The OHAFC 1st XI eventually succumbed to Division One winners Brentwood in the final League game of the 2015/16 season on Saturday, losing 2-0 in a game that for long spells saw both sides compete on even terms.

Although availability for the Blues was better than it had been in recent weeks there were still some notable absentees from the core squad, including both first choice centre-halves, Fred Milln and Yunus Sert. Jack Hill, Harry Hoffen and Tass von Hirsch, who have all played important roles in gaining promotion, were also missing.

In their stead came returns to the side for Rollo Hovey, Alex Smith, Sam Pepys, Geoff Taunton-Collins and a debut for Mike Okoigun, who began on the bench alongside Gilbert and Hovey.

The pitch at Brentwood was in about as good a condition as it can be in, which is pretty poor compared to nearly every other surface in the top two divisions of the Arthurian League. But with little wind and a bright sun an excellent game was in prospect as the two top teams in the division met to decide who would return to the Premier Division as champions - for Harrow, playing for the first time in a rather smart new yellow away strip, only a win (and some serious help from Wellington) would suffice, the hosts just needed to avoid defeat.

The opening quarter of an hour was quiet with neither side able to produce any attacks of note. Harrow's midfield trio of Pepys, Portal and Breeden did their best to get on the ball but the bobbly pitch made controlling and passing the ball much trickier than usual and as a result cohesive football was in short supply.

As the half wore on Brentwood began to press, especially down their left flank with Taunton-Collins and Robinson both run at on several occasions. Harrow were helped by two Brentwood forwards being forced off injured with twisted ankles as a result of the uneven surface - one was able to return later in the game, the other was carried to the dressing rooms.

McGuinness made a superb save to divert a rising shot over the bar at full stretch but with ten minutes remaining in the half the hosts did open the scoring, Taunton-Collins losing the ball in midfield and as he struggled to regain his position on the right, the ball was played down a gaping hole and clipped first-time over the advancing McGuinness.

The lead was deserved for the hosts and skipper Poulter switched things around with Hovey coming on at right-back, Gilbert on the right wing.

The second half was a complete contrast to the first with the visitors in the ascendancy for much of it. Brentwood, for whatever reason, struggled to string passes together as much as Harrow had done in the first half with the result that much of the play was concentrated in their half.

The Blues continued to struggle to create chances however with Smith ploughing a lone furrow up front and the creative talents of Firoozan and Breeden struggling on the poor surface.

With twenty minutes remaining Mike Okoigun replaced Smith up front but it was nearly the shortest substitute appearance by an OHAFC player in history when he went down a minute later with a knock. Fortunately he was able to continue and with Smith returning to the fray for the final ten minutes the visitors threw everything they had at a strangely subdued Brentwood.

As the game entered the final five minutes tragedy struck when a sloppy ball out from the back from John Portal fell kindly to the Brentwood left winger and he drove past Hovey to finish inside the near post.

With the game gone, Harrow should have scored a consolation when a driven cross-field ball from Portal picked out Lederman at the far post and having done the hard part by cutting inside to leave two defenders on the floor, he could only drill the ball straight at the 'keeper from close range.

There was still time for one of the funniest moments of the season courtesy of Rollo Hovey, who cleared the ball out for a throw, hitting one of the Brentwood supporters' dogs with the ball. Some good-natured ribbing ensued from the sideline which Rollo took a bit too seriously, wandering over to console the beast as Brentwood took the throw down the line into an ocean of space. 'Heel Rollo, heel' shouted an exasperated Poulter...

At the final whistle Brentwood celebrated as confirmed Division One champions, a fair outcome given the fantastic results they have collected since Christmas.

For the OHAFC 1st XI, the game closed out a successful season with promotion back into the Premier Division secured at the first attempt. Even if results fell away towards the end as motivation from some of the squad waned, there was much for Ed Poulter and his players to be proud of and much to look forward to next season, with life back in the top flight and the chance to test themselves against some very good sides.