OHAFC II 3 Old Eastbournians 3

Saturday afternoon saw the 2nd XI come up against a resurgent Eastbournian side – a veritable six-pointer to be played out on an unseasonably sun-drenched Harrow 3G. The changing room pre kick-off was (presumably) abuzz with tales of the previous week’s Cup heroics, complete (perhaps) with some administerial chit-chat regarding the authenticity of a penalties victory in contributing to the now-famous OH Super Saturday (all four teams ‘winning’ on the same day for the first time in club history) – ‘presumably’, incidentally, because at the same point that the Currys (hypothetically) were re-enacting their second and third successful spot-kicks respectively, this narrator was waiting patiently at home while Khan slowed down proceedings, insisting infuriatingly on an unfathomable 12.30pm burger.

Traffic for the most part dodged, the we arrived just as a victorious 1s team re-entered the sheds - their joy at a newfound 8 point cushion at the summit of Division 1 tempered somewhat by some evident frustration at the bobbly 3G surface recently-endured. Boots on, we headed out, this warning ringing loudly in our impassioned ears.

The talk pre-game was of a determination to avoid mistakes – the spectre of a relegation dogfight necessitating an avoidance of easy-on-the-eye flamboyance at almost all costs. A safety-first approach – long clearing kicks and hard tackling, harrying our opposition into mistakes, was suggested to the team, and readily seconded.

The reward for such industry was immediate, sourced not 10 seconds into the game. Eastbourne’s kick-off was passed out to their right back, who hesitated long enough for Owen-Edmunds to steal in, take the ball to the by-line, and whip in a delicious cross, met ably by Max Curry's assured and assertive header. Opposition heads bowed, Harrow raced back to the start with cries of ‘Nothing’s happened lads – start again!’ swirling in the westerly breeze. Encouraged by the early freebie, Harrow’s high-energy pressing rattled their relegation rivals, and brought on a dispute between the opposition goalkeeper and left back derivative of Kieran Dyer and Lee Bowyer’s infamous 2005 dust-up.

Pom Beeley and Oli Curry worked well together in midfield, Pom playing the Pirlo to Curry’s Gattuso – spraying the ball from left to right, eternally available for a pressure-relieving pass - Curry tenacious and whippet-like from box to box. Just as Eastbourne heads began to clear, one of Khan’s lackadaisical meanders up the left wing resulted in a throw-in. Massey’s long throw into the box met with some confusion, from which Taunton-Collins benefited – a welcome first assist for Massey, a full 15 appearances into his OH career (an infuriating blank in the goals column, for now, remains). A soft goal it was to concede, but a wonderful one to score, Pulis-like in its grotesque appeal. ‘χαλεπά τα καλά’, as they say [Beauty is harsh].

I afford this write-up this briefest of forays into the tableaus of ancient Greek purely to demonstrate the worrying rate at which the team lost focus – the luxury of a 2 goal cushion not something encountered by this team on anything like a regular basis. The intensity and high press that had thus far brought such tangible success was lost almost all at once, and Eastbourne, funnelling their play through their classy 6 - 7 axis, grew demonstrably into the game. Another ball came down the right hand side, a scuffed cross to the edge of the area found some space, and the bouncing ball was pummelled, Van Persie-like, unnatural height and all, into the top right corner. A stunner, undoubtedly, but a just reward for a team that had grown into the game and taken advantage of Harrow’s mid-half bout of lethargy.

Not long after, the same corner was the recipient of another spectacular strike – one of their talented duo this time drifting in from the left and unleashing another unthinkably good strike. Eastbourne tails were up, Harrow shoulders slumped, and the impending half time regroup was much-needed. Punch-drunk from this one-two combination, however, Harrow countered perfectly – Oli Curry’s beautiful ball in from a free kick on half-way poked in once again from close range by the skipper.

At half-time the team collectively lamented its mid-half loss of pugnacity, and resolved to never again let lethargy interrupt good, honest aggression. Theo Gordon, fresh from his mid-morning kip, came on for Chopra – a like-for-like replacement of one astute, dependable full-back for another. Robinson and Berry, incidentally, the two long-range strikes aside, had kept McHardy relatively inactive – this particular centre-half combination as untested as their respective temperaments were serene. This calm permeated the team’s start to the second half – chances few and far between, defensive solidarity the name of the game – the odd long-range clearance bouncing, unwelcome, onto the adjoining pitch. The game was a melting-pot – the fuse ready and waiting; the spark primed. Chopra returned to the fray, replacing Massey - his bloody knees reflective of a mixed day at the office (the euphoria arrived at through his assist spoiled somewhat by an opponent’s brazen declaration that ‘they’re sh*t down the left hand side’).

And then, as if by magic, the spark lit.

Owen-Edmonds, unhappy at a heavy challenge moments earlier, left a lazy leg in a challenge with his opposing centre-half, and all hell broke loose. Some amiable handbags – nothing all that much for the surprisingly-seasoned referee Thomas Prime to worry about – escalated needlessly into a more aggressive variety of handbags when the Eastbourne keeper (accurately labelled ‘a fat pr*ck’ earlier in the game by his weary full-back) raced to halfway to accost Cyprian for what he’d done (‘YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID!’) In a compelling display of emotional honesty, Cyprian, now fully-reconciled with what it was that he had in fact done, shook hands with his centre-half, and we moved on - the game now infused with indecent competitive edge.

The Currys continued to work hard in the attacking third, Beeley continued to search in earnest for the game-breaking pass – Khan spurned a glorious chance when put through, summoning all his might to almost trouble (but not quite) the Eastbourne side-netting. The team trucked on, Harry Woolley barking instructions from the far side of the pitch. At one point McHardy, perhaps desperate for meaningful action, pushed a seemingly innocuous cross-come-shot onto his crossbar.

Then – the game-changer: Harrow’s back four caught a little high up the pitch, a beautifully-weighted ball over the top – a cute lob from their skipper – a lob that fell, as if in slow motion, beneath the underside of MacHardy’s crossbar, and rippled the net. A frantic 10 minutes remained – the 6-point nature of the game providing fascinating tactical context (Do we sit back? How many points to make us safe? What’s the gap to the drop as things stand?) but ultimately the two teams cancelled each other out at full time approached. An attempt at one last long-ranger from their captain floated mercifully wide; the whistle blew.

The mood in the immediate aftermath was one of frustration – yet again, this season, the 2s had conceded late, and cost themselves points. As the old saying goes, ‘if you can’t win matches, make sure you don’t lose them,’ yet at times this was a performance deserving of so much more and with an away fixture against Eastbournians yet to feature on the fixture list, this season has plenty left in it. However, if the team can consistently evince the aggressive press which ensured us our winning positions (and the fight – and sportsmanship – Owen-Edmunds demonstrated), relegation should be readily side-stepped.

To view lineup and stats, click here.