OHAFC III 4 Old Rugbeians 2

A beautiful, sunny day greeted the 3s as they arrived for their cup clash with Rugby 1s. The omens looked very positive as, for once, Luke Faber arrived a good hour before kick-off looking suspiciously fresh.

The build-up during the week had an air of Harry Redknapp on Deadline Day about it, with Max Morgan signing in goal having been without a club since January and Michael Phillips putting pen to paper on a loan deal from the British Embassy in Colombia.

There was also the exciting introduction of young talent Ade Omisore and Karl Obi to add to the mix due to Alec Fogarty’s ill-timed decision to take half of the squad on a team building day to ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ – Maidenhead’s leading paintballing attraction.

Harrow started the brighter, with Turner having won (or the opposition having lost) his first toss of the season following the repeated failure of “heads is the call”. With the considerable wind assisting, the 3s started to play some nice football, getting the ball on the floor and moving the ball fluently through the midfield.

However, a defensive lapse at a dead ball situation once again proved to be a weakness akin to the heel of Achilles. The shout came from a Harrow defender only for the ball to sail over his head and following a bit of a scramble on the six yard line, the ball was poked home by a Rugby boot to register their first shot on target and – more damagingly - the first goal of the game.

Heads dropped a little, and the Harrow skipper’s incessant bellowing of hot air increased for at least five minutes, chuntering as much to himself as his team mates. Fortunately, Rugby’s lead was short lived, with the equalizer coming slightly fortuitously from a clearance that rebounded off Ollie Walker’s boot back into the net. If you don’t buy a ticket to the raffle and all that…

Relief poured over the home side, playing in the fetching grey shirts adorned with slimming white stripes – a real collector’s item. Walker and Ned Callander started to create merry hell down the flanks, with Smith proving to be as much of a handful up front as Gazza after a few too many brandies. The pressure paid off, with Phillips producing a touch of Colombian quality from a free kick. The ball snuck through the corridor of uncertainty untouched - like one of his adopted countrymen evading the fuzz – and into the net. Game on.

At half time Harrow still held a 2-1 lead, although it was Rugby who scored first, levelling with a smart finish from an acute angle. However, the gentlemanly centre back pairing of Ludo Compton and Sam Stirrat (the antithesis of Keown and Adams in their heyday) coped admirably with the headwind and sun in their eyes, ably supported by Morgan who was a commanding presence throughout in goal.

Rugby tried their luck out wide but another man of the match performance from Nick Kapoor has cemented his place at right back despite protestations that he remains a striker by nature. Luke Faber showed touches of real culture at left back until cramp and a few too many flaming Sambucas took their toll on him.

As Harrow grew into the half, chances began to appear at both ends, with the game on a knife edge. Walker took down an arrowing goal kick from Morgan, shooting with his second touch and very nearly scoring a goal that would have rocked the London Borough of Harrow to its very core. Unfortunately, the goal just wasn’t large enough to accommodate his powerful strike.

Shortly afterwards, Smith was put clean through following some great work form Callander, giving Rugby’s answer to Ali Al Habsi the eyes and slotting coolly into the bottom corner, sparking jubilant scenes amongst the three-man Barmy Army on the side-lines.

Harrow withstood some late pressure but a fourth goal rubber stamped their progress to the next round. A free-kick was awarded by referee Richard Wilson, who had a very good game despite being pushed to the limits of his patience by the exuberant Ollie Feather who put himself about to great avail all afternoon. Turner stepped up to take it and, following advice from long-time confidant Phillips not to shoot, bent one over the wall from 25 yards and into the net. A good strike but questions will be asked of the goalkeeper’s decision to mark the post, leaving much of the goal untended.

A great win for a 3s team growing in confidence by the game, keeping alive another cup run for the club.