The OHAFC 3rd XI maintained their push for promotion from Division Four of the Arthurian League on Saturday with a hard-fought 5-1 win at home to the Old Eastbournians. Despite the comfortable margin of victory, there was little to choose between the sides at the break, only a Kyle Barrett header separating the sides after the opening forty-five minutes action. Thankfully, the visitors’ stoic resistance weakened as the game wore on and the Blues were able to ease to victory, lifting them to within a point of the Old Columbans in second place.

With leaders the Old Suttonians showing no signs of wavering in their quest to claim the Division Four title, the OHAFC 3s couldn’t afford any slip ups at home to the struggling Old Eastbournians: the visitors had already travelled to the Hill earlier in the season and scraped past the newly-formed OHAFC 4s in the Preliminary Round of the Junior League Cup.

Perfect conditions greeted the two sides as they made their way to the main Phil pitch from the Alcock Pavilion, a warming spring sunshine and lack of breeze, allied to the quality of the playing surface, suggested that the hosts would be unencumbered in their quest to extract a vital win.

But for much of the first half the Eastbournians proved surprisingly doughty opponents, regularly frustrating the Blues in their attempts to break down the solid wall of orange in front of them. The hosts struggled to play with much fluidity, despite fielding one of their strongest lineups of the campaign to date, Doug Morrison providing an added cutting edge to the hosts’ attacking play.

Thankfully, the breakthrough arrived on the half-hour mark, Kyle Barrett heading home a cross from Charlie Bick after younger brother Harry’s corner had initially been cleared. But the Eastbournians held on to the break, ensuring that there was still plenty of work for the hosts to do to seal the win.

Skipper Alex Smith made two changes in a bid to shake his side from their lethargy, Nick Kapoor replacing Fogarty at right-back and Alex Breeden, making his annual 3s appearance, replacing Morrison in midfield.

The substitutions, especially the introduction of Breeden into midfield, clearly boosted the hosts and they slowly began to exert a greater authority on the game. The Eastbournians found it progressively trickier to contain the creative talents in the Harrow side and finally the floodgates opened, three goals in fifteen minutes midway through the half confirming there would be no unlikely comeback from the men in orange.

Charlie Bick scored the second with a beautiful effort, chesting down a pinpoint cross before volleying into the roof of the net. And he collected his second ten minutes later, a simpler finish this time, calmly sidefooting home after good work from his brother Harry who got to the byeline before pulling the ball back across goal.

Five minutes later striker Alex Smith got in on the act with Harrow’s fourth, Charlie Bick playing him through on goal and he made no mistake.

Eastbournians did manage to pull one back but Harry Bick had the final word, producing a final flourish from his brother’s through-ball with a curled finish into the top corner to complete the win.

It was a case of job done for the Blues and they now turn their attentions to the sterner tests ahead, notably the next League fixture which happens to be against the runaway leaders the Old Suttonians: the OHAFC must win if they are to have any chance of overhauling the Suttonians come the final reckoning.

*Thanks to Nick Kapoor for his assistance with this match report