With the School needing more football for their 2s & 3s in the autumn term, Harry Woolley cobbled together a mixed OHAFC squad of 13 with one eye on victory and the other on providing game time to players either returning from injury or wanting to be introduced to the Club. Woolley went for a 451 lineup so as not to be swamped by the school’s superior fitness in midfield.

The old boys started well and the requested high-press strategy paid immediate dividends, 2nd XI winger Andres Hutchinson closing the young centre half down and nicking the ball before being pulled down in the box with only a minute on the clock. Harry Bick was aggrieved not to be awarded a goal having planted a low strike into the bottom corner just as the referee blew for the foul, but Hutchinson made no mistake from the spot to give the OHAFC an early lead.

The old boys continued to assert their dominance for the next 15 minutes. Brunt, enjoying his first game of the season after returning from a frustrating longstanding knee injury, looked back to his old self in the middle of the park, collecting and spraying passes, allowing the old boys to switch the play effectively. Blinoff and the older Hutchinson, Pablo, were industrious, debutants Ed Nicholson and James Monroe looked solid at the back and Harry Bick was a willing runner at the head of the attack.

Midway through the half, the School settled down and began to exploit openings in the Old Boys midfield. Emre Sert and Taunton-Collins in particular managed to stop their men getting in behind on a number of occasions.

Twenty-five minutes in and further high pressing by Bick and Andres Hutchinson was rewarded, the ball falling to the latter who lashed home impressively from fifteen yards out, the School ‘keeper motionless.

2-0 up at half-time and Woolley emphasised the need to keep the ball in the second half as legs would inevitably tire. Lederman, arriving late having watched most of the 1st XI game, was duly brought on to execute the possession plan. The school, however, started the second period well and Charlie Walsh was forced into a couple of good saves, one low to his left which was acrobatically tipped round the post.

With half an hour remaining the game had completely opened up, the School’s fitness and legs telling as OHAFC were cut open - Nicholson had to make a number of timely interceptions at the back. But the pressure eventually told when a sweeping move down the right involving the School’s right winger, Trevor, resulted in a good finish at Walsh’s near post to halve the deficit and ensure an intriguing last fifteen minutes.

The OHAFC dug in and kept the ball well enough over the remaining minutes, using the width to good effect. Giles Matthey enjoyed some possession wide on the right late on and there was time for a well-executed breakaway goal when Lederman found Bick down the left and he crossed for a simple finish for Andres Hutchinson to complete his hat-trick.

In truth, 3-1 was harsh on the schoolboys who acquitted themselves well but lacked any real cutting edge up front. After the game, ex-President Fred Woolley encouraged the boys to join the Club on leaving Harrow and the players tucked into an excellent tea provided by the school caterers.