Continuing our look back at OHAFC fixtures played on the corresponding weekend over the previous six seasons:

Six Seasons Ago: January 23rd 2010:

OHAFC 1st XI 4 Lancing Old Boys 3 (aet: 3:3 after 90mins), Arthur Dunn Cup 2nd Round: A dramatic match between two mainstays of the Premier Division for a place in the last eight of the Dunn Cup saw Harry Hoffen score an extra-time winner to send the home side through.

Ed Martins and Fred Milln scored before the break to give Harrow the upper hand but Lancing retaliated to level shortly after the break.

Freddie Brunt restored Harrow’s lead but they couldn’t hold on and a Lancing equaliser late on forced extra-time. Thankfully, Hoffen’s strike was sufficient to settle the tie in the home side’s favour.

OHAFC 2nd XI 2 Old Brentwood 2’s 3: The Harrow second string didn’t enjoy their afternoon as much unfortunately as they went down by the odd goal in five to their counterparts from Brentwood.

Soyinka and Defty scored second half efforts for the hosts but in a tight game the visitors nabbed the points with a late winner.

Five Seasons Ago: January 22nd 2011

Old Wellingtonians 1 OHAFC 2nd XI 0: A narrow defeat for the Harrow 2’s, on this occasion skippered by Harry Woolley, who had travelled down to Wellington College for a rare fixture against their Old Boys team. A solitary goal was enough to separate the teams despite a strong Harrow lineup including former 1’s players Jamie Waugh & Nick Warner and future 1st XI players Fred Milln, Phil Berry and Paul Lindquist.

Four Seasons Ago: January 21st 2012

OHAFC 2nd XI 2 Old Oundelians 0, Junior League Cup 1st Round: The OHAFC 2nd XI began their defence of the Junior League Cup with a comprehensive demolition of an admittedly weak Oundle side. The game, played in a strong cross wind but on another excellent surface on the Phil pitches, provided Arjun Chopra’s side with the chance to forget their disappointing League form for a week and concentrate on progressing in a competition that has provided the side with fond memories in previous seasons.

Full-back Phil Berry opened the scoring after ten minutes with a close-range header following a lob from Soyinka. Soyinka himself then got on the scoresheet fifteen minutes later when he took advantage of an under-hit back-pass. Stead scored a third straight after the break to end the game as a contest and the final half hour saw the floodgates open with Soyinka scoring three more, Arghebant a penalty, substitute Jack Robinson one and Stead ending the scoring with a ninth, his second.

OHAFC 3rd XI 2 Old Westminster 2’s 6: No record of the team lineup or goalscorers from this 3rd XI game unfortunately, perhaps an afternoon best forgotten by the OHAFC 3’s.

Three Seasons Ago: January 26th 2013

OHAFC 1st XI 2 Old Foresters 1, Arthur Dunn Cup Quarter-Finals: The Blues scraped into the semi-finals of the Dunn Cup for the first time since 2007, the year they won the Cup, thanks to a superb strike from Nick Defty.

With wintry conditions prevailing, the game was switched to the astroturf facility on the other side of the Hill. But the weather and pitch could not be blamed for the horrific start the hosts made as they fell behind just five minutes into the game, a terrible mix-up between veterans Molloy and Bourke gifting a simple chance to a Forest forward. Despite plenty of effort there was little in the way of good football to warm the decent crowd that watched on from the sidelines.

Indeed, it took until midway through the second half before the hosts actually began to threaten the Forest goal and after a spell of pressure an equaliser was eventually scored from the spot following a foul on Ed Martins – Lederman’s awful initial shot was comfortably saved by the ‘keeper but referee Peter Dace immediately ordered a re-take, the Forest goalie having advanced off his line before the kick was taken. Lederman made no mistake with his second effort.

The incident left Forest furious and the hosts took control of the game, pouring forward at will to create a number of chances. The winner was a fine goal, involving Bourke, Harder and Martins, who rolled the ball across the box for Defty to strike sweetly into the bottom corner from twenty-five yards out.

Despite some late Forest pressure the hosts hung on to claim a place in the semi-finals against Winchester.

Two Seasons Ago: January 25th 2014

OHAFC 1st XI 2 OId Foresters 3: Another visit from Forest but this time not the result the OHAFC wanted. Forest dominated the early stages and took a deserved lead when Ed Poulter was caught in possession on the edge of the box. The lead was doubled when a careless clearance led to Forest crossing from the left and a simple first-time finish was applied from close range.

The hosts were struggling badly but grabbed a lifeline thanks to some opportunistic play from Alex Gilbert, who closed down two defenders to force an under-hit back-pass that he reached just in time to nod past the advancing ‘keeper.

