An extraordinary spell of five minutes immediately following the interval saw the OHAFC 2nd XI score three almost identical goals against their old enemy and settle conclusively what had, until that point, been a cagey, even affair, with little to choose between the teams.

Forwards Geoff Taunton-Collins and Will Payne caused havoc chasing three long punts forward and panicked the Etonian defence into a series of errors – each one clinically punished to the astonishment of those present. Despite the visitors pulling one back with half an hour remaining, there was never any question of a well-organised Harrow side being breached twice more and the hosts held out for three valuable points.

The win marked the first time since 2014 that the OHAFC 2nd XI had begun their League season with a victory and means the side have already matched their points tally from the first eight games of last season, which began with a humiliating run of six straight defeats.

The contrast between the early, mistake-ridden performances of 2017 and Saturday could not have been greater. Despite naming three young debutants in a squad of thirteen, Geoff Taunton-Collins’ men carried out his pre-match tactical instructions to the letter.

The opening twenty-five minutes saw the hosts press high up the pitch, initially with some success, as the Eton back four were hassled and harried into some wayward passes. Andres Hutchinson, younger brother of 2s regular Pablo, looked lively on the left wing and he was involved in Harrow’s most enterprising move of the early stages, collecting Lederman’s pass on the edge of the box before repaying the compliment with a clever back-heel. The veteran, remarkably starting his 27th season of Arthurian League football, beat the last man on the outside but could only fire his effort into the side netting from a narrow angle. He then disappointingly fired high and wide from a perfectly positioned free-kick on the edge of the box after skipper Taunton-Collins had been tripped from behind as he charged towards goal.

As the half wore on however, the visitors began to play their way out from the back with increasing surety and the two skilful Etonian central midfielders began to dictate proceedings. Despite this, Harrow’s defence, well marshalled by the increasingly confident pairing of Woolley and Ward, held firm and Eton’s attack was restricted to one decent chance before the break, a cross from the right that should have been rewarded with a better finish than the skied effort that failed to trouble Pittalis.

With Eton now in the ascendency, Harrow’s skipper changed tack and requested his side to sit deeper and invite the visitors to break them down from halfway. Immediately, the shape of the game changed and for a quarter of an hour preceding the break the tactic proved highly successful, with Eton forced into playing a series of aimless long balls and Harrow looking more dangerous once more on the counter-attack. Neither side came close to finding the breakthrough, although the late introduction of a rangy, left-footed Eton winger added a greater threat to their attack.

Given the lack of goalmouth action the opening forty-five minutes had provided, what followed in the five minutes after the break was little short of remarkable. A free-kick on the halfway line was pumped forwards by Giles Newton, Taunton-Collins rose superbly to flick the ball on and Will Payne reacted instantly, sprinting through to coolly finish past the stranded Eton keeper.

Two minutes later, the source of the goal came from even further back, with a long punt forwards from keeper Kyri Pittalis again causing hesitancy in the Eton rearguard. This time it was the skipper who pounced, nipping in to head the ball over the ponderous keeper and walking the ball into the empty net.

When, almost immediately, yet another hoof forwards from Pittalis landed on the edge of the Eton box, the visitors’ defence was in no state to deal with it. Payne harried the centre-half into a woefully under-hit back pass and again Taunton-Collins was there, gleefully pouncing on the loose ball to slot home and send his teammates rampaging towards him in celebration. The reaction from the Eton skipper was somewhat less joyous, incredulity plastered across his face at what had just transpired before him.

To Eton’s credit they responded well and, following ten minutes of sustained possession in the Harrow half, pulled a goal back when a cross from the left caused momentary hesitation between Pittalis in goal and debutant Jack Dolbey, the ball cannoning off the defender and landing perfectly for an Etonian to smash home from five yards out.

The visitors pressed and continued to enjoy more of the ball, Harrow unable to retain possession for any length of time. Fortunately, the two goalscorers continued to work tirelessly up front, chasing every long ball forwards in a bid to put further pressure on the shaken Etonian defenders. The tactic worked well, with the visitors continually asked to begin attacks from the edge of their own box and Harrow’s well-defined shape, allied to some shrewd rotation of the tiring squad, meant that Pittalis was well protected in goal. The closest Eton came to scoring a second was a snap shot from the edge of the box that flew just past the far post, time almost seeming to stand still as the ball rolled agonisingly wide.

But once that chance had passed, the remainder of the game passed without incident, other than several cases of cramp for players from both teams.

It was a superb result to start the season off with, the first time in four seasons the OHAFC 2s had won their opening League fixture and to do so with three debutants against a strong Eton second string was especially pleasing. The organisation and concentration in defence was keen throughout and bodes well for the tests to come – the next of which is the visit of Westminsters to the Hill next Saturday. Last season’s corresponding fixture saw the hosts hang on for a grim 1-0 win despite being camped in their own half for long spells of the game. On this evidence, history could well repeat itself.