The OHAFC 2nd XI are within four points of promotion to Division Two of the Arthurian League after a hard-fought 3-1 win away to the Old Eastbournians in their first game for seven weeks.

Despite dominating the first half and striking the woodwork no less than four times, the Blues trailed at the break to a rare Eastbourne attack. Conversely, in a more even second half, the Blues struck three times to seal the win, with simple goals for Alhadeff and Lederman, from the spot, and a towering header from skipper Geoff Taunton-Collins.

Having gone seven weeks without a fixture courtesy of a glitch in the League fixture computer, there was bound to be some rustiness in the ranks. Disappointingly, this manifested itself within minutes of the team arriving in Barn Elms as Azhar Khan cheerfully announced he had left the kit in his flat. Although Azhar was the chief culprit, the fact that most of the team had spent the previous two hours there eating brunch left plenty of questions as to just what had been added to the scrambled eggs.

Lederman, who was already in a foul mood having seen his dream of breaking the record for 'shortest time to travel to an OHAFC away game' (currently held by him at 8 minutes) crushed by the temporary traffic lights on Barnes Road, volunteered to scoot back to Earls Court to collect the kit. In the process, he set a bizarre new record that is unlikely to be broken: 'The most number of players' houses travelled from to the same fixture.' Touchingly, he was given a round of applause on his return to the dressing room, although deep down he was slightly disappointed this was not accompanied by chants of 'Maximus! Maximus! Maximus!'

Conditions in Barn Elms were as expected with a narrow, bobbly pitch set against a backdrop of the River Thames, Craven Cottage and Barnes Rugby Club, from where sporadic chants of 'Oggy Oggy Oggy, Oi Oi Oi' emanated. There were further distractions with an inordinate number of objects flying overhead. Planes, helicopters and, disconcertingly, low-flying flocks of aggressive-looking geese all diverted attentions at various stages during the proceedings. Sert was desperate to collar one and let it know what he thought but he was already engaged in long-running conversations with several of the opposition and the referee and couldn't spare the winged behemoths his time.

The toss brought together two of the most stylish captains in the Arthurian League with Eastbourne's skipper possessor of the finest twirled moustache in Division Three and Harrow's Geoff Taunton-Collins, owner of a jet-black mane Black Beauty himself would be jealous of. The referee was making his debut in an OHAFC fixture, but apart from the fact that he was small, fairly reserved in his mannerisms and called Oguz Tekatli, not much was known about, er, Oguz Tekatli.

With unbeaten leaders Alleynians playing third-placed Epsomians elsewhere, the Blues were determined not to let the tricky conditions derail their promotion push. The side started well, banishing any ideas that seven weeks of Saturday afternoons spent listening to Paul Merson talking bollocks had blunted their sharpness.

Alhadeff and Dalzell looked lively up front and the back four looked solid enough, although Eastbourne's introduction of a quick, rangy striker not previously seen, promised an element of threat.

Nevertheless, it was the visitors who began to create chances and, somehow, miss all of them. The frame of the goal was struck four times in the first half-hour with Alhadeff beginning the woodwork class, smacking the bar with a thunderous strike from thirty yards out that left the Eastbourne 'keeper flapping like a seagull at a tuna fish festival.

Soyinka, who was looking lean and hungry having refused Khan's 'Oeufs surprise' (the surprise being Azhar had remembered to buy the eggs in the first place) then failed to score with a selection of shots and headers all from within a few yards out. The bar, the post and, finally, the goalkeeper's face all prevented the ball from finding the net. Unfortunately the last incident left the hosts needing to find a replacement between the sticks, with a nasty swelling developing over the 'keeper's right eye.

The excitement as Eastbourne chose a shorter member of their team to don the gloves was palpable as several Harrovians went round loudly whispering 'Plenty of shots lads' despite having already used this tactic on numerous occasions without anything to show for it.

As everyone knows, one of the immutable laws of football is that if Side A has lots of chances and doesn't score a goal during a prolonged spell of pressure, Side B is bound to score with their first attack soon afterwards.

And so it was. Despite threatening on the break, Pittalis hadn't had a save to make when Eastbourne broke down the left. The striker looked surrounded down by the corner flag (which meant he was also on the edge of the Harrow box) but he twisted his way to the goal line and clipped a lovely ball to the far post where it was firmly headed home, the Eastbourne player arriving unmarked between the Harrow centre halves.

