The OHAFC 3rd XI blew a golden opportunity to move off the bottom of Division Four for the first time this season as a last-minute goal earned the Old Wykehamists 2s a rather fortunate point on the astroturf at Club des Sports in Acton on Saturday afternoon. The visitors missed several excellent chances to seal the win, skipper Freddie Everett firing straight at the keeper in the very first minute, and only took the lead midway through the second half, Lexi Pittalis bundling in from a corner. But with almost the final attack of the match the hosts snatched a point, a long-range effort was tipped onto the bar by keeper Hassan Hammad and a Wykehamist was on hand to turn the ball in from a couple of yards out.

With no other OHAFC sides in action, there was at least no repeat of the previous weekend’s desperate late scramble for players, the 3s travelling with a squad of fourteen, including centre-backs Giacomo Grasso and Alexi Pittalis and forward Owain James. It was also great to see official skipper Joss Awdry back on the touchline following a lengthy absence due to injury and illness. Fully recovered from pneumonia, Joss must continue his rehabilitation in a bid to return from a bad knee strain, his goal to return to action sometime in the spring.

For the third game in succession, the Blues found themselves playing into a decent breeze in the first half and also up the slope on the huge artificial surface at Club des Sports. The Blues so nearly got off to the perfect start inside a minute, James Walduck powering through the middle before flicking the ball wide for Everett to run onto, only for the stand-in skipper to fire his shot straight at the keeper as he narrowed the angle. The Blues looked sharp early on, passing the ball with purpose and a second chance soon arrived, Everett this time flicking the ball through for Tobi Adebayo to run onto but the midfielder failed to convert.

The Wykehamists’ first effort on goal arrived after twelve minutes, Hammad comfortably holding a tame shot straight at him. But back up the other end, the visitors spurned another golden chance to score when Everett headed straight at the keeper from five yards out following a corner to the far post. It was all Harrow at this stage, Owain James then forcing the keeper into a save at the near post after Lederman had played him in, but the longer the half wore on, the scrappier the game became as passes were misplaced with increasing frequency and too often play was forced forwards when a crossfield pass would have proved more effective on the huge pitch.

The hosts enjoyed more possession and territory in the spell before half-time but failed to really test Hammad in the Harrow goal. Nevertheless, there was a mild sense of relief in the Harrow camp that the sides changed ends with the game still goalless – a stern reminder followed at half-time that in the two previous weeks, promising positions at the interval had been squandered, with the Blues’ performance levels dropping in the second half.

But the warning clearly wasn’t heeded as the second half continued in much the same vain as it had ended, with both sides showing why they are struggling at the foot of Division Four, the play scrappy and lacking any threat. It was only as the final quarter of the match hoved into view and legs began to tire that space opened up and allowed the visitors to threaten. Adam Graham spurned another golden chance to score when he fired straight at the keeper, but the Blues finally took the lead with just over twenty minutes remaining when James Walduck’s corner flew through the six yard box before being bundled in at the far post by Alexi Pittalis.

The closing stages saw the hosts threaten very sporadically but by and large the Blues defended well, limiting their opponents to half-chances along. Indeed, the result should have been put beyond doubt ten minutes from time when the visitors launched a swift counter, Adebayo and Berry charging forwards with only a lone defender ahead of them. Disappointingly, the former’s pass was a dreadful one, the ball flying straight to the keeper on the edge of the box.

As full-time approached it appeared as though the points were secure, but there was a final, cruel twist as a long shot from twenty-five yards out forced Hammad to back-peddle and he could only tip the ball onto the crossbar, the rebound falling perfectly for a Wykehamist to run onto and fire home from a few yards out.

Despair and frustration just about summed up Harrovian feelings at full-time, the side having squandered a real chance to fire themselves back into contention in Division Four. There is now a five-point gap between the Old Johnians 2s in sixth and the Old Amplefordians in fifth and with the Blues now having only five League fixtures remaining, and the worst goal difference in the division, time is running out to claim the victories necessary to avoid a relegation that has threatened for the past few seasons.