The OHAFC 2nd XI’s promotion hopes suffered a major setback on Saturday morning when the Blues suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat to rivals the Old Sennockians on the Harrow School astroturf. In awful conditions, the hosts dominated much of the first half but struggled to break down a defensive Sevenoaks formation. But the second half proved a different story and once the visitors had taken the lead just past the hour mark, they looked the only side likely to go on and win the match. A second followed soon afterwards on the break and a late third consigned the OHAFC to a first defeat against their Kent rivals in five meetings.

With Storm Darragh wreaking havoc across the country, the OHAFC 2nd and 3rd XI fixtures were two of only eleven to take place across the Arthurian League on Saturday. The 2s, perhaps unsurprisingly, chose to play on the artificial surface on the opposite side of the Hill to the Phil, and although the result would suggest otherwise, that decision proved a wise one as the waterlogged state of the lower Phil pitch where the 3s played prevented any semblance of decent football from being played there.

In contrast, the 2s began brightly against the Sennockians on the astro, passing the ball with confidence and making light of the conditions. The visitors adopted a fairly low block and allowed the Blues to control possession, but the home side still played with purpose, feeding front men Owain James and the returning Pedro Azagra, both of whom enjoyed starring roles when the Blues won 5-3 down in Kent in the first meeting between the teams earlier this season. But the hosts’ promising start was hurt by a dead leg suffered by skipper Miles Kellock after only twenty minutes. After a fairly innocuous challenge out on the left, the forward tried to continue for a few minutes before limping rather forlornly to the touchline. Tom Walduck was a more than capable replacement, but Kellock’s injury, coupled with the absences of both Tristan David and Andres Hutchinson, meant that the side had been deprived of three of their strongest attacking players.

Unfortunately, this showed for the remainder of the half as the home side continued to control possession and sit comfortably inside the Sevenoaks half but rarely threaten the visitors’ keeper. A few corners were forced but well defended, a flowing move saw Azagra fed down the inside right channel but he dragged his shot just wide of the far post. The three central midfielders Lederman, Jordache and Stewart were perhaps too cautious to join the attack more often. But with Sevenoaks lining up with a defensive line of five, it is debatable how much difference this would have made.

The half ended goalless but with the home side happy with their efforts over the first forty-five minutes. There was, however, another injury cloud on the horizon as Lederman was suffering from soreness in his calf and hamstring that had restricted him over the final ten minutes of the half. With Kellock unable to return, the veteran was forced to grin and bear it as best he could.

Having enjoyed a 2-0 half-time lead against the Old Chigwellians last weekend only to then start slowly in the second half and concede a goal within two minutes, there was a firm determination not to suffer a repeat here. But unfortunately that is exactly what happened as the hosts’ level of play dropped significantly. The comfortable possession of the first half was replaced by some hurried, sloppy passing that handed the initiative to the Sennockians, although they too struggled to create many chances of note, keeper Rory Craig rarely called upon to intervene. The hosts now offered little as an attacking threat, the Sennockians midfield, which had been practically non-existent in the first half, now showing signs of life. Whether or not it was a carefully considered game plan, or whether it was just a shift in momentum brought about by the half-time interruption, it was now the visitors on the front foot and the OHAFC forced to defend.

But despite the growing pressure on the hosts, the game remained without much goalmouth incident until the 65th minute, when Sennocks ventured forwards down their left. The Blues appeared to have enough players back to cover but there was still mild panic as a blocked cross headed wide of the near post for a corner, only for centre-back Giacomo Grasso to hammer the ball back into play attempting a clearance. Unfortunately for the hosts, referee Ben Wong, who had an excellent game otherwise, failed to award the corner despite the ball clearly going over the line. It was to prove a costly miss, Grasso’s clearance collected by a Sennocks midfielder ten yards outside the box and he carried the ball forwards a couple of yards before unleashing a perfect shot from twenty-five yards out, the ball arrowing an inch inside the far post and leaving Craig without a hope of effecting a save.

Within six minutes the lead had been doubled, another break down the Sennocks left and some poor Harrow marking allowed the striker to fire in first time from just inside the box. Harrow heads dropped with the sinking feeling that whilst one goal might have been retrievable, two, with fewer than twenty minutes remaining, was now a tall order. The Blues did rally briefly, with a few half-chances created, but as the minutes ticked by and the Sennocks keeper proved himself equal to anything thrown at him, hope drained. When Azagra fired straight into the keeper’s grateful arms from no more than fifteen yards out, it was clear that this was not to be the hosts’ day. A late third from the visitors confirmed this, Harrow suffering their third League defeat of the season and ensuring the margin for error in a bid to claim one of the top two spots in Division Three is now a narrow one.

The Blues end their 2024 with a trip to Acton to face the Old Carthusians 2s, the team they beat 3-1 on the Hill in the opening game of the season. Seven games remain for the OHAFC 2s – they are now likely to need to win at least five of them.