Two superb goals from Chester Robinson and an own goal helped the OHAFC 1st XI return to winning ways with a fine 3-2 victory over the Old Salopians on the Hill on Saturday morning. Last weekend’s disappointing defeat away to runaway leaders the Old Wykehamists was quickly forgotten as the Blues registered their third League win of the season that lifts them five points clear of the relegation zone in Division One – somewhat remarkably, the OHAFC are now just six points behind second-place the Old Ardinians as the campaign approaches its midway point.

Saturday’s victory was further proof of the highly volatile form this OHAFC 1st XI side has displayed throughout the season: when the Blues are good, they are very good, when they are bad… Fortunately, for seventy minutes here, the hosts played well. Despite starting with a different XI to the one that he had probably envisaged (Jordan and d’Angelin arriving twenty minutes after the game had started), skipper Dan Firoozan expertly marshalled his troops and was rewarded with a disciplined performance laced with quality.

The opening twenty minutes were even but surprisingly open. In contrast to their opponents last week, the OHAFC were here faced with a side more than happy to come at them, with the result that the game was stretched from the outset. The Salopian left winger saw much of the early action, testing stand-in right-back Alfie Hayes, but he had comfortably adapted to life in Division One and proved more than capable of handling his man. The Salopian striker, quick and powerful, also showed early signs of quality, holding the ball up and using it intelligently.

For Harrow, midfielder Chester Robinson embarked on one strong run only to drag his shot wide of goal. It was an early portent of what was to come. Another counter from the home side saw the midfielder spread play to Jamie Jordache on the right and although his cross into the box was headed clear, Robinson returned fire with a well-struck volley that tested the Salopian keeper, who was making his 1st XI debut.

With twenty minutes played, young striker Cam Mahal, making his 1s debut, began to tire and Ciaran Jordan was summoned from the bench. Whether or not the change in personnel was the cause is debatable, but from this point on the home side began to dominate the game. Suddenly, the Salopian goal began to live a rather charmed life. A fine move down the right saw Firoozan and Hayes exchange passes and feed Owen Edmunds on the left, his low cross into the box flew past the keeper at the near post but was scrambled clear off the line by the last defender. The Blues then came even closer, hitting the bar twice in the space of a few minutes – both times Chester Robinson was the man denied. His first effort was a superb curler from the edge of the box that clipped the top of the woodwork. The second, a header from an Alfie Hayes cross from the right that hit the underside of the bar, bounced down onto the line before being hacked clear. Several Harrow players appealed that the ball was over the line, referee Neil Cooper remained unmoved. Photographic evidence would later prove that the ball had actually landed a few inches over the line.

Thankfully, however, it didn’t matter, with the Salopians finally seeing lady luck turn against them when a low cross from the left from James Walduck was defleced inside the far post by an unwitting Salopian defender. It was no more than the hosts deserved at this stage. Both sides then enjoyed chances to score just prior to the interval. The Salops could have scored twice: firstly from a counter that saw the ball through flick off Jamie Jordache’s outstretched leg to divert it perfectly into the path of the galloping striker, but he was forced wide by Ed Beecham and Mitchell made the save at his near post with his legs; then, following an effort from Ciaran Jordan that flew just wide of the post, the Salops had a golden opportunity to level matters just prior to half-time when Hayes missed a high ball on the right of the penalty area to allow a cross from the winger that picked out the striker unmarked at the far post – fortunately, for those of a Harrow persuasion, the header flew wide of goal and the hosts maintained their slender lead as the half-time whistle blew.

Half-time saw the skipper ring the changes with Stan d’Angelin brought on for his first taste of the action, James Walduck the man to make way. This allowed both Firoozan and Hayes to return to their preferred positions of central midfield and right wing respectively. But it was another Harrow man in the cross-hairs at the start of the second half with vice-captain Ed Beecham almost single-handedly keeping the lively Salopians at bay for the first seven or eight minutes. Numerous times, balls over the top were mopped up by the powerful centre-back, who not only defended with imperious confidence, but also made effective clearances out of the defensive third to relieve the pressure. Beecham was ably assisted by his centre-back partner John Russell, who showed on his return to the side what an asset he would become with more regular availability.

Having weathered this minor storm, with Mitchell pretty much protected from having to make even a basic save, the hosts then switched their focus to attack. But the second Harrow goal, which arrived after 55 minutes, came from almost nowhere. Some decent possession in the middle of the pitch saw the ball played out to Robinson on the left midway inside the Salopian half. The midfielder took a couple of touches inside before unleashing a superb curling effort that flew into the far top corner – truly a Goal of the Season contender.

Five minutes later and it was 3-0. This goal was more contentious, with the visitors appealing vehemently for offside as Firoozan slipped a pass through to Robinson a couple of yards inside the box. Several opponents stood motionless with their hands in the air but Robinson wasted no time in controlling with his first touch before firing the ball in with pristine technique, the ball arrowing inside the post, low to the keeper’s right. Further appeals fell on deaf ears and suddenly the hosts were 3-0 up and in complete command.

The OHAFC were now rampant, Robinson on the hunt for his hat-trick goal and, for the first time in the game really, left winger Cyprain Owen Edmunds began to have an impact, raiding down his wing several times and delivering dangerous balls into the box. One fell just behind the onrushing Robinson, who managed to just about make contact having checked his run, but the ball flew off his heel and away from danger. A second cut back towards Hayes on the edge of the box was blocked, Owen Edmunds then deciding to shoot from a narrow angle, the keeper holding on at the second attempt.

With twenty minutes to go and the Salopians still finding the Beecham-Russell partnership somewhat impregnable, it was hard to see a way back into the game for the visitors. But whether from tiredness, complacency or, quite possibly, just from increased intensity from their opponents, the OHAFC quickly began to find themselves pinned back inside their half and under mounting pressure. The hosts enjoyed a small slice of fortune when a high ball saw Mitchell claim under pressure only for the ball, and the keeper, to eventually end up in the back of the net. It appeared a clear foul but the match official took a few seconds to deliberate before finally blowing in Harrow’s favour.

But the escape proved very temporary, as the keeper then slipped when executing the free-kick, the ball was never properly cleared and a few passes later ended up at the feet of the Salopian left winger who cut inside before firing low into the far corner. Now the game really opened up, play switching from end to end with frantic pace. The visitors enjoyed the next chance, a cross from the left flashing across goal but evading the opposite winger at the far post. Two minutes later, under mounting pressure the home side escaped again, this time a shot at goal was deflected over the bar for a corner from which mild panic ensued before the ball was eventually hammered clear.

With the match entering the final five minutes it appeared as though the home side had done enough and the visitors’ brief resurgence had come to an end. But in the 87th minute a second Salopian goal paved the way for three minutes of tension in the home ranks: a throw-in on the left saw the ball worked inside and a midfielder cut inside on the edge of the box before drilling the ball low inside the near post with an excellent shot.

It proved insufficient. Despite a couple of very late set-pieces and one save from Mitchell that required the Harrow keeper to palm a looping header over the bar, the Blues held on to claim a deserved win. The side now have two further fixtures at home against the Chigwellians and struggling Radleians – two winnable games on paper - however trying to predict the outcome is something only the most committed of gamblers would enjoy.