OHAFC II 3 Old Stoics 2 aet (90 mins 2:2)

With the opposition presenting an unknown quantity before kick-off Jack Orr-Ewing named a full-strength 2s squad with two men on the bench. Two members of the intended starting line-up were late and as a result the skipper correctly made the decision Cyprian Owen-Edmunds and Matt Main would start on the bench. Although the latter’s incredible facial hair did make the decision that much harder.

Harrow started slightly sluggishly on the Astro, presumably nervous about an opposition that didn’t have a strip but instead opted for varying shades of yellow t-shirts. After 15 minutes the two boys on the naughty step were unleashed in place of Ben Kerry and Jack Robinson. The effect was immediate. The momentum of the game swung in favour of the blues and both were involved straight away in a move that Main almost got on the end of for his first touch for what would have been a terrific start. Moments later the deadlock was broken when Joe Bone played the ball into the box and Stead spun on a two-pence to drill the ball past the stretching keeper.

The rest of the first half played out without much incident although the general consensus in the huddle was that Stowe had been the better team and Harrow had got away lightly. In response the second half seemed to going better when Orr-Ewing came up for a corner and rose highest for the ball. His emphatic header has since been called “the best connection JOE has ever made with a ball” but alas, t’was to no avail. In fact, in direct response to this near-miss Stowe went straight up the other end on the break and put the ball in the back of the net past Azhar Kahn for an equaliser. The equaliser was against the run of play and although some nice passing moves continued Harrow could not get the goal they deserved. Again, just when it looked like the 2s were on top Stowe managed to steal a lead. It was unjust. It’s the way football goes sometimes.

If there was anything good to come of the goal it was the galvanising effect it seemed to have on the home side. It certainly wasn’t out of the realm of possibility Orr-Ewing’s men were about to score when Cyprian was taken down maliciously in the box. The ref didn’t give the penalty straight away but did seem to somewhat cave under pressure and eventually pointed to the spot. Conti von Hirsch duly stepped up to claim the honour and took a perfect penalty into the far right corner. His explanation for his ability to take the pressure apparently had something to do with German ancestry. The expected Harrow equaliser sent the game into extra time.

The idea that anything other than a win would be the result was surely unthinkable given all the possession and a delightful ball from Bone released Stead for his second goal of the day. Although he’d been a yard off the pace for most of the game its fair to say the perfect lob for his second, winning, goal made up for a lacklustre performance from the Vice Captain. His reward was a spot on the bench for the nervy second half of ET. Harrow remained mostly untroubled apart from a moment of madness from three players who all tried to obliterate one of the opposition midfielders on his surge towards the box. Conti was successful and the resulting free kick was in a dangerous area. Indeed the sound of the ball crashing against Kahn’s crossbar was a welcome relief and brought with it the final whistle and a place in the next round of the JLC for the 2s.

Starting lineup and match details can be viewed here