The OHAFC 2nd XI won their first ever Old Boys Cup fixture on Saturday afternoon, comfortably seeing off the challenge of East Barnet Old Grammarians 2s to book a place in the quarter-finals against the Old Parkonians 2s, 4-1 victors over holders the Old Parmiterians 2s.

Star of the show were the two Hutchinson brothers, Andres and Pablo, the latter playing his first game of the season. The two half-Spaniards provided a rampaging enthusiasm in midfield and were consistently involved in much of Harrow’s best work. Indeed, for those watching from the side this was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon’s spectating, with the Blues playing some excellent football throughout.

Entering a new cup competition was always going to be something of a leap into the unknown and there was a slight sense of trepidation as the 13-man squad took to a sunlit Phil to begin their warm-up. The presence of both Hutchinson brothers and both Ollie and Max Curry provided a welcome boost to skipper Geoff Taunton-Collins, who remained in his lone striker’s role up front. At the back, Alexi Pittalis was asked to drop back alongside regulars Woolley, Pratt and Dolbey, Charlie Walsh continuing in goal.

After a thorough warm-up, that left several players looking as if they were already in need of a rest, the game kicked off a few minutes late. Harrow started brightly, leading to a few choice exclamations from their opponents that probably wouldn’t be heard during a normal Arthurian League game. It was clear from early on that, in contrast to the tricky conditions against Citizens a week before, Saturday’s bright sunshine and benign breeze would allow the Blues to play a far higher quality of football.

Some excellent moves had already been strung together prior to the opener after twenty minutes when Lederman collected a square pass from Max Curry in midfield, looked up and fired the ball over the top for Pablo Hutchinson to run onto. The right winger still had plenty to do, but he did it brilliantly, charging into the box before composing himself sufficiently to tuck the ball inside the near post.

From then it became the Hutchinson show, with both Pablo and his brother launching a series of attacks on the East Barnet goal. Andres produced one extraordinary run when he burst through a couple of challenges, pirouetted past two more before executing a reverse Cruyff-Rabona-Panenka (or something similar to that) to take out the startled right back. Sadly, his final effort flew past the far post. He then should have scored a much simpler effort, Lederman again springing the Barnet back four to send him away and clear, but the ‘keeper read his intentions superbly and moved across to block the run.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic however, with the visitors only denied from some clear chances of their own courtesy of some bad luck – twice the ball was played through to a striker in the clear, twice an unfortunate ricochet ended the attack. Charlie Walsh was forced into making a fine save on the half hour to preserve the lead, diving to his left to turn the ball past the far post.

The hosts deserved their lead at the break but he second half proved a rather different affair, right from the restart the Grammarians launching the ball forwards from deep and this became the pattern for the next half an hour, with the visitors continually bombarding the Harrow box in the hope of causing some panic. It seemed a curious tactic given that during the first half, with the sun in Harrow eyes, the visitors had kept play short and to feet. But now they decided to try the opposite and, on the whole, the Blues coped well. Pittalis, Max Curry, Woolley and Pratt all battled manfully and, barring a couple of half-chances, Charlie Walsh remained untroubled in goal.

In fact, it was Harrow who regained their composure sufficiently to put the game to bed with two breakaway goals in the space of ten minutes. Taunton-Collins was played through down the inside left channel and as he entered the box was dragged down from behind by a rather desperate lunge. Lederman regained duties from the spot following Max Curry’s failure the week before and he made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way to double the lead.

And shortly afterwards the same players combined to put the result beyond doubt, another Harrow break saw Andres Hutchinson play the ball square to Lederman on the right, he in turn fired a 40 yard pass into Taunton-Collins’ path and having seen his first effort saved by the keeper, leapt up to head home the rebound.

The final ten minutes of the game belonged, predictably enough, to substitute Ru Hoffen, who was making his first Saturday appearance for the OHAFC for several years. Keen to involved himself from the off, the veteran League and Dunn Cup winner tracked back to his own box to help stifle a Barnet attack. Unfortunately, as the ball landed at his feet he took an almighty swing to thrash it clear only to miss it completely, the ball rebounding off his standing leg and back up into the air, leading to further panic from his teammates.

Deciding he would be better off helping the team at the other end of the pitch, his next intervention with just a few minutes to go was even more spectacular. With the game now gone as a contest, Pablo Hutchinson latched onto a long ball over the top and seemed certain to make it 4-0. That was until the goalkeeper decided that he couldn’t let Pablo past and hauled him back with both arms around the waist. Temitope Shabi almost reluctantly pointed to the spot. Lederman, sensing that his friend may never get a better chance to score a last OHAFC goal, handed him the ball, pausing briefly to ask ‘are you going to score?’ ‘Yes’ came the reply. And then the inevitable happened, Hoffen striding up confidently but leaning back fatally to send the ball flashing off the top of the bar and away behind the goal.

If that brought some stifled guffaws from those watching, the final minute included some comedy gold as the Hoffen knack of winding people up on a football pitch once more surfaced. The ball ran out for a throw down by the corner flag and what should have been the last action of the game. A needless sly boot from the Harrow man caught his opponent who reacted with fury, grabbing Hoffen around the waist and looking ready to launch a full-scale riot. In typical fashion, Hoffen just grinned and held his hands out as if to say ‘what have I done?’ Referee Shabi took the wise option and blew for full time.

It concluded a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon for the 2s, in stark contrast to the 1s who had been comprehensively thrashed on the adjacent pitch. The football played throughout the first half and in the latter stages of the second was first class and the clean sheet was especially welcome following the ten goals conceded in the first three League games.

The challenges keep coming however, with a trip to Charterhouse to face their 2s next up on Saturday. A repeat performance to this will give the side every opportunity of gaining some badly-needed points.