The OHAFC 3rd XI ended 2024 with a second League defeat of the season to KCS Wimbledon 2s on the Harrow School astroturf, plunging the Blues into the drop zone in Division Four for the first time since early November. The hosts actually played well on Saturday morning and were more than a little unfortunate to come away empty handed, seeing a late goal ruled out for offside and hitting the Wimbledon crossbar twice in quick succession in the final act of the game. But a run of one point from their previous three encounters, coupled with a stunning 4-2 win for the struggling Old King’s Scholars over League leaders the Old Tonbridgians 2s, sees Joss Awdry’s men with plenty of work to do from their final five League games in the new year.

Thankfully, given last weekend’s appalling conditions the 3s were forced to endure on the Phil, this fixture was afforded the luxury of taking place on the astroturf, both the 1s and 2s playing away from home. Skipper Joss Awdry bolstered his squad with the late additions of the Akhtar brothers, Musty and Ibi, both of whom were making their season debuts in OHAFC colours, as was full-back Joe Debiase, who made an impact playing his first game for the club last season. Seven of the starting XI who splashed their way to a 1-1 draw against the Amplefordians last weekend started the game here, Si Nicholson replacing older younger brother Ed in heart of the back four. Toby Colehan and Jordan Holmes were the two substitutes.

In bright, breezy conditions on the astro, the hosts kicked off attacking towards the Hill and began the game strongly against a Wimbledon side who had run out narrow 3-2 winners down in southwest London back in mid-October. Showing excellent composure at the back, play was switched neatly from side to side, Stonehill and Musty Akhtar looking dangerous down the left, Everett and Ibi Akhtar linking well on the right. A couple of excellent early chances were forged, Ibi seeing a header cleared off the line, Rupert Stonehill, who has scored in two of the previous three weeks, denied when his goalbound shot was blocked at point-blank range. Adam Graham then bundled his way through but was denied by a last-ditch challenge as he prepared to pull the trigger.

At this stage, a Harrow opener appeared more than likely, the visitors well organised and possessing a physical forward pairing but offering little by way of an attacking threat. But just as momentum built for the men in blue, it was their opponents who took the lead. A long ball was pumped forwards from inside the Wimbledon half and right-back Toby Colehan, who had only been recently introduced to the action, misjudged the bounce, allowing the ball to loop over him and the lurking Wimbledon striker took a touch before dispatching a superb volley into the top left corner.

The hosts responded well to the setback, enjoying more of the ball in the run up to the break but unable to truly threaten the Wimbledon goal. Stonehill came closest to grabbing an equaliser, the keeper producing an excellent save to deny a well-struck shot. The 1-0 scoreline at the interval barely reflected the balance of play and plenty of optimism remained in the Harrow camp that a positive result could still be earned against the side who began the day lying in third in the table. Changes were made, Everett and Debiase, who was enjoying another strong showing, returning to the fray in place of Adam Graham and centre-half Henry Collins.

The second half began with the hosts now playing into a strong, low sun, which proved a significant hindrance to keeper Tom Mitchell, especially as he had committed the cardinal sin of not bringing a cap with him. But he wasn’t the only one to struggle in the opening spell after the break as the hosts toiled somewhat in their bid to regain parity. Too many long balls were fired upfield aimlessly and play became scrappy, neither side taking advantage of the pristine artificial surface.

It took twenty minutes for the home side to wake from their slumbers and they were stung into action by a superb effort from Ibi Akhtar, whose fizzing shot was somehow kept out by the Wimbledon keeper. This close shave reignited belief in the Harrow ranks and the home side now pushed forwards more confidently, finally earning themselves the goal their overall play had deserved when some enterprising play from Freddie Everett down the right saw him turn his man before crossing for Stonehill to stoop low and head into the bottom corner.

But, disappointingly, the hosts were on terms for barely five minutes. Wimbledon had caused a couple of problems earlier from set-pieces, the two powerful front players making a real nuisance of themselves inside the area only to be denied by some confident punches from Mitchell. But a third corner was not so well defended: a free header on goal saw the Harrow keeper block the effort but the ball dropped kindly for a Wimbledon player to prod home from close range.

Ten minutes remained and the Blues once more found themselves needing to dig deep in search of an equaliser. They thought they had secured it when skipper Joss Awdry crossed from a free-kick and Everett arrived to poke home at the far post but referee Mark Chorlton was right on the spot and ruled the effort out for offside. Further pressure saw Jordan Holmes curl in two superb corners but the visitors scrambled clear. Then, in the dying seconds, a third Holmes corner was delivered to the near post, the ball taking a couple of deflections before striking the crossbar, Colehan tried desperately to fashion an effort on the rebound only for his shot to also strike the woodwork. It was not to be Harrow’s day.

Despite the strong performance and the lack of any luck in trying to secure victory, the Blues are left in a fairly desperate position heading into the Christmas break. Five League games remain for the side, three of them away from home and two of those, against Tonbridge and Brentwoods, involving lengthy journeys – the other two games are the fixtures against Old King’s Scholars, the team who sit just above the Blues in the table. Defeat in either of those games is likely to prove fatal to the side’s chances of staying in Division Four come the end of the season.