Continuing our look back at OHAFC fixtures played on the corresponding weekend over the previous six seasons – this weekend has thrown up a feast of goals in seasons gone by with eight games involving Harrow teams seeing the ball hit the back of the onion bag no less than 46 times!

Six Seasons Ago: February 20th 2010

OHAFC 1st XI 2 Lancing Old Boys 1: A fine double from Ed Martins ensured the OHAFC title-charge continued apace on the Harrow School New Fields.

In a tough rematch against a Lancing team who had held the Blues to a 1-1 draw a few weeks previously, the hosts eventually triumphed thanks to grim determination and a sprinkling of quality from Martins, whose two goals were sweetly struck and perfectly timed - the first giving Harrow the lead, the second deflating Lancing in the final fifteen minutes with the game delicately poised at 1-1 and sending the scorer on a wild run of celebration, twirling his shirt over his head and screaming like a demonic gorilla who has just found out his wife has run off with an orang-utan.

OHAFC 2nd XI 2 Old Haberdashers 6: On an adjacent pitch the Harrow 2’s fared less well, suffering a hammering at the hands of Haberdashers.

Amir Shah opened the scoring and substitute Nick Defty scored a second inside twenty-five minutes but the visitors proved too strong and in the second half ran out comfortable winners.

Five Seasons Ago: February 19th 2011

No OHAFC Fixtures

Four Seasons Ago: February 18th 2012

OHAFC 1st XI 3 Old Brentwoods 2: Another high-scoring win for an OAFC team on the Hill, with the 1st XI coming through unscathed against Brentwood in a game played in pouring rain.

The opening half an hour was an even affair with neither goalkeeper called into serious action. As has so often been the case in the past, when Harrow did concede the opener, it was largely from their own doing. A poor pass out from the back by Ed Martins was intercepted and played through for a simple finish from the striker.

The hosts hit back soon afterwards in fortuitous circumstances, Fred Richardson’s low cross deflected in via the boot of a defender who panicked needlessly when trying to clear.

The goal galvanised the home side and they pressed forward with more authority as the half drew to a close, taking the lead through a fine goal two minutes before the break when Lederman angled a through ball to perfection and Brunt was just able to stick out a leg before the ‘keeper arrived to poke it past him and into an empty net.

The goalscorer nearly added a spectacular second minutes after the break with a superb dipping volley that beat the ‘keeper but flew just over the bar. Brentwood came even closer to levelling the scores themselves when a long-range effort crashed back off the Harrow bar, McHardy well beaten.

Harrow were then dealt a blow when Richardson went down under a heavy challenge and suffered a dislocated shoulder, Defty replacing him. Brentwood took advantage of the situation and with twelve minutes remaining did score the equaliser their play had deserved when Lederman gave away possession in midfield and another simple through ball saw McHardy exposed.

But the culprit of that goal made amends in fine style just two minutes from time as he finished off an excellent team move to score the winner, the winger exchanging passes with Baker and calmly sidefooting home from six yards out to send his teammates home happy.

Old Amplefordians 0 OHAFC 2nd XI 3: Yet more atrocious conditions in Chiswick as the Harrow 2’s overcame bottom of the table Ampleforth with a clinical display.

Despite the rain and wind, Arjun Chopra’s men took control of the game in the five minutes before half-time thanks to goals from Soyinka and Harder. Neither side was able to play much football on a poor pitch, but the points were made safe fifteen from time when substitute Rupert Hoffen came off the bench to score the visitors’ third.

Three Seasons Ago: February 23rd 2013:

OHAFC 1st XI 5 Old Chigwellians 4: Another game studded with goals from both teams and another narrow win for the Harrow side on the Hill, this game being played in freezing temperatures.

Harrow fielded a weakened team with a number of regulars away but were thankful for 2’s regulars Pritchard, Jack Orr-Ewing and Stead for helping out. The hosts started well and took the lead thanks to a fine team goal involving Defty, Harder and Lederman, the latter crossing for Brunt to fire home.

In typical fashion a soft equaliser was then conceded almost immediately, Bourke’s poor pass back to Will Orr-Ewing causing the fatal error.

A controversial penalty was then awarded to Harrow when Harder stayed on his feet having been kicked but the referee deemed it a foul nonetheless. A lengthy protest delayed the taking of the kick and appeared to affect Lederman who struck a feeble effort that somehow crept in.

A third was scored when excellent work from front two Brunt and Defty earned possession high up the pitch and Johan Harder was on hand to collect the ball and fire home from the edge of the box, giving the hosts a 3-1 lead at the break.

That was almost immediately reduced to 3-2 on the restart, Harrow failing to clear their lines properly despite numerous chances to do so. A number of fouls interrupted the flow of the game but Ed Martins broke the tedium with a superb goal, carrying the ball forward from left-back before unleashing a fierce drive into the far top corner.

Harrow scored a fifth soon after, Lederman springing the offside trap to unselfishly square for Bourke to tap in from close range. At that stage it looked like the hosts would see out the game comfortably but the last twenty minutes again highlighted the weaknesses in defence as Chigs scored twice more, once from a corner, the other following a goalmouth scramble, to set up a tense finish. Fortunately there were no further mishaps and the Blues held on for a deserved win despite making life far harder for themselves than they should have done.

Old Citizens 1 OHAFC 2nd XI 6, Junior League Cup 2nd Round:

A solid Harrow performance saw off a decent Citizens outfit who at the time were the Division 5 leaders.

The South London boys fell behind early on after a well-worked build-up and side foot finish from Stead. Skipper Chopra then scored his second of the season when his arrowing cross was magnificently over-hit leaving the visitors’ 'keeper stranded. Chopra then added a second, rifling in low and hard from 25 yards.

