The 2nd XI met last Saturday to put right a streaky recent run of form in the league, and buoyed by a return to winning ways in the JLC the week before. After some pre-match shenanigans involving the opening of the security shutters outside the Alcock pavilion, an eleventh-hour change of kit, and the now customary punctuality demonstrated by the team almost en masse, Taunton-Collins gathered his men, and set their minds to business.

The team talk emphasised Harrow’s previous travails against the Forester’s imposing prowess from set-pieces and the thirteen went into kick-off under no illusions that a firm test was in store. This attitude was justified one minute in, as a contentious offside decision in favour of Forest saw their striker break down the right and smash a good chance against the crossbar with just McGuinness to beat. Harrow settled well after this unwelcome start, however, with Harry Woolley and Tom Ward between them keeping an enthusiastically high line in defence.

At the other end, chances proved hard to come by, but Max Curry went close with a strong header from a corner and Andres Hutchinson provided the side’s most dangerous moments on occasion down the right hand side. The early scare aside, Harrow looked relatively comfortable at the back, even if Forest edged possession, with the visitors showing sporadic vulnerability at the back - but, in truth, the two sides matched each other in an even first half.

Ten minutes out from half-time, a flash point: a clumsy challenge on the Forest skipper resulting in some ugly and needless handbags, setting a negative tone that the referee would take the brunt of for the remainder of the game. During the changeover, Harrow spoke of the shift being put in by the Curry brothers, with Taunton-Collins asking for a continuation of the forwards’ high press.

The second half continued much as the first had done – relatively fluid changes in possession, with neither side looking more likely to score than the other. On a couple of occasions keeper Fraser McGuiness was sent scrambling by some well-struck, albeit ambitious, long shots, but going into the final twenty minutes the game appeared very much up for grabs.

Entering the final quarter the game started to lose its structure, and the defensive solidity both teams had until this point demonstrated began to fray. McGuiness came up with two vital and impressive saves in the last ten minutes, while in a tumultuous, helter-skelter finish to the game, Harrow found themselves able to sustain a prolonged spell of pressure. Taunton-Collins headed a fine cross from O'Hara over the bar, then had a shot saved by the Forest keeper after winning the ball high up the pitch, with the side also causing problems from a series of corners. The best chances of this period fell to Hutchinson, however, with a blaze over the bar and an offside decision ultimately costing him the spoils.

A beautifully, ugly first 0-0 draw in OH 2nd XI football in ten years, then, was seen as a fair result by both teams, with the OH 2’s able to look back at their own ten-year record with justifiable pride in how far they have come. Having said that, the side find themselves in definitively mid-table running with a big came to come against Chigwell 2s on Saturday.

*Thanks to Ed Massey for providing this match report