A patched up OHAFC 1st XI battled hard to secure a 1-1 draw away to the Old Rugbeians on the astroturf in Whitton on Saturday afternoon, Charlie Bick’s first-half goal cancelled out by a deserved Rugby equaliser midway through the second half. Given the circumstances, a point away to the side who side fourth in Division One was highly creditable and the Blues now have the comfort of a ten-point gap to the two bottom sides, the Old Wykehamists and the Old Westminsters, both of whom appear already doomed to relegation.

Without both skipper Dan Firoozan and vice-captain Ed Beecham for the trip to southwest London, availability nevertheless seemed strong, with a group of fourteen listed on Friday morning under the charge of the returning Cyprian Owen Edmunds. But within twenty-four hours that number had dwindled to a bare eleven: two players withdrew on Friday, another, Tom Ward, found out on Saturday morning he had to work. This left a bare eleven, in theory at least. But Tom Walduck, who also had the team kit, overslept and so, as the 2pm kick-off approached, a nightmare scenario had developed with the OHAFC having a bare eleven players, three of whom had just driven south from Harrow having already played 75 minutes for the 3rd XI in their fixture against the Kingstonians. This included keeper Tom Mitchell, veteran stalwart David Lederman, who found himself back in his once-treasured right-wing slot, and James Walduck, thankfully allowed a bit of rest at centre-back having played in midfield for the 3s. Socks and shorts were found and, fortunately, Fred and Jackie Woolley were on hand to deliver some Festiphil shirts prior to kick-off so at least the visitors had the appearance of a proper side.

Given the chaos, it would have been understandable for the OHAFC to have started slowly and found themselves under early pressure. But to their credit, the men in blue immediately looked the more assured side on the astro, passing the ball with confidence across the back four and working the ball down the channels on numerous occasions. As ever, Will Payne was a livewire on the left wing, with Alfie Hayes flying across the Rugby back four and Cameron Mahal trying to impose himself in behind. There was plenty of good football to admire, although little end product to speak of, with a couple of rushed long range efforts the sum total of this bright start.

At the other end, the Rugbeians, who had won the earlier Dunn Cup meeting between the teams 1-0 up at Rugby School in October, offered little threat, although keeper Mitchell was forced to race off his line a couple of times to deal with balls over the top. He was perhaps fortunate to escape once when the attacker reached the ball first only to send the attempted lob wide of the far post. But just past the midpoint in the half the visitors secured a deserved lead with a well-worked move that saw the ball played out to the left to Payne. Initially isolated, the trickster did well to shield the ball and draw it back from the goal line before feeding the onrushing Charlie Bick on the edge of the area. The veteran took a touch to steady himself before firing unerringly low inside the near post.

The latter stages of the first half saw the hosts come back into things, the Blues becoming rather too impatient to play the ball forwards too quickly and, consequently, losing possession too often. The Rugbeians still struggled to create many clear-cut openings however, with a couple of shots blazed over and a couple of corners coming to nothing. The visitors didn’t help themselves, giving away a few needless free-kicks as the hosts gradually took the lions’ share of possession, but the back four of Walduck, Ed Nicholson, Harry Bick and Owen Edmunds all stuck diligently to their task and the lead remained in tact to the break.

Fortunately, by this stage Tom Walduck had arrived, his fresh legs badly needed as the 51 year-old Lederman was finally able to take a breather having lasted a total of 120 minutes across the two games played. Walduck slotted in at left-back, with Owen Edmunds replacing Lederman on the right wing, Payne allowed to keep his favoured left wing slot.

The second half proved a tricky affair for the visitors as the Rugbeians slowly ramped up the pressure. The Blues were handicapped by a low setting sun straight behind the goal they were attacking, although as the game wore on, ventures into the final third became increasingly infrequent. The first twenty minutes of the half were fairly scrappy, the hosts on the front foot but still unable to really test Mitchell in the Harrow goal. But the visitors survived an almighty scare when a neat passage of play down the Rugby left saw the ball cut back twice in quick succession, a midfielder at the far post somehow firing his shot back across goal and wide of the near post when it seemed far easier to score.

The reprieve proved only temporary however, as within a couple of minutes the equaliser had been conceded. Again the move emanated down the Rugby left, a pass back inside towards the edge of the box took a rather fortunate ricochet and fell perfectly for a midfielder to curl a precise shot first-time beyond the outstretched arm of the keeper and into the bottom corner. It was no more than the Rugbeians had deserved and so, with just over twenty minutes remaining, the three points were very much up for grabs.

The visitors almost immediately forced a chance to retake the lead, Charlie Bick, who had become increasingly anonymous as the game had worn on, produced a clever reverse flick that sent Hayes racing clear down the inside right channel but the youngster fired his shot just wide of the far post. It was, strangely, the final clear-cut chance of the game, with the closing twenty minutes becoming increasingly scrappy and the visitors able to hold on in relative comfort. James Walduck was booked for a rather needless foul that saw tempers flare very briefly, but there was little else for those watching on from the side to get excited about. The final act of the game saw Mahal fire wide after a corner had been cleared to the edge of the area but the visitors were good value for a point following their strong early showing and, given the circumstances, could be more than pleased with their efforts.

The 1s have one more fixture remaining in 2025, the important visit of bottom side the Old Westminsters to the Hill in a fortnight’s time. Victory in that game would see the side with thirteen points from their first ten fixtures – one more than at the same stage last season.