The OHAFC 2nd XI ended their season in some style on Saturday morning, defeating the newly-crowned Division Three champions the Old Sennockians 3-2 on the Harrow School astroturf. A rather makeshift bare eleven, including veteran 51 year-old David Lederman in goal, battled superbly to inflict just a third defeat of the season on the Kent side, who last week completed a League and Cup double, defeating the Old Alleynians 2s on penalties to lift the Junior League Cup. But, on a beautiful sunny morning on the Hill, superb goals from Harry Bick and James Walduck, and an own goal from a short corner routine, ensured the Blues would end their campaign with a sixth League victory – matching their tally of last season. Although it remains unlikely, there is still an outside chance the three points will see the side finish in the top half of the table – Chigs 2s require just a point from their final two games to relegate the Blues into sixth.

Having begun the week with a full squad of fourteen, it was disappointing to arrive on the Hill with only a bare eleven and, worse still, without a recognised keeper – Rory Craig having been a late withdrawal due to a family emergency. Two candidates volunteered to don the gloves, both with recent experience of playing in goal for the 2s: Ludo Palazzo, who kept in the home fixture against KCS Wimbledon 2s during Craig’s three-match suspension in mid-January, and David Lederman, who played in goal at Merchant Taylors a couple of seasons ago. Neither game was won despite the best efforts of the men in green.

Despite this, the outfield ten was strong, with the 2s core bolstered by towering centre-back Ed Nicholson at the back, OHAFC Player of the Year James Walduck in midfield and flying winger Will Payne on the wing. Max Curry was pushed forwards into attack, with Harry Bick filling in at left-back and Ali Buckley anchoring the midfield, skipper Miles Kellock playing in a free role behind the striker.

Right from the outset two things became immediately clear: firstly, the appearance of an outfield player in goal had been duly noted by the visitors, with early cries of ‘Test the keeper’ suggesting that Lederman would be in for a busier morning than he would have hoped and, secondly, with little riding on the outcome of the game, both sides would push forwards with freedom, goals seemingly inevitable. Indeed, within five minutes a long ball over the top gave the Harrow stand-in his first big decision to make and he just about got away with it, a three-man collision between keeper, centre-back Giacomo Grasso and the Sennocks striker seeing the ball skim off the keeper’s head and out for a corner.

It took only twelve minutes for the first goal to arrive and it was a cracker. A swift move down the Harrow right allowed Andy Hutchinson to cut inside, carrying the ball across the edge of the box. A simple square pass found Harry Bick on the left and he too cut inside before drilling a shot into the far top corner, the Sennocks keeper left with no chance. Back came the visitors, who came within inches of equalising five minutes later. A long range effort crashed into the underside of the bar and out again, Lederman reacting superbly to deny the follow-up header with a strong right arm, clawing the ball away from the goal line. But with their next attack the Sennockians did find the net, another long-range effort this time left the keeper unsighted, the ball flying in low at the near post.

Both sides looked capable of scoring with every attack. Lederman was forced to tip another well-struck effort onto the bar, but at the other end the Blues enjoyed a slice of luck of their own as a quickly-taken short corner found the opposition napping, Will Payne’s low driven cross deflected into the net by a combination of defender and keeper.

There was still time for further drama in a frantic first half as Giacomo Grasso then conceded a fairly clear penalty, just being caught the wrong side of his man and clipping him as the forward unleashed his shot. But the Sennocks midfielder was clearly spooked by the Jedi mind tricks Lederman employed, sending the keeper the wrong way but placing his side-footed effort wide of the post.

With no substitutes available, the only tactical discussion at the interval revolved around a change in goal, but after some deliberation it was decided to stick with the same side that had earned a lead at the halfway stage.

The Blues were helped in their endeavours when a sturdy challenge left the player who had missed the penalty in a heap on the Sennocks left and he was forced to limp off, bringing to an end a forgettable outing for him. But his teammates picked up the baton and slowly began to crank up the pressure. As the second half wore on, play became concentrated increasingly in the Harrow half. Several corners were forced, several shots flew wide of the target. The Harrow back four, led by Ed Nicholson, defended superbly. Lederman remained well-protected, but with half an hour remaining made his second crucial intervention of the game, proving his reflexes remained razor-sharp with a point-blank save from a first-time, close-range effort. But the visitors wouldn’t be denied and five minutes later a well-worked move created space on the edge of the box and the left winger took his time before producing a pinpoint curler into the top corner.

Back came the hosts and with a quarter of an hour of the season remaining, expended every last drop of energy in a bid to find a winner. It duly arrived in some style, Hutchinson again the provider, this time feeding James Walduck on the left. Although he had endured a rather quiet outing by his high standards, the midfielder produced a first-time strike of superb quality, caressing the ball back across goal and into the far corner to again leave the Sennocks keeper clutching at thin air.

The visitors threw everything at their opponents in the final ten minutes but the Blues remained resolute at the back. The crucial chance that was bound to come duly arrived with five minutes remaining. A corner beyond the far post saw a Sennockian unmarked and he produced a sweetly-struck volley back across goal that was destined for the far corner until Nicholson stuck out his trusty right foot to smash the ball away off the line. Some enterprising play down the right then kept the ball in Sennockian territory for the next couple of minutes and the hosts held on, handing out just a third defeat of the season to the men from Kent.

Given the makeshift nature of the team and the lack of any available substitutes, this was a fine effort with which to end the season for the 2s, who continue to find a path to promotion in Division Three a tricky one to navigate: the side have dropped points to every side apart from the struggling Tonbridgians, but have scored more and conceded fewer than in either of the previous two campaigns, only to finish, most likely, in sixth position once more. Nevertheless, spirit and commitment in the squad remains high and the side cannot be faulted on any level for their efforts this season.