Hopes of an equaliser before the break were dashed when Forest scored their third however, again Harrow gave away possession cheaply and again it was well punished, a thumping left foot shot from Dunne arrowing into the top corner.

The second half proved a very different affair though, with the hosts now playing with the wind behind them and pinning Forest inside their own half for long spells. With just over a quarter of an hour remaining Gilbert and Breeden combined down the right to cross into the box and Owen-Edmunds, on debut, finished from close range as the defence struggled to clear.

Sadly, despite throwing Fred Milln forwards inside the final ten minutes, the visitors clung on to record a hard-earned win.

OHAFC 3rd XI 3 Old Oundelians 7, Junior League Cup 1st Round: An extraordinary game took place on the other Phil pitch with the Harrow third string and Oundle sharing ten goals between them.

Fogarty, Kerry and Howells all scored for the hosts prior to half-time, but a penalty and two further Oundle goals in quick succession left the sides level at 3-3 going into half-time.

The second half was competitive throughout but there was a marked difference in the levels of finishing on display from both teams: Harrow squandered several chances whilst Oundle took most of theirs, leaving the final scoreline looking a little lopsided at 7-3.

Last Season: January 24th 2015

OHAFC 1st XI 2 Old Cholmeleians 1: Following on from the humiliating 10-1 defeat suffered at Charterhouse the week before, the OHAFC 1st XI knew that only a win would suffice against fellow strugglers Cholms if relegation was to be avoided.

Thankfully an excellent first-half performance was enough to earn the points: Lederman scored from the spot after Johan Harder had been fouled attempting to finish a through-ball from the winger; midway through the half the lead was doubled thanks to a swift counter-attack that ended with Alex Gilbert curling a precise shot past a stranded goalkeeper from thirty yards out.

Despite rarely entering the Harrow half, the visitors reduced the arrears when they scored from a free-kick, the ball being flicked on at the far post a quarter of an hour before the break.

Harrow hit the bar twice in the second half through efforts from Baker and Molloy but they were left hanging on at the end as Cholms poured forward in desperate search of an equaliser. Despite holding on to secure the points, it was the visitors who were to survive in the Premier Division a few months down the line.

OHAFC 2nd XI 2 Old Aldenhamians 2’s 0: The OHAFC 2nd XI got back to winning ways with a comfortable victory over struggling Aldenham. Having beaten them 3-0 in the away leg, Harrow were confident of getting a result, and duly delivered with a good team performance.

And Harrow were boosted further by the news that the Arthurian League Select Committee were likely to grant Harrow either 3 points or another chance to beat Millfield, who had fielded 15 players in the previous week. With promotion back within their grasp, motivation wasn’t going to be an issue on the day.

Goals from Jaguar Bajwa and 2’s debutant Oli Walker saw Jack Orr-Ewing’s men earn the three points to stay firmly in the promotion mix.

On this weekend…In the wider footballing world

Three years ago on January 23rd 2013 Swansea hosted Chelsea in the semi-final second leg of the League Cup having earned a 2-0 lead a week previously at Stamford Bridge. The Swans were holding off the Londoners easily enough as time ticked into the final quarter of an hour.

A poor cross from Cesar Azpilicueta drifted out for a goal-kick, the ball being collected by a Swansea ball-boy. What happened next has gone down in football folklore, with the youngster refusing to give the ball to Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, who then wrestled him to the ground before trying to kick the ball free. The Belgian was shown a red card by referee Chris Foy for violent conduct, whilst the boy, who turned out to be the son of one of the Swansea directors, went unpunished.

Swansea went on to hammer Bradford City in the final at Wembley, earning their first and only major silverware in their history – and in their centenary season too.

Also on this weekend:

January 24th 1995 – Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla signed for Newcastle United as manager Kevin Keegan tried to ensure the Magpies held on to the League title that appeared comfortably within their grasp. Sadly for the Geordies the plan backfired and a 12-point lead was whittled away by Man Utd who won the title on the last day of the season

January 23rd 2012 – Harry Redknapp’s tax evasion trial in London began during which he claimed he couldn’t be guilty of fraud because he had no idea what an email was or how to turn on his computer. The jury believed him, clearing Redknapp and fellow defendant Milan Mandaric of all charges

January 24th 2008 – George Burley was appointed manager of Scotland

Manchester United have also used this weekend to make some questionable signings in the striker department: January 23rd 2002 – Diego Forlan signed for £7.5 million but left with a whimper, having scored just 10 goals in 63 games

January 23rd 2004 – Louis Saha signed for Manchester United for £12.9 million from Fulham but injury problems hampered his time in the northwest and he too was sold on with little fanfare