Some sloppy defending from an 85th minute corner cost the OHAFC 1st XI dearly in their final pre-season friendly against KCS Wimbledon Old Boys at Colliers Wood on Monday evening.

A fluctuating game saw Wimbledon command much of the first half and deservedly take the lead thanks to a slick move that saw the rangy striker fed in down the right hand side of the Harrow box and coolly clip the ball past debutant goalkeeper Rory Craig.

Wimbledon nearly doubled their lead shortly afterwards when another excellent spell of play saw the striker again fed in, this time down the inside left channel, but his clipped shot drifted just wide of the far post.

For much of the half, the yellow-shirted Harrovians struggled to close the opposition down, the wide expanses of the Colliers Wood pitch enabling Wimbledon to dominate in central midfield and spray balls wide and up to their striker.

Harrow rarely posed a threat, with Dan Firoozan stranded out on the left and the pace of front men Hoffen and Gilbert rarely utilised. The few attacks that were mustered mainly came down the right, with Breeden, Scarborough and Gould combining but invariably crosses into the box were cleared without trouble, Harrow struggling to get forward in numbers.

An accidental clash of knees left Harrow skipper Ed Poulter on the ground in some pain prior to the half-time whistle and he took the opportunity to make a treble change, with Sert, Curry and Stebbings all entering the fray.

The opening spell of the second half saw neither side in the ascendency and the two goalkeepers rarely troubled. As the half wore on however, it was the Harrovians who began to threaten. Wimbledon's forward play lost much of its threat and the yellow shirts began to swarm. Breeden, now in a central position, Firoozan and Gould took command and for long spells the visitors found themselves camped inside their own half.

After several half-chances had come to nothing, Harrow got the equaliser their play deserved when a calm spell of possession allowed Firoozan to collect the ball on the edge of the box, transfer it to his left foot and precisely curl it into the bottom corner, the Wimbledon 'keeper a mere spectator.

At this stage a Harrow winner looked increasingly likely, with Stebbings, Gilbert and Curry suddenly coming to life. Twice the Wimbledon 'keeper was forced to make fine saves, first to turn a curled effort from Stebbings past his far post, then to block at close range with his knees following a scramble.

George Gould produced a surging run that took him past three or four players until he was upended twenty-five yards out but his effort from the free-kick deflected wide.

Having recovered so well in the second half it was galling for Ed Poulter's side to then concede a second goal just minutes from time. A Wimbledon corner was missed by everyone at the near post and it was an attacker who reacted quickest, trapping the ball before side-footing home from close range.

Although it was ultimately a disappointing result for the OHAFC, the second half performance from the side leaves much cause for optimism ahead of the season opener against Eton on September 24th.

Youngsters Craig, Gould, Ellis and MacIntryre, none of whom have yet played competitively for the Club, all looked capable of competing at this level, even though some of them may have university commitments as the leaves begin to drop.

The returning Breeden and Stebbings, both now in London for the medium term, will provide excellent depth for the Club and there still looks to be life left in the near 40-year old legs of Harry Hoffen, who continues to defy the odds as one of the quickest players in Arthurian League football.

The 1st XI have a two-week break until the Festiphil tournament with the Eton fixture a week later, a mouth-watering appetiser for the long season ahead.