Weekend Round-Up: Better, but still no points...

27 Sep 2021

Despite another hat-trick of defeats for the OHAFC this weekend, there was plenty of cause for optimism, with all three sides showing a great deal more fight than during last week’s rather embarrassing showings.

All three teams struggled for numbers, with a plethora of regulars still absent. The captains had spent far too much time this weekend herding up as many OH footballers as they could, with the result that a number of new faces, young and old, turned out to do their duty.

The 1s managed to fit in their trip to Brentwoods just in time before the petrol shortage took hold and emerged with some credit following a 2-0 defeat. Late goals in either half proved enough for the hosts, the second an unforutnate own goal from 2s regular Will Monroe. Skipper Fraser McGuinness was rueful following the game, opining that with a full-strength side the Blues could well have returned home with all three points.

It was a similar story on the Philathletic Ground, as the OHAFC 2s lost 2-0 to the Alleynians 2s in a game that only really sparked into life in the final quarter of an hour. The visitors took the lead just before the break in bizarre circumstances, a corner curling directly in despite several Harrow defenders seemingly in a position to clear. Both sides had chances to score late on, Jesse Duah missing the hosts’ best chance from a narrow angle, but the Alleynians sealed the win with a well-worked goal five minutes from time. Once more, a full strength Harrow side would surely have proved too strong for a fairly mediocre Alleynians side.

Whilst the OHAFC 3s were comfortably beaten 6-1 by the Old Ardinians on the adjoining pitch, in a first ever competitive meeting between the two clubs, there were still plenty of positives to take from the game, not least the strong showings from debutants Harry Maxwell and Khalil Baoku.

Team lineups and match reports from all three games are now available in the results section.