Despite battling for long spells against a strong Old Amplefordians side on Saturday afternoon, the OHAFC 3rd XI fell to a fourth consecutive defeat and remain rooted to the foot of the Division Four table. An even first half saw both sides create chances on the pristine astroturf at the King’s House Sports Ground in Chiswick, but the home side gradually increased the pressure after the break and were eventually rather gifted victory with a couple of penalties, both for handball, inside the space of five minutes – the first slightly harsh, the second downright bizarre. The visitors struggled to create any chances of note late on and now return to the Hill to face the Old Westminsters 2s in search of their first points of the season.

Following last weekend’s 5-1 drubbing at home to the Old Brentwoods 4s, skipper Joss Awdry was at least afforded the luxury of a couple of substitutes for the short journey south to face the Amplefordians – a side who have made a strong start to the season, winning their last three League fixtures and scoring eleven goals in the process. An opening day defeat at home to the Old Tonbridians 2s the only blemish on an otherwise impeccable record. Alex Fraysse returned between the sticks for the OHAFC, Tom Mitchell being pressed into a centre-back role alongside Henry Collins, who was making his first appearance of the season. Also making their season debuts were right-back Henry Kirby and utility player James Cullimore, who started on the bench alongside Hugo Morrell-Roberts.

On a beautiful day in southwest London it was the home side who made the brighter start, passing the ball confidently across the pristine artificial surface and feeding their front three at regular intervals. The visitors, wearing their white away strip, defended solidly enough, restricting their opponents to a few hopeful efforts from range, all of which were safely dealt with by Alex Fraysse in the Harrow goal.

As the half wore on, the 3s grew into the game more, taking advantage of the Amplefordians dropping deeper to begin piecing together some decent spells of possession. Again, half-chances were created but not taken, but the best of the lot fell to striker Adam Graham – yet to score this season – who latched onto a long ball over the top and fired wide with a left foot volley with just the keeper to beat. The hosts mustered a few half-chances of their own as the half drew to a close but at the interval both sides could be reasonably happy with their efforts and optimistic of a positive ending to their afternoon.

Skipper Joss Awdry continued to ring the changes with both Cullimore and Morrell-Roberts introduced off the bench, a number of the starting XI making way on a rotational basis. It was the hosts who started the second half the brighter, finding pockets of space in an increasingly stretched Harrow midfield. The visitors continued to defend resolutely however and with an hour played there was still little sign of a breakthrough. But as time ticked on, play became more concentrated in the Harrow half and the Amplefordian wide players began to threaten on a regular basis. Several crosses and corners were repelled, a deflected shot whistled past the post. But Harrovian luck finally ran out when a further spell of pressure ended when a cross from the right wing struck the arm of Tom Mitchell from close range and referee Heidar Sawa pointed to the spot. It appeared a rather harsh call, with the defender’s arm in a natural position and the ball struck powerfully from no more than a few yards away. But the offence was efficiently punished, the spot-kick sending Fraysse the wrong way and the home side had the lead with half an hour remaining.

Within three minutes the hosts missed a glorious chance to put the result beyond doubt when another cross from the right flew across goal but was somehow blasted over the bar from just a few yards out by the opposite winger. It didn’t matter. Just two minutes after that, and following yet another Amplefordian attack down their right wing, the ball was crossed high into the box and, to the absolute astonishment of everyone present, caught with a two-handed catch by the substitute James Cullimore a couple of yards inside the penalty area, with no Amplefordian player near him. It wasn’t entirely clear what elicited this action: possibly an offside call, possibly the ball going out of play on the goal line? Either way, there had been no referee’s whistle and consequently only one outcome: a second penalty to the home side and a second goal, this time Fraysse getting closer to the shot but still unable to prevent it flying into the back of the net.

The final twenty minutes saw the home side retain control, the OHAFC threatening very sporadically but unable to test the Amplefordian keeper with anything resembling a serious effort on goal. The final kick of the game was an ambitious overhead kick from Adam Graham that flew high and wide of the target – the fact that this was one of the visitors’ better attempts on goal rather summed up their plight. The long wait for the first points of the season goes on for another week at least.