Old Berkhamstedians 2 OHAFC II 3

The 2s headed to Chiswick for the JLC quarter final against Old Berkhamsted on a beautiful Spring morning. Having lost home and away to the league leaders this season, Harrow knew they were up against stiff opposition. Fortunately, Khan and Orr-Ewing had watched Berks in their previous round on the astro, allowing Orr-Ewing to prepare his team well during the week.

Less fortunately however, Orr-Ewing was stunned to find out the pitch was in fact a 3G, which tripped up some of the lads who'd planned their game around the 4G stipulated in the pre-game notes. Perhaps more disruptive, however, was the late arrivals of 2 of the nominated starters. Phil Berry was undone by heavy traffic, and Edmund Massey was distracted by a concoction of a nice spring morning and some other games in the vicinity.

As Massey opening the door to the AstroTurf pitch, the referee started the game. Berkhamsted realised that Massey had some way to go before reaching his position on the far side at left back, hence focusing their first attack down their right and pegging Harrow back. This predicated a painful first 20 minutes where Harrow struggled to come to terms with the Berkhamsted movement. Dalzell and Massey didn't enjoy the duo they were faced with, allowing the moustachioed full back free a number of times to cross. Yet Harrow remained resolute in defence, and did well not to concede during the onslaught. This was made all the more satisfying by the patronising comments of the opposition, who asserted that they'd be "in their half all day", that Harrow were "all over the place" or that they just needed to "relax and it'll come".

But as Harrow grew into the game, it was the visitors who took the lead, courtesy of Max Curry. Brother Olly held the ball up well to allow stand in full back Taunton-Collins to make an overlap down the right. His cross was low and hard, finding Curry's run to the near post and allowing the striker to caress the ball into the roof of the net. 1-0 against the run of play, but deserved after a good fight and concentration as a team.

And soon after Harrow took a 2-0 lead thanks to a wondrous strike from Max Curry. After an excellent Dalzell cross was headed clear, the birthday boy kept his eye on the ball as it dropped from high, thumping it first time and rifling it into the top corner. The phrase "goal of the season" was breathed by a number of his team-mates, with Ben Kerry dismissing it as a lucky strike.

With 15 minutes remaining in the first half, and playing into the sun and wind, Harrow started to believe that an historic win was upon them. Orr-Ewing shifted Dalzell to the right wing to use Olly Curry's more youthful (and willing) legs to track the Berks full back, which prompted the home side to switch focus and continue to ask questions of the winger. As Berks continued to push forwards, Harrow needed everyone to work hard and keep their concentration in the searing 14 degree heat of the early spring afternoon. This exertion proved too much for the visitors, and they conceded a sloppy goal on the 35th minute. The useful right back couldn't get behind the better organised left side, so cut inside instead. Khan followed his centre mid and couldn't close down the full back, and Massey wasn't close enough, encouraging the Spaniard to hit a shot with his left foot, leaving Pittalis with no chance. 2-1

As Harrow kept an eye on the clock and willed the respite of half time to come, they conceded a second. A free kick was conceded on the right side, just in from the corner flag, which Harrow were slow to set up for. As Ben Kerry turned to cajole his team mates to find a man, the kick was taken quickly to his man at the near post and the Berks man made a skilful glancing header into the net with only a few minutes before the half time whistle.

As the second half started, with the sun and the wind at their backs, there was a confidence in the visitors that belied both the recent history of the fixture and the fact they'd ceded a 2-0 lead. As Phil Berry arrived, Khan started a weird 20 minutes of "gamesmanship" with being stamped in the thigh by the aggressive opposition #4. Writhing around for a short time and checking more than once that he hadn't been shawn of his manhood, he then gave a knowing look to his skipper to suggest that he knew what he was doing and this was all part of a plan. Random exhortations to his team mates to variously slow down the game or press higher up the pitch felt like a distraction rather than a help, and he was asked to focus on his own game.

Phil Berry then replaced the ailing Dalzell, and allowing the defence to shift into a more natural shape with Berry left and Massey right. And soon afterwards, through no input of the newly formed defence, Harrow again took the lead. Taunton Collins took a corner that was headed away by the Berks defence, but only as far as Stead at the edge of the box; the vice captain took a touch before firing home into the top right of the net. 3-2

With 25 minutes to go, Will Orr-Ewing arrived with 2 impeccably dressed OH "fans", who came to cheer on the visitors for a tense final third of the game. The highlights of the period included an excellent piece of skill from Olly Curry to leave 4 Berks in his wake as he headed for the corner, with the hosts bickering between one another as they hurried back. From the resulting corner, Khan demanded it short, then dallied with a "come get me" gait, dropping his arms like a show boating boxer. That he promptly kicked it out for a goal kick didn't take away from the sentiments conveyed.

There was also an unusually high number of "chord balls", mostly from Orr-Ewing free kicks that hit the well placed wire above the pitch... Each of these forced the opposition to reluctantly roll the ball back to Pittalis, who slowly prepared an almighty punt forward to an increasingly exhausted looking Stead.

With minutes to go, Phil Berry and Pittalis combined at the back post to keep out a ball that bobbled agonisingly around the goal line. Another attack saw the post struck after confusion in the defence, but Harrow showed excellent character to hold on.

The final whistle was greeted with great cheers from the Harrow men, relieved to make the semi final and face the winner of Charterhouse 2s and 3s. The game was the first "hard game" we've won, showing we can go 90 minutes against a top team and get a result. There's no doubting that Harrow were lucky to win, scoring at almost every opportunity and riding their luck at the back. Berks must be credited for being good hosts, and honest losers, especially given their technical and tactical superiority on the field.

Man of the match goes to Max Curry on his birthday, scoring both a great team goal and a likely winner of goal of the season. Ben Kerry put in a huge shift in centre mid, and deserved credit for keeping the Berks chances to a minimum.