A goal apiece immediately before and after the half-time interval ensured this tussle between two of the top three sides in Division Three of the Arthurian League ended all square on a misty Harrow Hill on Saturday morning. The home side more than deserved their share of the spoils against the League leaders, matching them in a tough first half and gradually taking command as the second half wore on. Despite this, chances proved hard to come by and, in the end, both sides had to settle for a satisfactory point, although the OHAFC have now slipped a place to fourth in the table.

Following last weekend’s encouraging 4-2 win over the Old Carthusians 2s on the astroturf, the Blues returned to the natural grass of the Phil pitches this week, the relatively dry conditions of recent days allowing a fresh cut of the playing surface. A thick mist hid the spire of St Mary’s on top of the Hill, but, thankfully, visibility was better lower down. The sudden appearance of leggings and gloves on both sides heralding a drop in temperatures. The hosts were able to welcome back Owain James up front, last weekend’s hat-trick hero Doug Pratt unavailable. There was also a welcome return for Ed Massey, who started on the bench alongside Will Brounger, Kyir Pittalis asked to partner his brother Alexi and Ludo Palazzo in midfield.

Taylors have always provided the OHAFC 2s with strong opposition over the past five seasons or so and it was something of a surprise when they were relegated from Division Two a couple of years ago. The visitors have been flying this season however, racking up seven wins and two draws from their nine League games played. And they made a strong start here, creating a couple of chances early on, a long shot that was well held by Rory Craig in the Harrow goal and a through-ball that saw Craig caught slightly in no-man’s land – thankfully, Felix Orchard was on hand to smuggle the ball away from the goalmouth as the final shot rolled towards its target.

But the game soon settled into a competitive battle, largely lacking in quality, although much of that could be put down to the tricky pitch conditions which saw the ball frequently bobbling under players' feet, robbing both teams of the ability to produce anything resembling flowing football. With little goalmouth action to cheer those hardy souls watching on from the side, a sudden flashpoint on twenty-five minutes caught everyone’s attention: a Merchant Taylors’ ball through was well collected by Craig ahead of a challenge from the striker, but as the forward lay on the ground Craig decided to almost smack him on the backside – drawing the ire of the Taylors players and a stern word from referee George Patriche. It was the kind of moment the phrase ‘a storm in a teacup’ had been invented for.

Five minutes later, a rather more serious moment for the hosts when midfielder Ludo Palazzo hobbled off holding his hamstring, Brounger the natural replacement in central midfield. Taylors threw a couple of set-pieces into the Harrow box but these were well defended, Craig then competently punching over another couple of long shots. Going forwards, the men in blue found it hard going. There were pockets of decent play, Taunton-Collins occasionally threatening down the right, Tristan David looking sharp whenever he cut inside. But too often possession was lost before any real danger had materialised.

David whipped in a free-kick from the right which was fired over at the back post by Giacomo Grasso and the winger then received his now customary caution from George Patriche for hauling a Taylors player back on the break – the referee amusingly greeting the Harrow man with the words ‘don’t worry, I already know your name.’

It appeared for all money that the half would end goalless but the final action prior to the break saw Alexi Pittalis challenge with a defender from another David delivery from the right and the ball bounce off both of them and nestle just inside the near post, almost to the astonishment of both teams.

In playing time, it was a lead that lasted barely a minute. The referee called the first half to an end as soon as Taylors had kicked off but the visitors levelled from their own set-piece within thirty seconds of the second half starting. A race developed down the Taylors left wing which, according to the referee was unfairly ended when Taunton-Collins dived in on his man. This was hotly disputed by the hosts, who thought the skipper had played the ball, but from the resultant free-kick a brief scramble ensued inside the six yard box before the ball was prodded in from close range.

Seven minutes later it was the visitors’ turn to complain as Craig raced from his goal and blocked the ball a yard or so outside his box. Whether it came off his arm or chest was hard to tell, such was the speed of the action, but those in black were convinced they should have had a free-kick at the very least. But this was to be pretty much the closest Taylors came to threatening the Harrow goal for the remainder of the game as the hosts gradually began to take control, spending long periods camped inside the Taylors half.

Still, chances proved hard to come by, with the 2s looking most threatening from set-pieces. David continued to cause problems with his left-foot inswingers, the Taylors keeper looking rather vulnerable as he fumbled on several occasions. Alexi Pittalis caused panic with his aerial prowess, one flick-on producing a scramble inside the box. But it was actually from a Miles Kellock delivery from the other side that the hosts came closest to snatching the win, Owain James, who had grown increasingly influential the longer the game had worn on, flicking on but the ball flying inches over the bar.

Despite mounting Harrow pressure in the closing stages, there were few further scares and the final whistle signalled what was probably a fair outcome: the visitors shading the first half, the hosts much stronger in the second. The Blues have two more games to close out the year, the visit of Haberdashers to the Hill next weekend before the return match against KCS Wimbledon 2s in Putney.