The OHAFC 3rd XI overcame tricky conditions and a stoic Old Haberdashers side on Saturday afternoon to record their third victory of the season against the side from Hertfordshire and in the process climb to third in the Division Four standings ahead of the crunch clash with leaders the Old Suttonians next weekend.

Connor Barrett opened the scoring just a couple of minutes in, Chuka Ilogu came off the bench to round things off with a fine first-time effort in the closing moments and in between Harry Bick scored one of the simplest hat-tricks possible, his three goals coming from a combined distance of about twelve yards. The hosts battled away however, and reduced the arrears to 3-2 midway through the second half before the Blues stretched away at the death.

Having already beaten bottom side Habs 8-0 in the League and 5-1 in the Junior League Cup, the Blues travelled north knowing they couldn’t afford to slip up as the promotion battle nears its climax. Leaders Suttonians defeated third-place the Old Columbans ensuring that they would, barring a mathematical calamity, earn one of the top two places. Indeed, Saturday’s fixture at Harrow would see them crowned champions should they avoid defeat.

And when burly centre-back Barrett rose above everyone to thump home a header from a Harry Bick corner just a couple of minutes in, the visitors seemed well-placed to enjoy another comfortable afternoon against a Haberdashers side that has won just a solitary League game all season.

But the OHAFC were given an indication they wouldn’t have things all their own way shortly afterwards when some rather sloppy defending saw the ball fall to the Habs striker ten yards inside the Harrow half and he produced a wonderful effort, chipping Mitchell in the Harrow goal from fully forty yards, the Harrow keeper back-peddling frantically to tip the ball wide of the post.

It proved to be one of the few bright spots for the hosts in a half otherwise dominated by the men in blue. The back four, containing the three Barrett brothers and skipper Nick Kapoor, were dominant, allowing the midfield trio of Charlie Bick, Luke Berry and Felix Tritton to free the attacking trident of Harry Bick, Ned Callander and Cyprian Owen-Edmunds on regular occasions. The visitors looked especially threatening down their left, with Callum Barrett linking well with both Harry Bick and Owen-Edmunds. Chances were soon falling their way as the half wore on, the free-flowing football on display making light of the strong wind and heavy conditions under foot.

The final ball, as is so often the case, proved to be the only thing lacking, and it was a stroke of good fortune that saw the Blues double their lead just before the half-hour mark, Callum Barrett’s cross flying over the Habs keeper, rebounding off the crossbar and falling perfectly for Johnny-on-the-spot Bick to turn in.

Moments later the Habs bar was rattling once more, this time from a far more orthodox effort, some good approach play ending with Ned Callander smacking his shot against the woodwork. Ned then had a much simpler chance to find the back of the net, Harry Bick’s strong run and cross from the left presenting him with a gilt-edged opportunity to beat the keeper but he somehow placed his shot inches wide of the far post.

With the half-time whistle looming, the Blues wasted another glorious chance to extend their advantage but again their finishing proved wasteful, Owen-Edmunds played clean through on goal only to place his shot straight at the advancing keeper.

Fortunately, referee Julian Courtenay allowed the half to continue just sufficiently for Callander and Bick to combine for the long overdue third, the former cleverly flicking the ball over the top of the Habs defence and Bick making no mistake with a measured finish inside the near post, evoking some amusingly enthusiastic celebrations.

With a 3-0 lead and a barely-troubled back four, the half-time message was a simple one: take no chances, give nothing away and see out the game in comfort.

But the half was less than five minutes old when the hosts scored a highly-fortuitous goal, a long free-kick from no man’s land was hoisted into the box, caught the wind and flew straight over Tom Mitchell’s head and into the top corner of the net. It was doubtful the effort would have been saved even if the keeper had been standing on his line.

The goal seemed to cause unnecessary frustration in the Harrow ranks and the twenty minutes that followed saw the level of football from both sides drop, producing a scrappy, error-strewn game that the conditions could only partly be held responsible for.

The Blues grew further frustrated with a number of refereeing decisions, Callander and Owen-Edmunds both ending up in the book, and Charlie Bick then found himself involved in a rather theatrical brouhaha with an opponent who had taken exception to his challenge in midfield. A lengthy delay followed after which the two protagonists shook hands.

In among this witch’s cauldron of howling wind, ugly football, and rising tempers, a couple of decent Harrow chances were still conjured up: Ned Callander chased after a lost cause down the right and did brilliantly to rob the full-back before squaring for Owen-Edmunds, but again his radar was off and the shot flew wide; Luke Berry then had a clear sight of goal following what looked a blatant trip on Charlie Bick on the edge of the box, but he couldn’t keep the effort down and the ball sailed over.

Despite the wasted chances, there appeared little way back for a Habs side that looked bereft of ideas going forwards. That was until a momentary lapse of concentration from Kyle Barrett saw him misplace a square pass across the back straight into the path of the Habs striker. With Mitchell caught in no-man’s land on the edge of the box, the Habs player was afforded the simple task of walking the ball around him and rolling it into an empty net.

To Harrow’s credit, the sudden threat of a 3-0 lead being catastrophically surrendered actually seemed to galvanise the side rather than cower them and the closing stages saw the visitors press forwards, creating a plethora of chances.

The goals that were to finally seal the points didn’t arrive until the closing minutes however. Harry Bick, who worked tirelessly throughout, took advantage of a misunderstanding in the Habs rearguard to pounce on a loose ball, beat the keeper and roll the ball in from a yard out.

But the biggest cheer was reserved for substitute Chuka Ilogu, who scored only his second ever goal for the club in the final minute with a well-placed, first-time left-foot shot from Ned Callander’s pass inside that sent his teammates wild with delight.

Harry Bick went on to hit the post in added time, but a sixth goal would perhaps have been harsh on a Habs side clearly down on their luck and out-played by a superior Harrow side who had, by then, stuck 18 goals past them over the course of their three meetings this season.

For the hosts, relegation to Division Five will surely follow in the weeks ahead. For the OHAFC, Saturday’s crunch clash at home to league leaders the Old Suttonians looms large on the horizon. The sides have met twice this season and both teams have enjoyed one win apiece, somewhat strangely by a three-goal margin on each occasion. There surely will be little to choose between the teams on the Hill, but if the hosts can emerge victorious, they will have taken a huge step towards claiming a second consecutive promotion in the Arthurian League.