Young Harry Neville had been scheduled to make his OHAFC debut for the 3rd XI, but late cry-offs from Woolley (missing his first game this season due to illness) and Beresford forced a reshuffle and instead the youngster was drafted in for the 2s instead. He started on the bench, with the Blues lining up in their now standard 4-5-1 formation, the Curry’s in midfield with Lederman, Morrison up front flanked by Alhadeff on the left and Okoigun on the right. There was also a first appearance of the season for Doug Pratt, prevented from playing until now due to work commitments, and a welcome return for both Tom Ward and Alexi Pittalis, who missed last week’s excitement.

Conditions for Saturday’s encounter were once again less than ideal, with low temperatures and a steady drizzle falling throughout. But any lack of enthusiasm in the away dressing room was quickly dispelled as the hosts cranked up the stereo next door and some late 90’s dance ‘hits’ soon had Alhadeff bouncing around like he probably had been until the early hours of the morning anyway…

The long trudge over to the pitches preceded an odd warm-up that took in all corners of the far field: arriving before their hosts, Harrow proceeded to knock some balls about until a gaggle of Charterhouse players wandered past in silence. Only when asked if the side had chosen the correct pitch were they informed that they had not. So over to pitch two the team shuffled. No sooner had a second warm-up begun here than the previously silent Carthusians then requested no warm-ups take place on the pitch. Skipper Geoff Taunton-Collins growled loudly, simultaneously remembering he had left the balls over by the first pitch. Fortunately, Doug Morrison timed his arrival to perfection, strolling across just in time to collect the balls and, rather more importantly, start the game – referee Julian Courtenay clearly keen for the fixture to start bang on the stroke of midday.

Charterhouse began strongly, placing the visitors under immediate pressure all over the pitch. In midfield there was little time to dwell on the ball. At the back, some direct balls forwards had the Harrow rearguard on their toes but Taunton-Collins, Pittalis, Ward and Pratt slotted into the rhythm of the game with little trouble. Going forwards there were some nice combinations down the left involving Alhadeff and Morrison, whilst Okoigun worked hard to make progress down the right. The main protagonist in the opening quarter of an hour was undoubtedly referee Julian Courtenay, whose whistle punctuated play at regular intervals, mainly in Harrow’s favour. This clearly riled Charterhouse, who were soon protesting and appealing at anything and everything – a tactic that lasted right up to the final whistle to nobody’s enjoyment.

Neither side had forced a shot on goal in the first twenty minutes when a long ball forwards down the Harrow right appeared to be heading out a goal kick. Taunton-Collins tried to shepherd the ball out under pressure but the forward did well, hooking the ball back before squaring it to the edge of the box where it was met with a fine first-time finish past Sert into the top corner.

Far from being overawed at going a goal down, the visitors actually stepped up their game and gradually began to gain the upper hand. The midfield trio of Curry, Curry and Lederman won more of the ball and the wide players started to benefit. A sustained spell of pressure on the Charterhouse goal saw the visitors force a number of free-kicks and corners, all of which seemed to cause a certain degree of panic inside the box. Max Curry headed over from a free-kick but from the third or fourth corner Mike Okoigun rose majestically on the penalty spot to thump a header high into the roof of the net.

Buoyed by the goal, Harrovian hearts filled with belief and they continued to press their illustrious opponents. Another spell of pressure on the right saw passes exchanged allowing Geoff Taunton-Collins to storm forwards and deliver an enticing cross on the run. Under pressure from Alhadeff, a Carthusian defender stretched to clear but could only divert the ball past his own goalkeeper at the near post.

The final ten minutes of the half were seen out comfortably enough, although several corners had to be defended and a few long shots waved wide. That was until the final play of the half brought a rather dramatic end to proceedings. A poor goal kick from Emre Sert, not his first of the afternoon, was headed straight back over the Harrow back four and the Charterhouse centre forward gave chase. Faced with the choice of fouling his man or allowing a free run on goal, Alexi Pittalis chose the former, nudging the striker in the back as he entered the box and conceding the penalty. Emre then redeemed his earlier error with a magnificent save from the spot-kick, springing low to his right to palm the ball away from the foot of the post, Lederman completing the clearance.

At the break, skipper Taunton-Collins brought on Harry Neville for his debut in place of Doug Pratt at left-back. And despite some early Carthusian pressure, the youngster almost made a stunning start to life in old boys football when he stormed forwards from the edge of the Harrow box, exchanged passes with first Alhadeff, then Lederman, before seeing his shot from the edge of the box foiled by the onrushing Carthusian ‘keeper.

It was a rare bright spot for the visitors in a half that saw them largely on the back foot under a revitalised Charterhouse team. As the pitch and weather conditions worsened, the football became more and more direct and exchanges between the two teams and referee grew increasingly ill-tempered. There were, thankfully, no bad challenges in the game, but the litany of fouls continued as did the constant stream of complaints.

Ward and Pittalis continued to perform manfully at the back, the latter earning a badly bruised eye following a clash of heads inside thebox, and the pair of them dealing with a number of balls fired over the top. But with twenty minutes remaining, and Harrow seemingly holding firm, they were finally breached. A long ball through down the Harrow right caught the back four too high up the pitch and, despite appeals for offside, play continued. The Charterhouse forward held the ball up, awaited support and played it square. The first effort was partially blocked but again the ball was played square and this time it was met with another precision finish into the roof of the net.

Both sides threw everything into the closing stages in a bid to earn the win, Alhadeff’s hamstring finally proving too much of a burden and he was replaced by Pratt for the final quarter of an hour. Okoigun and Morrison ran their socks off up front in pursuit of the rather casual Carthusian goalkeeper. At the other end, Lederman was forced into a highly unorthodox foul, almost rugby tackling the centre forward as a quick break caught Harrow on the hop. Having clung on for ten yards as the pair of them charged down the pitch, the veteran was relieved to somehow escape a booking once the foul had been given.

There was time for one final chance for the visitors, Ollie Curry nearly putting his name up in lights with a twinkle-toed run past three defenders in the final minute. Just as glory beckoned, he took a slightly heavy touch allowing the final Carthusian to nick the ball away from him.

In the end the draw was a fair result between two very solid teams whose ability to play entertaining football was undoubtedly hampered by the awful conditions – the pitch resembled something of a minefield at the final whistle.

For the OHAFC, it was another fine performance following on from last weekend’s win, the team clearly now understanding the level required to compete at this higher level. Indeed, having begun the season with six consecutive defeats and seven in eight games, they have now lost just twice in the last six, winning three. Four League games remain, with the next one against Charterhouse 3s in a fortnight likely to have a big say in which of the two sides will join Lancing 2s in the relegation places come the end of the season.

However, on current form the side should fear no-one.