The OHAFC 3rd XI fell to a sixth League defeat from nine games played so far this season following a 3-0 loss away to the Old Shirburnians. The result hinged on two goals conceded in the two minutes either side of half-time, with the visitors having battled hard to keep a clean sheet up to that point. But a cross from the right wing evaded everyone inside the box before nestling inside the far post and then, within thirty seconds of the restart, a careless pass across the face of goal saw 3s debutant Gabriel Rogers bundle over an attacker and the Shirburnians duly converted from the spot. The hosts never looked likely to concede after that and a late third, following another defensive error, ensured another tough day out for the 3s.

Stand-in skipper Freddie Everett was once more forced to re-jig a back four that has seen little consistency since the start of the season. Rogers, who has now featured a few times for the 1s in his debut season of Arthurian League football, slotted in at the back alongside Adam Graham – a familiar face in a very unfamiliar position. The erstwhile striker offered to play at the back to help his skipper out, with a lack of full-backs a particular problem. The Blues were at least able to welcome back a trio of attacking talent in the shape of Alvin Adefarasin, Khalil Baoku and Tobi Adebayo, Baoku the lone striker in a 4-3-3.

Conditions on the astroturf in Hampton were hardly ideal, with heavy rain just about clearing in time for kick-off, but a fairly strong southerly breeze meant for a tricky first half for the visitors, playing into the wind. Unsurprisingly, play was focussed mainly in the Harrow half, the Shirburnians clearly utilising their main attacking threat, the tall, languid right-winger, as much as possible. But in stark contrast to the wreckage left by the outstanding Holland of the Old Epsomians a week earlier, the 3s defended this particular threat manfully. Although he cut inside on numerous occasions, occasionally going for goal himself, alternatively laying the ball wide to a teammate, a combination of discipline, determination and sound goalkeeping from Hassan Hammad ensured that clear chances were severely limited. Numerous corners were forced, but these too were dealt with soundly.

Going forwards proved more of a problem for the Blues, with only a few sporadic breaks into opposition territory disturbing the monotony of the flow of the game. The visitors did manage to work a couple of promising positions on either side of the pitch, but the final ball lacked any quality and the Shirburnian keeper remained untested. As the clock ticked into the final few minutes of the half, there was one minor scare when a through-ball sent a Shirburnian forward through on goal. But Hammad timed his diving intervention to perfection and palmed the ball away, penalty appeals from the hosts quite rightly waved away as the striker tumbled under the challenge.

But with the final attack of the half, all the Blues’ determined defensive work was undone in unfortunate fashion as the right winger cut inside once more and curled a cross towards the far post. Several defenders appealed for offside as a forward lurked inside the six yard box, Hammad was frozen by his presence, and the ball sailed untouched inside the far post. Despite the concession of a goal just before the break, there was plenty of optimism that a positive result was still more than possible, especially given that the conditions would now benefit the visitors more.

However, hopes of a comeback were dealt a crushing blow within thirty seconds of the restart. From kick-off, the ball was passed back to Adam Graham on the edge of the penalty area and his loose pass across the box was intercepted by a forward. Although the Shirburnian was forced wide by his first touch, the danger was clear and as Rogers tried to recover, he inadvertently bundled into him from behind, the referee immediately pointing to the spot. Hammad guessed right and was within inches of getting a glove on the ball but the strike was too powerful and too well directed and, from almost nowhere, the hosts found themselves 2-0 up.

The visitors never recovered from this body blow and although the Blues battled hard, the Shirburnians keeper was pretty much a spectator for the entirety of the second half. The 3s continued to make life tricky for their opponents, but a second defensive error with twenty minutes remaining killed any hopes of an unlikely comeback. Again it was Graham with the mistake, a shame given that in general he had performed splendidly at the back. But having won the ball well inside the Harrow penalty area, he tried to beat one man too many and was caught in possession, a simple square pass took out Hammad and a Shirburnian was left the simple task of tapping into an empty net.