A 3rd minute defensive mistake cast a dark cloud over the first half of this home opener of the 2024/25 season. Pearce misjudged a lofted through ball, and Stephens profits by gaining a possession on the edge of the box, and after an initial hesitation, makes no mistake with hiss second contact, lashing the ball past Woods from twelve yards.

It's a worst possible start for Church who were looking to bounce back from the opening day defeat at Bishop's Stortford.
There is a frantic pace to the game, and Church are enjoying the lion's share of the ball possession, but the quality is lacking in the final third to actually present the Harborough defence with and headaches.

Indeed, the first effort on target was after 36 minutes when the ball was flicked on and Barnett was able to drive on target with an angled shot that keeper Taylor was forced to block away for a corner.

It has been a first half devoid of any real clear cut chances, and the one significant chance was created for Harborough by a mistake.

A stoppage time free kick for Church sees Sterling-James fire a 30 yard effort on target, but keeper Taylor is well positioned to deal easily with the ball.

A high press from Church at the beginning of the second half looks promising, and brings a better return in terms of openings.
On 57 minutes Sterling-James flashes a shot just wide from 20 yards after pouncing on a loose ball just outside the box.
Better still, a 70th minute Sullivan corner finds Crowther unmarked six yards out, but the ball squirms off the defender's head and agonisingly wide of the far post.

The pressure was building, and it all came to boiling point on 79 minutes when a Willis shot from fifteen yards cannons off the left hand post and across the six yard box into the path of Barnett, and the Church frontman draws a foul as he is about to steer the ball back into the exposed net, and the referee has no hesitation in awarding a spot kick.
Willis takes the penalty and sends Taylor the wrong way to bring the scores level.

The goal brings the home crowd to life, and there is real sense that Church can now go on and win this game. It's pretty much all Church in possession now, but there is no further breakthrough, and the remaining time peters out and it's a point-apiece.