A controversial winner midway through the second half earned the Old Etonians a hard-fought 2-1 win on a blustery Harrow Hill on Saturday afternoon. The Blues had earlier taken the lead via a Harry Bick penalty, but Eton responded from a corner and soon afterwards scored the winner, the goalscorer lurking in a suspiciously offside position. The defeat almost certainly condemns the OHAFC to Division One football next season, with just four games remaining and at least three wins needed to have a chance of staying up.

Although the result was again disappointing from an OHAFC viewpoint, the encouraging performance highlighted the vast improvement the side has made since the first half of the season. The Etonians lie second in the table and when the two sides met as recently as early January, the Etonians ran out comfortable 7-3 winners, albeit having benefitted from a rather unfortunate red card for Cyprian Owen Edmunds. Here, it was another debatable refereeing decision that proved costly, although there could be no denying the visitors created the better opportunities during the ninety minutes. Nevertheless, it was another step forwards for the Blues, especially given the fact that the squad had to be bolstered by several 3s players, with Ed Nicholson and Charlie Lupton both making their 1st XI debuts.

The first half saw both sides contest possession evenly but struggle to create many clearcut openings, the strong wind blowing across the main Phil pitch up towards the Hill proving a frustration for everyone. Harrow skipper Fraser McGuinnes was forced to make two excellent saves to keep the visitors out, palming away shots at full stretch. Several other efforts flew wide of the target but the Harrow back four held firm. At the other end, the Etonian keeper remained relatively untested, with a couple of corners the sum total of Harrovian efforts going forwards. Jamie Jordache, who enjoyed another strong game in the middle of midfield, let fly with a speculative effort from over thirty yards out, but it was little surprise that the half-time whistle blew with neither goal having been breached.

Skipper McGuinness withdrew a rather subdued Ed Corswarem, bringing Lupton on for his debut – the youngster thereby completing the rare feat of playing for the 1s, 2s and 3s all in the same season. Conditions were in the Etonians favour now, with the hosts playing into the sun and with the wind driving towards one of the corner flags. But it was the home side who started brightly and earned the lead ten minutes into the half when Ciaran Jordan was felled inside the box. Referee Adam Knight, who had originally been due to take charge of the OHAFC 2s vs Sennockians fixture prior to a late switch, pointed to the spot and Harry Bick – in his first appearance of the season – made no mistake, firing into the top corner.

The lead was short-lived however, the Etonians hitting back via a corner to the far post that was returned back across goal and turned in from close range. With twenty minutes remaining the controversial second Eton goal arrived. A long throw saw Ed Beecham caught under the ball, courtesy of a crafty nudge in his back, and a rather botched headed clearance from his partner Ed Nicholson. The ball was fired back in on goal, McGuinness palmed out and a second shot was then turned in from point-blank range by an Etonian who had, it appeared, failed to get back onside. Lengthy protests ensued, but eventually the referee allowed the goal to stand. A couple of the visitors would later admit they had been rather fortunate in this instance.

The hosts fought valiantly to regain parity but without success: Nicholson’s cross into the box was headed wide by Ciaran Jordan, a subsequent melee inside the box saw the ball fly everywhere but into the goal. The Etonians survived to claim the points.

The OHAFC now have a week off before resuming their season with the final four games remaining, starting with the visit of the Old Tonbridgians to the Harrow astroturf in a fortnight. Time is now surely against the Blues in their quest to survive.