Continuing our look back at OHAFC fixtures played on the corresponding weekend over the previous six seasons – with several campaigns ending in either glorious success or ignominious failure on this weekend…

Six Seasons Ago: April 24th 2010:

OHAFC 1st XI 3 Old Carthusians 1: The OHAFC 1st XI closed to within one win of the Premier Division title after a magnificent performance that saw them beat title rivals Charterhouse 3-1 at Rayners Lane FC.

Having trailed in the League for most of the season, Harrow’s recent run of five straight wins had given them the chance to overhaul the long-time league leaders. It was a chance they took in style, earning a 2-0 lead at the break thanks to a Lederman free-kick, curled over the top of the wall and into the bottom corner, and a fine Piers Bourke strike, the left-winger connecting sweetly with a Lederman cross to fire into the far bottom corner.

Charterhouse threw everything at Harrow in the second half but the Blues held firm thanks to titanic performances from centre-halves Milln and Poulter as well as goalkeeper Luke Raffety. The visitors finally broke through with five minutes left and threw men forward in desperation knowing that a draw was sufficient to deny Harrow the title.

But a long clearance from the back saw Harry Hoffen given the freedom of the pitch and he carried the ball forty yards to round the ‘keeper and slot home, provoking scenes of wild celebration from the Harrow supporters.

Five Seasons Ago: April 23rd 2011

No OHAFC Fixtures

Four Seasons Ago: April 21st 2012

Old Haileyburians 1 OHAFC 1st XI 2 Finally a win for a Harrow team on the final day of the season, this one coming against a Haileybury team that was already relegated.

Things started in comical fashion for the visitors when Ed Poulter and Will Orr-Ewing were locked in the changing rooms before kick-off. Thankfully they escaped in time to take their place for the start of the game.

Harrow began well, testing the hosts’ ‘keeper but failing to take advantage of several good chances. Thankfully skipper Quentin Baker put an end to the profligacy when he latched onto Luke de Rougemont’s flick from a long Raffety clearance to open the scoring.

A few minutes later Harrow nearly scored what surely would have been the goal of their season: Milln sprayed a fifty yard cross-field pass to Lederman on the right wing, he controlled the ball on his chest and, without letting it hit the ground, flicked the ball down the line for Hoffen to run onto. The striker looked up and produced a fine cross to the edge of the box but Freddie Brunt disappointingly fired wide with the whole team ready to celebrate the outstanding move.

Brunt was to make amends in the second half however when he scored Harrow’s second, playing a one-two with de Rougemont before planting a firm finish inside the far post. Harrow tails were up and they could have scored five or six in the closing moments of the season but, in typical Harrovian fashion, they allowed the hosts a consolation two minutes from time.

The visitors ended the season with 38 points and just one League defeat since Christmas, an excellent reward for their efforts.

OHAFC 2nd XI 1 Old Carthusians 2’s 5, Junior League Cup Final Junior League Cup success two years running eluded the OHAFC 2nd XI when they were comfortably beaten by Charterhouse’s third-string in the final at Teddington. After the previous season’s heroics in defeating Carthusians’ 2’s, hopes were high of another Harrow win, but there was to be no mercy shown from the Division Two champions and their long ball tactics and superior physicality rendered Harrovian efforts in vain.

3-0 down at half-time, the Blues were briefly given hope when Hugo Trower turned and shot into the bottom left corner. But the necessity to throw men forward left Harrow exposed at the back and they were twice caught on the break in the closing minutes to ensure a comfortable win for the team from Surrey.

Three Seasons Ago: April 20th 2013

Old Chigwellians 0 OHAFC 1st XI 1: The OHAFC 1st XI produced an energetic performance with moments of high quality to secure an impressive 1-0 win over Chigwell and in the process complete a full house of wins home and away in the League as well as in the Arthur Dunn Cup.

In a tight encounter, centre-half Fred Milln popped up with twenty minutes remaining to bundle in a header from close range following a long throw. It was no more than Harrow deserved in a game in which they were on top for long spells in either half.

Old KCS Wimbledon 2’s 0 OHAFC 2nd XI 1: The Harrow 2’s secured their Division Three status with one game remaining in the season thanks to a vital 1-0 win at Kings Wimbledon in Chiswick.

