A magnificent strike by Dan Firoozan with a quarter of an hour remaining was sufficient to earn the OHAFC 1st XI a vital 1-0 win at bottom side Haileybury and ensure that the Blues go into 2016 on top of Division One of the Arthurian League.

The Durham University player is in a rich vein of form, having bagged a hat-trick in last week's Dunn Cup win over Old Westminsters, and he produced another moment of magic here to earn the points when he collected the ball on the edge of the box, beat two defenders before planting a right foot shot into the top corner.

In truth it was one of the very few moments of quality on display in a match high on effort but low on skill, in no small part due to the tricky conditions: yet again a strong wind blew and, coupled with the slippery, narrow pitch, neither side could string together any sustained spells of decent football.

The first half was a humdrum affair with both goalkeepers rarely called upon to do anything other than take goal kicks. Harrow enjoyed the better possession but the final pass eluded them and the few chances they created invariably came from set-pieces, the strong wind aiding Lederman's corners and free-kicks without ever producing a clear chance inside the box.

In fact it was the hosts who came closest to scoring from a set-piece of their own: a free-kick was whipped into the Harrow box and flicked on towards the back post. Goalkeeper Fraser McGuiness peddled backwards frantically but the ball appeared to have beaten him when he clawed it away from behind him. Haileybury were convinced it was a goal, the referee thought long and hard before waving play on.

The drama continued however, as at the next stoppage, and after lengthy protestations from the Haileybury players, the referee decided he would walk back up the pitch to ask McGuiness himself if he thought the ball had crossed the line. Not unreasonably, given that he was flat on his back when making the save and therefore unable to see the goalline, Fraser replied he had no idea and referee Bob Jennings finally ruled play could continue with the score still goalless.

At half-time the Blues made one change, Max Curry replacing Lederman on the right for his season bow for the 1st XI.

The second forty-five minutes were a more open affair, with Haileybury legs tiring in the mud and pockets of space appearing for Harrow to exploit. With the makeshift back four of Taunton-Collins, Turner, Sert and Trower looking rock solid at the back, it became apparent that a goal for the visitors would probably prove sufficient to take the points.

Curry enjoyed a productive spell on the right, Hill awoke from his first-half coma and Firoozan continued to leave numerous opponents on the floor with the balletic twists and turns that are his trademark.

Several half-chances were spurned, the best a flowing move down the right that saw Curry and Hill combine but the latter's cross was a fraction behind Soyinka on the six-yard box and he couldn't adjust his position in time.

It took a superb piece of skill to break the deadlock and, unsurprisingly, it was Firoozan who provided it, collecting a pass from Hill and, with men over, putting on a one-man show, cutting inside past two defenders, then back out and, as the chance appeared to be fading, delivering a curling right foot shot across the 'keeper into the far top corner. The ball was so well placed it took a while to drop out of the stanchion and for anyone to realise he had in fact scored.

The visitors had chances to wrap up the points after that with several further opportunities, Jack Hill looked certain to score when he strode through the middle of the box, saw a lucky bounce drop his way, but as he was about to roll the ball into an empty net a Haileybury defender threw himself in a desperate dive and the two players and ball all slid inches wide of the post.

At the other end there was a short spell of late pressure from the hosts with a number of balls played into the box, but Turner and Sert were excellent in the air and repelled everything thrown at them.

The clean sheet was the side's fourth in eight League games and fifth in all competitions and once again highlighted that with McGuiness in goal growing in stature with every passing week and skipper Poulter continuing to run around like a maniac on the loose in front of the back four, whoever plays in the back four is given every chance to keep the goals against to a minimum.

Great credit is due to the quartet on parade today though, all of whom performed soundly and made light of both the conditions and relative inexperience playing together.

Going forwards there is still work to do, the reliance on young Firoozan to score the side's last four goals a slight concern. But such is the confidence in the side now, and with a healthy five-point lead at the top of the table and a place in the Dunn Cup quarter-finals secured, there can be nothing but praise for the squad's efforts in the first half of the season.

The team now have a break for the festive period and will return to action in the League on January 9th 2016.