3s march on with second five-goal thrashing of Stoics

Old Stoics 1st XI
3 : 5
Old Harrovians 3rd XI
  • November 17th 2018, University of Westminster SG, 12pm
  • Division 4
  • Referee: Donald O'Toole
  • Weather: Sunny, breezy
  • Pitch: Good
No. Starting XI Goals Yellow & Red Cards Subs On/Off
1 Jon Sharples
2 Henry Bamford
3 Connor Barrett
4 Kyle Barrett
5 Callum Barrett
6 Alexander Cadisch 30' 45'
7 Tom Faber
8 Charlie Bick
9 Luke Berry 40' 70'
10 Harry Bick 65'
11 Alex Smith (c) 55', 75'
Substitutes
12 Michael Watford 45'
13 Jamaal Hepher 70'

The OHAFC 3rd XI continued their march towards a second consecutive promotion with another convincing win over previous Division Four leaders the Old Stoics in Chiswick on Saturday. For the second time this season, the Blues stuck five past their opponents to record their fifth win in six games and regain top spot.

With Nick Kapoor and Chuka Ilogu otherwise engaged, it was left to Alex Smith to take the reins for Saturday’s game and once more they were able to field a strong squad, with the three Barrett brothers, both Bicks, Luke Berry and Tom Faber all available. Henry Bamford was handed his debut at right-back, with another debutant on the bench in the shape of Jamaal Hepeher, who has impressed at training recently.

Conditions at the University of Westminster pitches in Chiswick were decent enough with a bright sun and the pitch in better condition than expected. With the leadership of the division at stake, it was unsurprising that the opening spell of the match was a tight affair with neither side able to dominate possession. The visitors looked the more assured on the ball, but chances were hard to come by. That was until the half-hour mark and a lovely goal that owed much to skipper Smith’s fine hold-up play, freeing Xander Cadisch through the middle. His first effort was well parried by the keeper but the ball ran free and the midfielder finished easily for his second goal of the season.

A similar move saw the Blues score a second just before the break, Smith again instrumental in the creation. Collecting an excellent pass from Callum Barrett, the striker held the ball up before releasing Luke Berry for another one-on-one. Again the Stowe keeper managed to get a hand to the ball but this time there was no stopping the shot and Harrow had an invaluable lead going into the second half.

It was a lead they never looked like relinquishing as the visitors piled on the pressure after the break. Alex Smith scored ten minutes into the half to put the result beyond doubt, heading in a long throw with great finesse and he then turned provider as leading scorer Harry Bick added his name to the scoresheet: Smith collected a free-kick from debutant Bamford and laid it off to Bick to strike an excellent half-volley through the crowded penalty area.

Stowe did manage to pull one back but Smith abruptly ended any hopes of an unlikely fightback when he raced onto Tommy Faber’s ball over the top and coolly lobbed the keeper to make it 5-1. At this stage, with the game well won, the Blues took their foot off the gas somewhat and were made to pay when Stowe scored twice more in the closing stages. In reality, the 5-3 scoreline did scant justice to the superiority of the team from north-west London.

So the OHAFC return to the top of Division Four with another fine display and were further buoyed by the news later in the week that their two main rivals for promotion, Stoics and the Old Suttonians, have both been deducted three points by the League (currently for reasons unknown). An interesting few weeks await with two games against the Suttonians before mid-December, one in the League and, firstly, in the Junior League Cup on the astroturf in Chiswick.

*Thanks to Harry Bick & Alex Smith for their assistance with this report