The OHAFC 3rd XI’s season is now on life support following a 5-2 defeat in their crunch six-pointer at home to fellow strugglers the Old Brentwoods 3s on Saturday morning on the Hill. Having been denied victory against the same opponents in the final few minutes in the reverse fixture a fortnight ago, the Blues knew that only a win here would maintain any realistic chances of avoiding the drop. But on a sodden Phil pitch, defensive errors and a lack of concentration cost the side dearly in an eventful first half that saw six goals scored, four of them by the visitors. The Blues were unable to recover in a much tighter second half and when Brentwoods scored a fifth on the hour the result was beyond any doubt. The OHAFC have just three games remaining and are likely to have to win all three to survive.

With skipper Joss Awdry unable to play again this season and stand-in Freddie Everett away, Felix Tritton led a strong squad of thirteen who arrived on the Hill with plenty of optimism: although the side had been denied victory at the death in Essex two weeks’ ago, the performance had been one of the best of the season and fully merited the three points. A repeat performance here would tee the side up nicely for the final run-in and extend the unbeaten run to an impressive four games.

It was slightly ironic that after years of complaining about the state of the pitches at the Old Brentwoods Club, this fixture would be played on a soggy heap of a pitch on the Phil. Understandable given the recent heavy rainfall, but hardly conducive to the beautiful game. There was, at least, the rare sight of clear blue skies and glorious sunshine and the accompanying drop in temperature that led to a vigorous warm-up prior to kick-off.

Given the conditions, the one thing neither side could afford to do was take any risks early on. But in true OHAFC fashion, the home side conceded within a minute, failing to clear their lines from kick-off and allowing a Brentwoods forward to steal possession before smashing a shot high into the roof of the net from fifteen yards out. To the hosts’ credit, they recovered quickly and were soon on the front foot, looking especially threatening down the left wing with Kyri Pittalis, Alfie Hayes and James Walduck all prominent, Hayes in particular having the beating of his man.

But against the run of play, the visitors doubled their lead after twelve minutes via another easily avoidable goal. A long ball down the Brentwoods inside right channel saw keeper Hassan Hammad race from his goal but arrive too late, the forward touching the ball past him on the edge of the area before slotting into the empty net on the angle. The two-goal lead lasted just three minutes, the hosts responding with an almost identical goal as Ed Nicholson’s long ball over the top allowed Hayes to race through, round the Brentwoods keeper and apply a simple finish from the right.

The wide man was really enjoying himself now and further good work teed up Adam Graham but the striker’s finish flew just wide of the far post. A flowing move through the middle of the pitch saw James Walduck try his luck from the edge of the box but the keeper made the save. Harrow were pressing for the equaliser, although play in general from both sides became scrappier as the pitch began to deteriorate under foot.

But the game exploded back into life in the five minutes before half-time as three goals suddenly flew in in quick succession. The fourth goal was another gift presented to the visitors. Adam Graham initially held up play well in the centre circle with his back to goal, but having brought the ball firmyl under his control, inexplicably tried a square pass that flew straight to an opponent. Suddenly the Blues were on the back foot and a raking crossfield pass from right to left found a forward in an acre of space, the finish under Hammad was low and true.

But Brentwoods were then guilty of their own lack of concentration as the hosts scored straight from kick-off. A long ball forwards ricocheted off a rather unconvincing header from a defender and James Walduck snuck in down the left to poke the ball under the keeper as he narrowed the angle. Back to just a one-goal deficit and all to play for. But perhaps the deciding moment of the game, and one that sums up the porous nature of OHAFC defending this season at all levels, duly arrived thirty seconds later. With half-time in sight, and having just recovered from a perilous situation, the home side should have seen the half out without fuss. Instead, a fourth goal was gifted to the hosts, Ed Nicholson’s square pass intercepted on the edge of the box and hammered in from twenty yards out, keeper Hammad losing track of the shot in the low sun.

Despite the two-goal deficit, there was still fervent belief at the interval that the situation could be recovered if the defensive errors were eradicated. And for the first quarter of an hour following the restart the game slipped into a fairly quiet rhythm with neither side troubling the opposition keeper. But that changed in an awful ten-minute spell for the home side and one player in particular. Brentwoods scored a decisive fifth following a driving run down their left wing that saw the forward beat three Harrow challenges before slipping the ball inside to the striker who clipped the ball under Hammad’s dive at the near post. With the tension now out of the game, the final twenty minutes should have been uneventful. But Luke Berry, who suffered a dislocated knee just over two years ago and worked tirelessly to recover, then landed heavily and immediately crumpled to the floor in distress. While he could eventually put weight on the knee, thus ruling out another dislocation, the swelling that came up suggested this would be another lengthy lay-off. Cruel luck for a popular member of the OHAFC.

There was still time for another Harrovian to limp off injured, Alfie Hayes going over on his weak ankle thus ensuring the final ten minutes would be played with just ten men. A sad end to a disappointing and potentially decisive defeat for the OHAFC 3s.