A fine penalty save ten minutes from time from 53 year-old Jon Sharples helped the OHAFC 3rd XI to a hard-fought point on their return to League action on Saturday afternoon.

In an even contest against an Old Salopian 2s side that had been relegated from Division Three last season, chances were few and far between. Even the penalty award itself was dubious, Zander Cadisch penalised for handball when the ball was drilled into him from close range. Nevertheless, with several 3s regulars away and a threadbare eleven named in the matchday squad, a point and a first goalless draw since the 2012/13 season was fair reward for the team’s efforts.

Following last season’s agonising failure to secure promotion from Division Four on the final weekend of the campaign – a draw away to the Old Columbans proving insufficient – the 3s will once more be aiming to finish in the top two this time around.

Unfortunately, some ill-timed holidays meant that for the season opener the core of the squad that has performed so well over the past couple of years would be absent: all three of the Barrett brothers, last season’s leading scorers Alex Smith and Harry Bick, goalkeeper Tom Mitchell and skipper Nick Kapoor all missed the visit of Salopians, meaning Charlie Bick took charge of an eclectic side, including veteran keeper Sharples, 45 year-old David Lederman and several players who have appeared only fleetingly for the side over the past couple of seasons.

The warm sunshine that greeted the players on arrival at the Hill appeared to relax minds, with a rather lacklustre warm-up followed by the realisation that both sides appeared to be a player short. Referee Tony Anderson was in no rush and spent several minutes talking the ten men of Harrow who were present through the new laws that were introduced over the summer. Centre-half Ed Nicholson seemed especially curious as to how he could end up in the sin bin, although fortunately he never tested the referee’s patience sufficiently during the ninety minutes.

With kick-off delayed by ten minutes, the game finally got underway, both sides still a man down. The extra space initially appeared to favour the hosts, with the midfield trio of skipper Bick, Lederman and Pom Beeley all enjoying plenty of time on the ball. Front men Tommy Faber and Ned Callander both looked lively and capable of hurting the opposition with their direct running down the channels.

The best chance of the half arrived courtesy of a Lederman through-ball that saw Callander race in on goal, but he could only fire straight at the Salopians keeper.

Both sides then welcomed their missing players and the game developed into a more even contest. Harrow continued to look the more dangerous in possession, although they were given an almighty scare on the half-hour when Lederman sold Nicholson short with a pass across the box – fortunately Felix Tritton, who enjoyed a fine afternoon at centre-back, raced back to stall the Salopian striker sufficiently for the Blues to recover.

Both sides were allowed a quick drinks break midway through each half, referee Anderson taking pity on the combatants given the high temperatures, as well as the fact that four of the twenty-two were in their mid-forties or older!

But it was the visitors who began the second half in the ascendency and for the first quarter of an hour following the break they dominated possession. Harrow’s fluency with the ball and determination without it appeared to have temporarily deserted them, although fortunately Sharples was alive to parry a couple of decent efforts struck across goal.

Just prior to the second drinks break, the Blues began to show signs of life, forcing numerous corners at the far end of the ground. Despite the giant Nicholson providing a tempting target for Lederman to hit, the two struggled to connect meaningfully in the opposition box. The centre-half met one cross firmly enough but wasn’t able to keep his header down.

Indeed, the hosts struggled all afternoon from set-pieces, with both Bick and Lederman wasting free-kicks from highly promising positions with a horrible pair of efforts.

One golden chance arrived with twenty minutes remaining when Lederman again fired the ball through for Callander to run onto but again the Shrewsbury keeper proved up to the task, blocking the striker’s effort at close range.

The action then switched to the other end and the unfortunate penalty incident. To be fair to the match official, he had pointed out during his pre-match chat that pretty much any handball would now be penalised, but even so, there was little Cadisch could do to get out of the firing line and there was genuine surprise when the official pointed to the spot. Fortunately, from a Harrovian viewpoint, Jon Sharples utilised all his years of experience to the full and he read the striker’s intentions perfectly, diving to his right to parry the ball to safety.

The superb save re-energised the Blues and they fought to the end in search of a winner, although in truth neither keeper was called on again to any great extent.

Still, a solid point to open the season with and great credit must go to the eleven who gave their all in tricky, energy-sapping conditions. At the back, Tritton and Nicholson formed a solid pairing at centre-half and the wide pairings of Max Smith and Oscar Gairard down the right, and Alex Cadisch and Tommy Faber down the left, both ran tirelessly from start to finish. Likewise Pom Beeley, who enjoyed an excellent game in the middle of the pitch, his energy allowing Bick and Lederman plenty of the ball to try and provide the openings. With a little more luck, and a slightly re-tuned radar, Ned Callander would have had a couple of goals and the win would have been secured. As it was, it was left to the 53 year-old Sharples to claim the headlines on a day when the strikers left their shooting boots at home.