A four-goal burst midway through the second half fired the OHAFC 3rd XI to a comprehensive first win of the season over the Old Johnians 2s on the Hill on Saturday morning, in the process sending the Blues above their opponents and off the foot of the Division Four table. An early strike from Matthew Ede earned the hosts a deserved half-time lead and further strikes from Ed Stewart, James Walduck, Adam Graham, from the spot, and Alex Kenderdine-Davies sealed a vital win that gives the Blues hope of survival as the season nears its midway point.

Skipper Joss Awdry was able to name a strong twelve-man squad for this encounter, the two sides having met down in Surrey on the opening day of the season when the Johnians earned a late 2-1 win – their only victory of the campaign to date. Johnny Bowie earned his first call-up of the season in goal, with James Walduck another season debutant in midfield. Ed Stewart returned to 3s action having put in a fine display for the 2s in their defeat against the Old Albanians the week before. A strong front three of Stonehill, Adefarasin and Adam Graham promised the threat of goals, although the 3s had only managed six goals in their six games played prior to the weekend.

Conditions on the Hill were excellent with little breeze and a heavy dew ensuring a slick playing surface on the lower Phil pitch. The hosts, wearing the red change shirts, made a fast start, passing with authority and looking the more dangerous side, the Johnians, in contrast, looking fairly bereft of ideas so that Bowie was almost a spectator for much of the first half. Chances proved hard to come by for the home side however and it took a slight moment of fortune for the men in red to open the scoring, midfielder Matthew Ede bundling his way through a couple of challenges on the edge of the box before striding on to finish past the keeper.

Further strong play from Stonehill down the left and Adefarasin on the right created a few half chances, but the Johnians worked hard to limit the damage prior to the break. Indeed, it was the visitors who then came closest to scoring, forcing a fine flying save from the Harrow keeper, who had to fling himself to his left to palm a diving header beyond the far post following a cross from the left.

Although the lead at the break was a deserved one, nobody was in any doubt that there was still work to be done in what, although it was barely admitted, was a must-win fixture even at this early stage of the season. Fortunately, the home side eased away after the break against a tiring Johnians side. Once midfielders Ed Stewart and James Walduck had scored in the space of three minutes just before the hour-mark – Stewart having already hit the post with an earlier shot – the result was never in doubt. Indeed, Walduck put in a superb display in the middle of the pitch and fully deserved his goal, curling a shot into the far top corner having been fed from a corner by Rupert Stonehill.

The visitors soon pulled a goal back from a set-piece of their own, but Adam Graham then won a penalty which he duly converted to restore the three-goal lead and left-back Alex Kenderdine-Davies rounded the scoring off with fifteen minutes remaining to seal a fine win and ensure the Saturday night beers would taste that much sweeter for the first time in a while. The 3s still have plenty of work to do to bridge the five-point gap to the three sides above them in the table but an immediate opportunity presents itself to do just that when the Old Shirburnians visit the Hill next weekend.