Soyinka was then brought down in the box after some good work from Spencer Crawley down the left, Gbeminiyi dispatching the spot kick with ease (scuffing down the centre of the goal with the 'keeper diving to his right).

Harrow defended well in the second half with Maydon and Turner putting in some important tackles at vital times. Soyinka comfortably notched up a second half double to complete his seventh hat-trick for the Club and complete a routine win for the 2’s.

Two Seasons Ago: February 22nd 2014

OHAFC 2nd XI 0 Old Berkhamsteds 4: The 2nd XI’s promotion hopes suffered a blow as Jack Orr-Ewing’s men fell to a 4-0 defeat at home to a well-organised Berkhamsted team.

It didn’t help that four of the side had been asked to help out the 3’s in an earlier kick-off on the School astroturf, but the starting lineup – despite the late cry-off of Galen Crawley – looked strong enough to ensure a tight contest.

Sadly, the visitors proved too strong, although they were gifted their opening goal when a trio of Harrow defenders failed to clear properly and a ricochet took the ball into the path of an opposition striker.

A long-range strike doubled Berkhamsted’s advantage and despite then enjoying a good spell midway through the half, the hosts again caused their own problems when a header back by Robinson was intercepted and turned in just before the break, ensuring a three-goal margin at half-time.

Harrow played well for most of the second half but could not find the goal their play deserved and Theo Gordon was left exposed in the closing minutes allowing Berkhamsted to break upfield and score a fourth.

Old Foresters 3’s 3 OHAFC 3rd XI 4: Before the 2nd XI kicked off on the Phil pitches, the OHAFC 3’s played out a titanic battle against their Forest counterparts on the School astroturf – the second such contest between the two sides following a thrilling 4-3 win for the Foresters back in November.

The scoring began early with Dave Howells earning a penalty for handball on ten minutes, the Harrovian confidently stepping forward to smash home from the spot. Alex Smith doubled the lead soon afterwards with a powerful run and strike from right-back and at this stage a comfortable win appeared on the cards.

Forest pulled a goal back midway through the half to halve the deficit but Harrow responded almost immediately with Smith turning in a Howells cross from close range to restore the two-goal advantage. The goals just kept on coming with both sides scoring once more before the break: Harrow made it 4-1 with Howells scoring his second, turning in a rebound from Benjy Sewell’s effort, but Forest gave themselves some hope with a second right on the whistle.

The second half was a much tighter affair, Harrow seemingly thinking the game was won and relaxing allowing their opponents to pour forward. Forest scored a third with half an hour remaining and at this stage looked capable of completing the comeback but their hopes were to be dashed in the crucial moment of the game, a penalty conceded by Harrow ‘keeper Jack Orr-Ewing with under twenty minutes remaining. Fortunately, the stopper atoned for his earlier error and saved the spot-kick, preserving the lead and allowing his team to hang on for the final quarter of an hour and earn three valuable points.

Last Season: February 21st 2015

No OHAFC Fixtures

On this weekend…In the wider footballing world

This has been a pretty momentous couple of days for British football going back over the years.

On February 20th 1992 the FA gave formal approval for the creation of a new Premier League – what has now become known as the self-styled ‘best League in the world.’

Back in the early 90’s English clubs were worried: crowds were down, violence still flared at certain clubs and England away games and the best English talent was being drained to Italy, lured by the lira and the prospect of playing with the world’s greatest players. Dilapidated stadia were rarely sold out and games were only sporadically shown on television.

In a bid to change the football landscape in England, the ‘Big Five’ clubs at the time – Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal & Everton – decided to do something about it. In agreement with the FA, they broke away from the Football League – along with the 17 other top division sides at the time – and signed an agreement with Sky Television.

The rest is history. The game has rarely been as popular in this country with sold-out stadia, many of which have been either rebuilt or renovated, and some of the best players in the world performing for English fans to enjoy. Football is on TV almost every day of the week and gets more media attention than at any time previously.

If only the top English sides were any good…

February 21st 1995 saw the term ‘bung’ come into the football mainstream when, shockingly, George Graham was sacked as Arsenal manager following an Inland Revenue investigation into several transfers involving Norwegian agent Rune Hauge.

It was alleged that Hauge and Graham had siphoned money off from transfers having failed to disclose to Arsenal that certain players were available for a lower fee than had previously been quoted.

Graham had been one of Arsenal’s greatest ever managers, winning two League titles, the FA Cup, the League Cup twice and the Cup Winners’ Cup. Chairman Peter Hill-Wood said ‘I cannot recall a sadder day.’

February 20th 1991 saw one of the greatest games in FA Cup history take place – a timely reminder given the news this week that the FA is considering scrapping all FA Cup replays in a bid to ease fixture congestion.

Back in 1991 it would have deprived fans on Merseyside and elsewhere of the extraordinary 4-4 draw between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park in a fifth round replay that was eventually settled at the third time of asking when Everton won 1-0 back at Anfield.

Peter Beardsley twice put the visitors in front on the night – Graeme Sharp equalised both times. Ian Rush looked like he had won it for the Reds but Tony Cottee equalised in the 89th minute to force extra time. Again, Liverpool took the lead, John Barnes scoring a stunning, and rare, right-foot curler. But up popped Cottee again in the 114th minute to draw Everton level for the fourth time and force the tie to a third game.

Finally, ending on a sad note, you may remember two weeks ago it was the anniversary of the Munich air disaster in which 23 people lost their lives. It was on the 21st February 1958 that one of the shining lights of the Busby Babes succumbed to his injuries: Duncan Edwards lost his fight for life and it was, in the words of United legend Sir Bobby Charlton, ‘the biggest single tragedy to ever happen to Manchester United and to English football.’