Harefield United fell to their first league defeat of the 2020/21 season against a team previously placed 17th in Edgware Town, with the visitors triumphing in routine style.

Ibrahim Nagheeb’s direct free kick saw the visitors lead in the opening five minutes, not before Richard Pacquette continued his trend of headed goals and provided an answer twenty minutes later.

A goal frenzy at both ends of the pitch towards the conclusion of the first period was set in motion by Scott McGleish’s spot-kick, with his teammate at left-back Rio Beech adding his own to the collection with a fine finish.

Lenny Farhall kept his side within a shout of the game to narrow the deficit to one before the break, but the second half saw a Harefield much different to that of recent weeks- Omalolu Onabolu punished the Hares with the pick of the night’s goals to put the game out of sight ten minutes from time.

Tuesday night’s result still leaves United in the enviable second place in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, while the Wares’ climb up three places to fourteenth makes for better reading for Fergus Moore‘s side.

It was Nagheeb’s set piece, positioned just outside the 18-yard box, that had a sense of foreboding for the home faithful after the midfielder’s bright start.

The low dipping strike was out of reach for Jacob Ballheimer, but United could have traded blow-for blow had it not been for Edgware’s solid block at the wall of Sam Shaw’s free kick at the other end.

Jason Shaw’s outfit often found themselves overrun and invited pressure as a result from an inability to effectively move out from the back for large portions of the half, a pattern that would repeat throughout the game.

Nagheeb had a chance dealt with ease by Ballheimer, nevertheless the opportunity that arose was symptomatic of such powerlessness to threaten the attacking third, along with Edgware’s desire in the early stages.

Slowly but surely confidence grew at Preston Park with a few phases of play that began to give voice to the home crowd.

Lenny Farhall’s pace, just as in previous fixtures, once again became an issue for anybody who stood in his way, beating multiple defenders before taking the less obvious route elsewhere to Thomas Payne at the edge of the area to see his effort blocked.

Sam Shaw found his attacking compatriot Richard Pacquette at the near post and the striker did the rest, equalising at the first given opportunity and demonstrating the efficiency on display so far this season.

The Hares inevitably saw much more of the ball in wake of the leveler and played a much more expansive style in what was arguably one of their better periods in the game.

Football is cruel however; any confidence built up was soon to be knocked down in the form of Michael Karasinski’s pinged ball over the top to Onabolu, with the imposing striker taken down in the area fairly erratically by Ballheimer, who was then booked.

McGleish’s conversion from the spot was soon followed by Rio Beech’s literal hammer blow, stunning the spectators of home and away alike with a composed touch and inch-perfect piledriver to distance the sides.

The melee on the nets continued, but this time it was Fraser Siddall conceding; parrying well Farhall’s initial play as the striker adjusted himself, but the young forward got a second bite at the apple after Pacquette pressured Siddall in the air to miscontrol the ball and Farhall stabbed home his fifth in as many games.

The play after the interval saw little change in terms of approach to the game, with playing out from the back the weapon of choice deployed from Harefield.

Edgware’s scope of a fourth was almost afforded in another Nagheeb free kick, Ballheimer coming off better this time against one of the visitor’s brightest sparks who was replaced soon after through injury.

The second half played out with Harefield often playing into their opponent’s hands, frequently losing possession in midfield and lacking an incisive edge to break the low block; overall looking a shadow of their former selves.

A glimmer of hope came from the right foot of Sam Shaw, forcing acrobatics from Siddall with a peach of a strike from within familiar outside of the box territory.

Against the run of play came the decisive nail in the proverbial coffin, Onabolu evoking comments of ‘Did he just do that?!’ when sending a looping chip over Ballheimer, after taking no more than two touches off yet another long ball sent in his direction and sending his teammates into raucous celebrations.

Edgware evidently struck the balance well in the second period of recognising the precarious score line, along with counter attacking in order to secure their second set of three points this season.

The Hares travel to Tithe Farm next Tuesday (13th) to face Broadfields United in the former Preston Park derby, while Edgware take on a winless and struggling Tring Athletic.

Harefield United Team:
Jacob Ballheimer (GK)
Harry McCorkell
Steven Green
Thomas Payne
Rob Ratcliffe
Sean Mangan (c)
Tash Jordan
Richard Pacquette
Lenny Farhall
Sam Shaw
Paul Underwood

Subs:
Luke Baldwin (Used)
Foday Sesay (Used)
Gurkan Gokmen (Used)
Joe Clifton
Elliot Dobbs

Edgware Town Team:
Fraser Siddall (GK)
Bradley Robinson
Rio Beech
Michael Karasinski
George McCluskey
Ibrahim Nagheeb
Ethan Mooney
Dan Pett
Scott McGleish
Omalolu Onabolu
Rhys Shirley-Clarke

Subs:
James Burgess (Used)
Ryan Curruthers
Hadi Issa
Zach Uri Barry (Used)
Fergus Moore (Used)