A slightly fortuitous breakaway goal midway through the second half was sufficient to consign the OHAFC 2nd XI to defeat in their opening fixture of the 2022/23 Arthurian League season away to the Old Aldenhamians. In a tight, tense affair, the visitors were left ruing a couple of excellent chances to snatch the points, not least in the build-up to the Aldenhamians’ winner: Will Payne found himself on the edge of the box with a clear sight of goals but neglected to pull the trigger and, following a fortunate bounce in midfield, the ball was played down the left for an Aldenham forward to drive past Giacomo Grasso on the outside before drilling a low shot into the far corner past debutant keeper Rory Craig.

As the game developed in the warm sunshine on the Aldenham School playing fields near Elstree, it became increasingly apparent that a single goal would likely prove sufficient to claim the points. Both sides were well organised at the back, with Ward and Grasso forming a solid pairing in the middle for the OHAFC and recent leaver Ed Pagani enjoying a fine debut at left-back: he would later claim the majority of the Man of the Match votes from his teammates. But both sides struggled in attack, with neither midfield able to dominate and the forward lines consequently starved of consistent service. The hosts’ powerful striker used his strength to good effect to hold play up, but there was little threat from any of his teammates. For the visitors, Pedro Azagra ploughed a lone furrow up front, Kellock and Payne only involved sporadically.

This resulted in some rather stodgy patches of play with chances few and far between. In fact, it was well over twenty minutes before anything of note occurred in the game, a huge penalty shout from the home side when Craig rushed off his line to intercept a through-ball only to clatter into a forward and send him tumbling to the turf. Every player waited for the inevitable penalty to be awarded but, somewhat astonishingly, referee Hitesh Jansari merely pointed for a goal kick. The Aldenhamians were flabbergasted, the visitors looked somewhat sheepish, although there were suspicions that the forward had been offside when the ball was played. Nevertheless, it felt like a huge let off.

In fact, Craig was forced into plenty of work on his competitive OHAFC debut, punching clear several set-pieces to good effect and showing decent ability with his feet. The half-time belief in the Harrow ranks was that this was a game where keeping a clean sheet was an eminently achievable target.

That the game reached the break goalless was, nonetheless, somewhat of a surprise, with both sides spurning glorious chances to break the deadlock, with veteran OHAFC midfielder David Lederman involved at both ends. A Miles Kellock corner was headed clear beyond the far post but Lederman collected and, as the hosts pushed out, delivered a perfect cross to the far post, Alexi Pittalis somehow failing to convert his volley from five yards out. Then, moments before the half-time whistle sounded, Lederman underhit a pass back towards Grasso, instead gifting a clear run on goal to an Aldenhamian. Fortunately, as Grasso scrambled to get back, the forward stumbled slightly and sent a weak shot wide of the far post – much to the visitors’ relief.

Azhar Khan was introduced from the bench early in the second half for his first appearance in OHAFC colours since the 2016/17 season. The opening twenty minutes of the half proved incredibly scrappy, with both teams struggling to string meaningful passages of play and referee Hitesh Jansari’s whistle sounding on a frequent basis. Ward was booked, somewhat harshly, for a tangle with the Aldenham striker. And the visitors continued to rely on some consistent keeping from Rory Craig, who punched and kicked with increasing confidence. The hosts did fashion a couple of half-chances, but shots were fired high and wide, and, on most occasions, a frustratingly long distance behind the goal. Craig’s fitness benefitted as a result.

Thankfully, the closing stages provided more incident for those watching, with the decisive goal arriving twenty minutes from time. By this stage, the visitors had finally begun to emerge from their shell, with Payne and Kellock an increasing influence out wide, both players looking capable of providing the moment of magic required to break the deadlock. And it was Payne who had the golden chance, an excellent break down the left saw the winger fed on the edge of the box, he cut inside a couple of defenders but delayed his shot a fraction too long, the ball bouncing out of the area to an Aldenhamian. Khan initially did well, tracking back and poking the ball away from his man, but the deflection, maddeningly, fell perfectly into the stride of an opponent, who advanced against a retreating Harrow defence. The ball was played out to the left, leaving Grasso to deal with the striker alone. The Harrow man did well, ushering the player wide onto his supposedly weaker left foot, but the strike was low and true into the far corner, leaving Craig helpless.

The closing minutes saw the visitors continue to press but fail to create anything resembling a decent chance to level and the hosts held on to claim their first points of the fledgling season. It was tough luck on a slightly under-strength OHAFC side, who have certainly suffered far worse defeats on the opening day before. Next week the Blues enjoy their first home game of the campaign when the newly-promoted Old Kimboltonians visit the Hill.