The OHAFC 3rd XI’s hopes of avenging last weekend’s narrow defeat away to the Old Westminsters 2s in the David Woolcott trophy with victory in the first round of the Junior League Cup were dashed in unfortunate circumstances on the Harrow School astroturf, the Blues the better side for much of the game but ultimately falling to a 3-0 defeat to fellow Division Four side the Old Shirburnians.

A tight first half saw the only goal scored direct from a free-kick, a wicked bounce fooling keeper Alex Fraysse and gifting the visitors the lead. The hosts responded after the interval and pushed hard for an equaliser only to come up against a resolute Shirburn back four. As time ticked down the tie was still very much in the balance, but a hotly-contested second for the visitors – the Blues certain the scorer was yards offside prior to executing the finish – killed off any hopes of a comeback and a third with just a couple of minutes remaining merely rubbed salt in Harrovian wounds. Having exited both Cup competitions in successive weeks, the 3s must now concentrate on the League, with three games remaining to ensure survival, beginning with a trip to face Saturday’s opponents in a fortnight’s time.

Skipper Joss Awdry was able to name a decent squad of thirteen for this tie with nine of the players who featured in last weekend’s DW Trophy defeat featuring here. Mikey Watford made his first appearance of the season in an OHAFC squad – he was joined on the bench by Khalil Baoku. Freddie Everett took on the lone striker role with a midfield five behind him containing a pleasing blend of youth and experience. Hugo Morrell-Roberts partnered Si Nicholson in the heart of the back four, with Henry Collins shunted out to left-back, Toby Colehan on the right.

Unsurprisingly in a competition open to sides all the way up to Division Two, the OHAFC 3rd XI have found victories in the Junior League Cup hard to come by in recent years, progressing beyond the first round just once in the previous five seasons. But a home draw against the Shirburnians, whom they defeated 5-3 on the Phil back in November, presented a decent opportunity to at least ensure Cup interest would be extended one game further.

On a cold, grey day on the Hill, a rather young, inexperienced referee took charge of proceedings but, fortunately for the match official, the opening twenty minutes flew by devoid of any incidents of note. The visitors employed a direct style, pumping plenty of long balls forwards but these were dealt with well enough by the Harrow back four, keeper Alex Fraysse remaining well protected. The Shirburnian right winger signalled his intent with some early runs forward, Collins and Awdry alert to the danger. But chances proved equally hard to come by at the other end, a lone effort from Tom Walduck flashing wide of the target as the hosts enjoyed some rare joy in the final third.

With little sign of a goal at either end, it took a slight error to provide the opener after twenty-five minutes. The Shirburnians won a free-kick just outside the Harrow penalty area and the resulting strike was decent enough, but caused a serious problem for Fraysse, the ball awkwardly bouncing off the turf just in front of him before spinning back into the net. The hosts responded well to the setback, however, building up momentum as the half wore on, wide men Holmes and Awdry seeing plenty of the ball but striker Freddie Everett remained starved of service and the Shirburnians keeper still had little to concern him. Walduck’s effort from a free-kick a few minutes before the interval summed up Harrow’s half as an offensive threat, the shot flying high and wide of the goal.

Mikey Watford replaced Toby Colehan at right-back, with Baoku held back a few minutes longer before replacing the frustrated Everett. The hosts started the second half strongly, aggressively pressing their opponents inside their own half and forcing a regular turnover of possession. Holmes and Walduck both found themselves in promising positions out wide but their delivery into the box lacked accuracy and once more the visitors remained untested at the back. The latter then did manage to provide a pinpoint cross for Everett, but his last action of the game was to fire his shot tamely at the keeper. Skipper Joss Awdry had seen enough and brought on Baoku to shake things up.

The pattern of the game remained the same for much of the half, with the Blues the more threatening side but unable to work the keeper. The Shirburnians threatened sporadically on the counter, keeper Fraysse making up for his earlier error with a couple of decent saves to ensure the outcome remained firmly in the balance heading into the closing stages.

The final twenty minutes finally saw the tie spark into life with a couple of highly controversial moments. The Shirburnians were incensed when they were denied a penalty following a challenge inside the Harrow penalty area that saw the striker crumple to the ground in a heap. The fall looked fairly theatrical and that may have been what swayed the young referee’s mind as he decided against awarding the spot-kick, the visitors continued to protest vehemently.

But with eight minutes remaining, it was their turn to benefit from a refereeing decision when a free-kick that had initially been cleared by the Harrow back four was returned into the box, collected by a forward in an acre of space, before he turned to fire past the stranded Fraysse. The Harrow back four appealed in unison for what appeared a fairly clear offside, but once more the referee failed to intervene and the goal stood, the silence from the Shirburnians perhaps indicative of their stroke of fortune.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of the home side’s efforts and although Si Nicholson came close to pulling one back with a header from a corner, the result was put firmly beyond doubt in the final minute, a superb strike from a Shirburnian midfielder who found the top corner from twenty-five yards out having been allowed to carry the ball forwards through the heart of the Harrow midfield.

It was a cruel ending for the hosts, who felt their efforts had at least deserved a draw and the chance to settle the tie from the spot in a penalty shootout. There was no faulting the effort from all thirteen players, but the lack of quality in the final third the clear difference on the day. Nevertheless, with a trip to face the Old Chigwellians 2s in the next round, it is unlikely the Shirburnians will progress much further themselves in the competition.