The OHAFC 1st XI suffered their third consecutive defeat of the new season with a disappointing 7-3 reverse away to the Old Ardinians on the astroturf in Gunnersbury Park on Saturday afternoon. Although the final scoreline resembled a comfortable victory for the newly promoted Ardinians, the game very much followed the pattern of the Blues’ first two League games when promising first-half performances failed to prove sufficient in earning a positive result. Indeed, with half an hour remaining in west London there was just a single goal separating the sides, the Ardinians leading 4-3. But a disastrous ten minute spell saw the home side score three times as the visitors fell apart and although the Blues came close to scoring again in the latter stages, there was little doubt that the Ardinians fully deserved their victory, their third consecutive win that sees them climb to the top of the Division One table. For the Blues, the wait for the first positive result of the season goes on.

The margin of defeat, and especially the number of goals conceded, was something of a surprise given the return to the ranks of several key players, not least the centre-back pairing of Yunus Sert and vice-captain Ed Beecham. They were joined in the back four by Cyprian Owen Edmunds, also making his season debut and right-back Stan d’Angelin, one of only three ever-present players in the side even at this early stage of the campaign (Oli Acar and Alfie Hayes are the other two). George Taylor started up front, with Hayes and Ciaran Jordan the wide men, Arthur Leney dropping to the bench.

Conditions in west London were excellent, although the Gunnersbury Park astroturf is now one of the older artificial surfaces in use by the Arthurian League and in need of an update sooner rather than later. With the Ardinians having won both their first two games of the season in impressive fashion – earning a 4-1 win away to the Old Kimboltonians on the opening weekend before firing six past the Old Rugbeians a week ago – there was little doubt that this would prove a stern test for the strongest OHAFC lineup fielded to date.

Nevertheless, it was the men in blue who started the stronger, enjoying more of the ball and causing plenty of problems for the home side in the early stages. The front three of Jordan, Taylor and Hayes looked lively and the Ardinians back four had their work cut out as they were continually harried and hassled on the ball. But, as has been the case far too often already this season, a spell of OHAFC dominance produced nothing of consequence and ended abruptly with the concession of the first goal of the game. It came from the first Harrow mistake, the ball lost in midfield with players surging forwards and the Ardinians countered efficiently, taking advantage of the space behind left-back Cyprian Owen Edmunds to pick out their right winger, who cut inside and beat keeper Tom Mitchell with a well-placed shot.

This time, however, the opposition goal proved only a temporary blip as the visitors continued in the ascendency. Within five minutes George Taylor had equalised, heading home from a corner and the Blues then came within inches of taking the lead, Walid Nsouli hitting the post with a curling effort from the edge of the box. Ciaran Jordan fired over from the right and Taylor had several half-chances to add to his earlier goal. It was firmly against the run of play therefore when the Ardinians retook the lead with a goal almost identical in nature to their first: again the Ardinians winger took advantage of a careless loss of possession to cut inside and curl a lovely finish inside the far post. Once more the visitors responded, a long ball over the top freeing Taylor and he cut inside his man who dangled out a leg to send him crashing to the turf, referee Alan Barrett pointing to the spot. George Gould stepped up to safely convert and with just over half an hour played the two sides were level again at 2-2.

The Blues continued in the ascendency for the remainder of the half, looking by far the more likely side to score the fifth goal of the game. It was entirely in keeping with the pattern of the three OHAFC games played so far, therefore, that it was in fact the Ardinians who scored next, a minute before the break, courtesy of an unfortunate error from keeper Tom Mitchell. A long-range effort from the hosts was initially saved but keeper then slipped trying to gather the rebound and the onrushing striker was left with a simple tap-in, the forward having reacted quicker than any Harrow defender.

It was a bitter blow to head into the interval trailing 3-2 having enjoyed by far the better of things in the opening forty-five minutes. The Ardinians had looked efficient on the break, but much of the better football had come from the visitors, who had the lions’ share of possession and created the better chances. Substitute Arthur Leney was held back until five minutes into the second half and by this stage both sides had found the back of the net once more. The home side scored a fourth barely three minutes after the restart with the right winger again the source of Harrow’s pain: this time he cut inside to feed the striker who fired past Mitchell from close range. But the two-goal advantage lasted fewer than two minutes courtesy of a superb finish from skipper Ed Beecham who ran onto a clearance from a Harrow corner to thump a powerful shot in just under the crossbar.

The game now entered a vital phase with half an hour remaining and only a goal between the teams. It was galling, therefore, that having competed so well for two-thirds of the afternoon, the visitors suddenly fell apart, conceding three goals inside ten minutes. The fifth Ardinians goal heralded a distinct collapse in OHAFC morale and a sense of resignation seemed to pervade the visitors, who lost their discipline and dropped their work rate. The quick concession of two further goals took the game completely away from the men in blue, Mitchell making several good saves to prevent the scoreline from taking on an even uglier look.

A late rally by the visitors saw Leney hit the bar and Taylor fire wide when well placed but the final whistle blew with the Ardinians the deserved winners. The OHAFC have enjoyed periods of dominance in all three of their fixtures so far but have failed to capitalise, whilst simultaneously conceding goals to their opponents in quick succession. Neither are conducive to long-term success.