The OHAFC 1st XI were summarily dumped out of the Arthur Dunn Cup on Saturday morning, losing 8-2 away to Premier Division high-flyers the Old Bradfieldians on a sunny day at Bradfield College. Despite the eventual one-sided nature of the final score, the visitors actually put up a decent fight against their heavily-fancied opponents, tiredness and a lack of options off the bench finally allowing the hosts to run up a heavy score late on. Defeat leaves the Blues with eight League games to play next year in a bid to secure their status in Division One.

Skipper Dan Firoozan, despite pleading with his squad many weeks in advance, was again left with a fairly threadbare squad to make the journey west down the A4 and a first Dunn Cup meeting between the sides since a semi-final defeat for the OHAFC down in Cobham in 2001. Unsurprisingly, nobody from that day lined up for this latest fixture between the teams, with the OHAFC’s oldest player 34 year-old goalkeeper Fraser McGuinness. Ed Nicholson and Ed Beecham formed a reliable, physical centre-back partnership, but there was a surprise in the wide areas, with regular left-back Cyprian Owen Edmunds shifted to the right and winger Arthur Leney filling in at left-back. George Gould at least returned to bolster the midfield alongside Buckley and Jordache and the front three of Acar, Payne and Taylor – back from injury – looked capable of causing problems for the hosts. The Bradfieldians, curiously, had only played seven League games prior to this meeting, fewer than anyone else in the entire Arthurian League (with the exception of Division Five side the Old Wykehamists 2s - also seven games played), but a record of four wins and a draw suggested this would prove a far harder test than the Old Ardinians provided on the Hill in round one.

Conditions at the College were tricky with a strong breeze and a heavy pitch, hardly surprising given the awful recent weather. The Blues started brightly enough in front of a decent crowd, George Taylor causing a few problems latching onto a couple of long balls played over the top of the Bradfield back four. But, in what was to become the theme of the first half, within ten minutes the hosts had taken the lead from a corner – the ball flicked off Ali Buckley’s shoulder, ricocheted into another body and fell at the feet of the centre-forward Cox, who instinctively back-heeled it into the roof of the net from close range.

Harrow’s response was quick and decisive and at least gave the home side food for thought. Another long ball up to Taylor saw him beat the last defender and close in on goal, only for a second challenge to flatten him, albeit with some of the ball won in the process. Referee Malcolm Hillen pointed to the spot and Jamie Jordache stepped up to confidently convert, firing the ball into the top right corner. The visitors were on level terms for just ten minutes, however, before another corner caused undue problems, Iglesias rising unmarked at the far post to head into the roof of the net. But, remarkably, within five minutes the Blues had levelled, somewhat fortuitously it must be said, from a set-piece of their own. A free-kick on the halfway line posed no immediate threat to the Bradfieldians, Nicholson playing it square to Cyprian Owen Edmunds on the right. His long ball into the box saw both George Taylor and the Bradfield keeper collide, the ball sailing on its way past both of them and into the back of the net. Minor Bradfieldian protests were waved away and once more the sides were level at 2-2.

Infuriatingly, once again, the sides were level for only five minutes and, to make matters worse, it was yet another corner that allowed the hosts to take the lead for the third and final time in the first half. Powerful centre-back Freddie Bloem, who had been a constant menace at all the set-pieces, made light of George Gould’s attempt to mark him and powered a header in at the far post following another superb delivery.

Half-time arrived with the sides separated by just the one goal, although even that scoreline was a frustrating one for the visitors to accept, with the Blues having battled well and largely competed on even terms. The Bradfieldians had created a couple of chances from open play but keeper Fraser McGuinness was up to the task and going forwards Taylor and Acar looked lively, Will Payne yet to fully involve himself in proceedings. It was with some surprise that an offer than arrived to play the second half of the tie on an adjoining pitch, the one being used already showing signs of wear and tear. Perhaps understandably, Harrow skipper Dan Firoozan, in consultation with his team, wanted to minimise any potential benefit for the home side and so declined, play resuming on the same pitch the game had started on.

The visitors began the second half well and had a golden opportunity to level for the third time in the game when Taylor latched onto a hurried clearance from the keeper to feed Payne but having rounded the stricken goalie, the winger could only fire wide of the target as the angle narrowed – Bradfieldian appeals for offside eventually proving irrelevant. It was to prove the decisive moment of the half as within ten minutes the hosts had scored twice more to open up an unassailable 5-2 lead. The Bradfield left winger teed up the fourth, beating Owen Edmunds down the Harrow right and cutting the ball back from the goal line. Buckley stabbed clear but the ball was smashed back in by Watts, the first of what was to become a second half hat-trick for him. Nine minutes later and the tie was as good as over when Foord added a fifth, a superb strike after the winger had cut inside past several defenders before firing the ball into the top corner.

Skipper Dan Firoozan finally introduced himself off the bench, replacing Buckley in the midfield. But even with one pair of fresh legs the visitors found the final half-hour tough going, the hosts enjoying a full complement of fourteen and able to bring some quality young players on as the starters tired on the increasingly heavy surface. The final twenty minutes saw the hosts add three more goals to put the gloss on an emphatic victoy, Watts completing his hat-trick after Hodgkinson had scored the sixth.

The visitors enjoyed a couple of chances of their own, Taylor and Gould both firing wide when well placed, but by this stage the tension had long since evaporated and the Premier Division side were safely into the hat for the quarter-finals. For the visitors, a valiant effort against a strong side, although the concession of three first-half goals from corners will prove a lingering regret. The Blues can now rest their weary limbs over the Christmas break and focus on securing their Division One status in the months ahead.