The OHAFC 3rd XI’s underwhelming start to the season continued with another disappointing defeat on the Hill on Saturday morning, this time at home to the newly-promoted Old Brentwoods 4s. Despite taking a very early lead, Rupert Stonehill capitalising on some sloppy play by the visitors’ defenders, the Blues quickly found themselves with a mountain to climb, the men from Essex scoring three times inside the next ten minutes. A fourth goal sbortly before the break ended the match as a contest and things didn’t improve after the break, Simon Nicholson sent off for contesting a penalty decision given against him. A fifth goal merely rubbed salt in the wounds. The 3s, like their 1st XI counterparts, now find themselves rock bottom of their division with nothing to show from their first three outings.

Fixtures for the OHAFC against the Old Brentwoods have always proved notoriously tricky affairs over the years and the 3rd XI have suffered their fair share of frustration also. Indeed, in seven previous outings against the Brentwoods in Division Four, the Blues have mustered just two draws and five defears, last season’s two hammerings at the hands of the Brentwoods 3s coming with a goal difference of minus eleven. That the opposition deservedly won promotion into Division Three provided little respite, with the 4th XI claiming the Division Five title and, coupled with the relegation of Brentwoods 1s from the Premier Division, ensured all three Harrow sides would face the Essex club in their respective divisions this season.

Spirits remain high in the 3s squad despite two narrow defeats in their opening two fixtures, a tough 2-1 loss away to the other newly-promoted side the Old Johnians 2s on the opening weekend before a 2-0 trcky defeat at home to a strong Old Tonbridgians 2s side last weekend. Veteran keeper Alex Fraysse was back between the sticks for this one and there were also season debuts for defenders Simon Nicholson, Alex Kenderdine-Davies and Hugo Morrell-Roberts, midfielders Rob McMahon and Tobi Adebayo and forwards Rupert Stonehill and Alvin Adefarasin. Disappointingly, a late drop-out meant only a threadbare eleven were available.

Conditions on the Hill were excellent with the main Phil pitch benefitting from the recent rainfall and slightly softer underfoot. Brentwoods had seen five goals scored in both their first two encounters in Division Four and so it was hardly surprising when both sides found themselves on the scoresheet within just a few minutes of the game starting. Some careless play on the edge of the visitors’ box allowed Alvin Adefarasin to intercept and he unselfishly squared for Rupert Stonehill to tap in the opener for the hosts. But the visitors responded almost immediately, rather fortuitously, as a free-kick midway inside the Harrow half was overhit only for the ball to sail beyond the grasp of the back-peddling Fraysse and into the far top corner of the net.

And those early Harrow celebrations were soon forgotten when the visitors took barely five minutes to turn their one-goal deficit into a two-goal lead. Both goals came on the counter down the Brentwoods left, the first ending with a superb finish, the second well saved by Fraysse but the loose ball was comfortably turned in. Barely ten minutes had elapsed and the home side were already faced with a mountain to climb in a bid to register their first points of the season.

When the game did finally settle down, the Blues competed well enough, Adefarasin and Stonehill causing plenty of problems for the opposition back four, but defensively the hosts proved too open and allowed too much space for the visitors to work the ball through. It appeared as though the Blues would reach the break still with just a two-goal deficit to make up, but a fourth Brentwoods goal on the counter proved a killer and made for a tricky half-time team-talk from skipper Joss Awdry. Nevertheless, the feeling persisted that an early Harrow goal in the second half could yet make for an interesting conclusion to the game.

The second half proved somewhat more mundane in comparison to the fireworks seen before the interval with both sides unable to test the opposition keeper. For the hosts, the lack of fitness and available substitutes, an issue which has plagued the side in the first two fixtures, began to show once more as the half progressed and hopes of an unlikely comeback receded as each minute ticked by.

The half suddenly sprang to life with twenty minutes remaining when referee Kacper Ignatiuk penalised Si Nicholson for a foul inside the box as he stretched to make a tackle. So incensed was the Harrow man with the decision that he became just the latest OHAFC recipient of a straight red card from the Polish official when he protested rather too vigorously – a worrying trend that needs stamping out. The penalty was actually well saved by Alex Fraysse and the danger cleared but it proved only a temporary respite – Brentwoods grabbed a fifth goal on the counter following a misplaced pass from a free-kick and the home side’s misery was complete.

This has proved a tough start to the season for the OHAFC 3s and things won’t get any easier with the side’s next three opponents all situated in the top half of the table, starting with a trip to the Chiswick astroturf to face the second-placed Old Amplefordians next weekend.