On a poor pitch the hosts had the better of the early chances but ‘keeper David Griffiths made some vital stops to keep the score goalless at the interval. Harrow improved in the second half and continually peppered the Wimbledon box with long throws from Alex Cater. With five minutes remaining skipper Arjun Chopra managed to get his head to one of them and guided the ball into the net, wheeling away in wild celebration to the delight of his teammates.

Remarkably, it was the 2nd XI’s first League win since November.

Two Seasons Ago: April 26th 2014

Old Cholmeleians 4 OHAFC 1st XI 1 As with this season, the 1st XI ended the 2013/14 campaign fielding a makeshift side and losing comfortably away to Cholms, the only difference being that last season relegation had already been avoided.

The difference in attitude between the sides was clear: Harrow arrived with one player not bothering to turn up and only managing to field eleven players thanks to a friend of goalkeeper David Griffiths who had come along to watch.

In contrast, despite having nothing to play for, Cholms had a full squad of fourteen and were well into their warm-up when Harrow began to trudge out of the changing rooms.

It was no surprise the hosts dominated the early stages of the game, taking the lead on twenty minutes. Harrow gradually worked their way back into the game and enjoyed plenty of possession without troubling the Cholms goalkeeper.

Two goals in a minute, both thanks to careless loss of possession, saw the hosts open up a three-goal cushion and despite schoolboy Dan Firoozan scoring with an excellent run and curling shot, a fourth for Cholms ensured the OHAFC ended the season well beaten.

Last Season: April 25th 2015

Old Epsomians 2 OHAFC 2nd XI 0: A difficult final fixture of the season for the Harrow 2’s, who travelled to Kingston to face a strong Epsom side on a hard, bobbly surface.

Despite controlling the first half for long periods, the visitors struggled to break down a well-drilled Epsom back four and when the hosts stepped up their play in the second half Harrow struggled to compete.

Epsom scored against the run of play thanks to some poor marking at the back but as the game wore on a second and decisive goal became inevitable and it duly arrived courtesy of an excellent move.

April 23rd & 24th are dates synonymous with the Champions League in recent years:

On April 23rd 2003 one of the tournament’s greatest games took place with Manchester United and Real Madrid duelling it out for a place in the semi-finals.

After a 3-1 first leg win, Madrid were heavily fancied to progress. An early goal from Ronaldo sent them on their way but van Nistelrooy equalised before the break. Madrid scored twice more, with Ronaldo completing his hat-trick and being given a standing ovation from the whole of Old Trafford when he was substituted late on.

But the tie was given some excitement late on thanks to an Ivan Helguera own goal and two strikes from David Beckham, leaving the final score 4-3 to Man Utd but 6-5 to Madrid on aggregate.

April 24th 2012 was a night to remember for all Chelsea fans as they somehow came from behind with ten men at the Camp Nou to eliminate Barcelona and reach the Champions League Final.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg thanks to a Didier Drogba goal, Chelsea immediately came under pressure in Spain and saw their lead wiped out thanks to a rare Sergio Busquets goal. John Terry then stuck his knee into the back of Alexis Sanchez and was issued with a straight red card, leaving Chelsea to play for nearly an hour with ten men.

Andres Iniesta scored two minutes before the break and it appeared the confirmation that the tie had swung decisively in the Catalans’ favour. But Ramires burst forwards to produce an outstanding chip a minute later and suddenly the Londoners were ahead again on away goals.

Shortly after the break and hope was once again restored for Barcelona, a clumsy challenge by Drogba giving Messi the chance to restore the lead from the spot. He hit the bar, Chelsea defended for their lives and in the closing moments scored a third when Fernando Torres raced nearly half the length of the pitch, prompting the now famous ‘orgasm’ commentary from Sky’s Gary Neville.

Chelsea would go on to lift the Cup after yet another remarkable win over Bayern Munich in the final.

April 23rd 2001 saw Ruud van Nistelrooy finally join Manchester United for £19 million from PSV after a year out with a cruciate ligament injury. The wait proved worthwhile as the Dutchman went on to become one of United’s greatest ever goalscorers.

Finally it’s back to Fernando Torres again and on April 23rd 2011 he netted his first goal in Chelsea colours – after 14 games and 903 minutes. The £50 million price tag weighed heavily on the Spaniards shoulders and he never recaptured the form shown at Atletico and Liverpool. But given the goal he scored in the Camp Nou, perhaps most Chelsea fans would claim they didn’t really care…