A poor first-half display against a highly-motivated Citizens side cost the OHAFC 2nd XI an opportunity of a rare League win in south east London on Saturday afternoon. Despite improving markedly after the break, the 4-0 deficit proved too great a handicap to fight back from, the Blues eventually ending the game well beaten at 6-1.

It was always going to be a tough ask for the 2s to travel across town for an early kick-off against a side gunning for their second consecutive promotion up the Arthurian League: Citizens have enjoyed a fine debut season in Division Two and knew that wins from their final three games would guarantee promotion, as well as a chance of pipping the Carthusians 2s to the title.

And it was the hosts who began the game on the front foot, pressing the OHAFC defence from the off and enjoying a clear aerial advantage, despite the best efforts of Max Curry to even things up in that department. Citizens appeared more aggressive in the challenge, quicker to the ball and sharper with their passing, although it was still galling for the visitors to concede a goal after barely five minutes that was all of their own making. Lederman turned and passed back to Emre Sert in the Harrow goal and as the ball bobbled on the uneven surface, Sert scuffed his clearance straight to a Citizens forward who punished the mistake superbly, planting the ball back over the keeper’s head with a pinpoint first-time effort.

With their backs to the wall, the Blues initially responded well and enjoyed an excellent ten-minute spell when they sparked into life and began to spread the play confidently. Taunton-Collins looked threatening down the right, raiding forwards at regular intervals, and Cyprian Owen-Edmunds had several half-chances to snatch an equaliser, the ball never quite running for the makeshift striker despite his best efforts.

But having ridden out this particular spell of Harrow pressure, the hosts regained their sense of purpose and some rather brittle OHAFC defending allowed them to take charge of the game. Sert was left exposed on several occasions, a cross from the right should have been cleared but was scuffed over the line. A well-worked third ended with a low, drilled finish beyond the despairing dive of the keeper, the fourth came courtesy of a superb cross from the right wing that careered through the corridor of uncertainty at speed before being turned in at the far post.

It was sobering stuff for the visitors but they continued to battle gamely, unfortunately unable to find a way past the solid Citizens back line. A Jack-Orr Ewing header that cannoned off the bar from a corner just about summed up the Blues’ half.

2s’ debutant Michael Brooks came on at right-back after half an hour, not the easiest situation to be thrust into, although the youngster acquitted himself well and grew in confidence as the game wore on.

With little hope of winning the game, the half-time team-talk focussed on keeping spirits high and competing until the final whistle. There was some confusion when Jack Dolby suggested a change in formation, the second half beginning with the skipper running through various permutations and Dolbey thrust further forwards from midfield.

In the event, they needn’t have worried. The visitors were true to their word and produced a much improved second half display, camping themselves inside Citizens’ half for long spells. Whether or not the hosts had relaxed given their apparently impregnable lead is debatable, and they remained a threat on the counter, but the incisiveness of their early attacks was gone, the Blues now firmly on the front foot.

Chances were soon being spurned with regularity: Owen-Edmunds was again given a sight of goal but the keeper foiled him with an excellent stop, Max Curry struck the crossbar with a firm strike but received no reward and he then stole in to collect a poor pass back, rounded the keeper but found the angle too tight and his shot was hacked clear off the line. It was no exaggeration to suggest Harrow, by this stage, could conceivably have had three goals of their own and in with a chance of an unlikely comeback.

Thankfully, the visitors were eventually rewarded for their efforts with a stunning goal, 2s debutant James Monroe collecting the ball on the edge of the area, taking a touch before curling the ball beautifully into the far top corner. The two Monroe siblings enjoyed themselves immensely in the second half, constantly raiding forwards and combining down the left to great effect.

Disappointingly, having pulled a goal back, the Blues conceded a fifth within a matter of minutes, Lederman failing to control a bobbling ball in midfield and Citizens poured forwards to score with some ease. Despite still being under constant pressure at the back, they even managed to score a sixth, a low shot from the edge of the box wrong-footing Sert in the Harrow goal and the misery was complete.

Although the Citizens were worthy winners and clearly possessed the greater motivation on the day, it was a decent enough effort from a Harrow side with little to play for other than pride. The second half performance was a strong one, but, obviously, defensive errors accounted for their opponents’ early lead, a position they never looked likely to surrender.

Two games remain for the OHAFC, with another tough-looking trip away to the Old Westminsters in Rotherhithe next week before the final fixture of the season, the visit of struggling Lancing 2s to the Hill. As yet no date has been set for that match.