Harrow tempers were raised and frustrations began to show as the neat passing football that has served the team so well this season proved impossible to implement on the tricky surface. This was epitomised by Khan, whose day had started badly and continued on an inexorable downward spiral as the misplaced passes began to pile up.

Still the Blue shirts poured forwards but time and again the Eastbourne rearguard proved up to the task with Soyinka, Curry and Dalzell all closed down with chances apparently opening up.

Trailing at the break, skipper Geoff Taunton-Collins rolled his metaphorical dice, throwing on Ludo Callander (not literally obviously) in place of the hamstrung Harry Woolley in midfield and the ailing Lederman, who had been under the weather for the past month, in place of Khan. The skipper moved to right-back with Alhadeff to the left wing and Lederman partnering Soyinka up front.

The visitors made a bright start to the second half and an equaliser duly arrived courtesy of hesitation in the Eastbourne rearguard. Soyinka slipped a neat ball through for Alhadeff but a defender stretched to toe the ball wide. While Eastbournians played statues, Alhadeff reacted sharply, sprinting into the box to fire the loose ball home.

Any thoughts of a comfortable Harrow victory were quickly dispelled however as the hosts continued to plough forwards at regular intervals. The Harrow back four of Sert, Pratt, Massey and Taunton-Collins were all forced to defend numerous balls as Pittalis made two excellent saves following strikes from the edge of the box. The Eastbourne centre forward continued to look the most dangerous player on the pitch as he roamed from side to side, riding challenges and generally making a nuisance of himself.

The Harrow attack continued to splutter with the final ball missing its target on numerous occasions. Lederman and Soyinka tried to find each other on several occasions but each time the ball wouldn't quite run. On the left, Alhadeff was enjoying himself as he jinked in and out of tackles, winning several free-kicks and issuing some snide remarks to the flustered left-back.

With less than half an hour to play the result was still very much in the balance but it was the visitors who made the decisive breakthrough. Dalzell weaved his way down the right and earned a corner as he prepared to cross. Lederman drove the ball to the far post where it was met by the flowing locks of his captain, Taunton-Collins leaping majestically to thump home a header before setting off on an enthusiastic celebratory run.

The goal lifted the visitors and they began to thrive as their opponents tired. Max Curry was, at times, waging a one-man war in the midfield, consistently battling away to earn possession. He was helped by Callander's enthusiasm for the battle, although this was coupled with a firm insistence from Ludo on trying to dribble the length of the pitch, a tactic perhaps best saved for another day.

Nonetheless, it was courtesy of a Curry dribble (something one only tends to see much later on a Saturday night) that Harrow scored their third: Max drove into the Eastbourne box, stumbled through a couple of challenges before being upended by a third. The referee pointed to the spot and Lederman waited for the 'keeper to move before rolling the ball the other way.

The Blues could have scored more, with some late chances to extend their lead squandered, whilst at the other end Pittalis did his best to earn some late Man of the Match recognition with a totally unnecessary dive to turn a shot struck a foot to his right past the far post.

Nevertheless there was a profound sense of satisfaction at the final whistle of a job well done on a ground that can always serve as a potential banana skin.

Post-match tea was served in the outdoor area of the Red Lion pub but was perfunctory in nature with a rather drab sandwich selection (ham & salad; tuna, sweetcorn & red onion; ham & cheese and cheese & pickle) and some chips served with side dishes of mayonnaise and tomato ketchup.

Only Alhadeff enlivened proceedings as he rudely thumbed through several sandwiches in search of one containing no salad before then covering one bowl of chips with salt and copious amounts of pepper. 'What? I'm seasoning them' he protested, as his teammates stared at him with incredulity.

The group left with many vowing never to attend any event where Khan or Alhadeff are doing the cooking.

The side can now clinch promotion with victory in next week's home game against bottom side Aldenham 2s as long as Chigwell's second string do not beat leaders Alleynians.

NB1 Geoff Taunton-Collins later named himself as Man of the Match but refused to disclose the voting. He will henceforth be known as 'Mr President'.

NB2 On arriving back at his car from tea, Max Curry found a traffic warden giving him a ticket, the extra time taken to season the chips costing him £80 or £40 if paid within two weeks. He will henceforth refuse all unnecessary seasoning suggestions.