The OHAFC 3rd XI were left ruing a lack of clinical finishing in the final third as two late goals consigned them to defeat at home to the Old Bradfieldians 2s on the Phil on Saturday morning. The home side were on top for the majority of both halves, but failed to find the finishing touch to a number of promising moves and were made to pay when the visitors proved the fitter of the two sides, Bradfieldians scoring twice in ten minutes late on as the hosts tired.

Unsurprisingly, given last weekend’s demolition of nine-man Old Stoics, there was high demand to play in this first ever fixture against the newly-formed Bradfield second string. The visitors have made a strong start to life in the Arthurian League with two wins and a defeat from their first three fixtures and an impressive eleven goals scored in the process.

But it was the hosts, bolstered by the return of new skipper Henry Collins for the first time this season, who made the better start. Keeper Tom Mitchell was forced into an early save, diving to his right to turn a bouncing shot around the post, but the Blues then took control and threatened on several occasions, the Bradfield keeper looking particularly suspect. A quick break saw Jake Speed race down the right wing but his cross just evaded Jack Hargreaves inside the box. The striker was then bundled over on the edge of the box but the ball ran free to Tobi Adebayo, play was allowed to continue, only for the resulting shot to fly over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

It was to prove the overriding theme of the first half as the hosts continued to spurn promising chances in a bid to break the deadlock. A corner from the right was flicked on by the skipper, the keeper spilt the ball but Harrison Scott’s flick rose just over the target. Young centre-back Chike Odogwu, an imperious presence at the back and surely destined for great things in OHAFC colours, then drilled a long pass over the top, Hargreaves collided with the keeper, the ball ran loose but, to the home side’s dismay, bounced back off the post before being gathered.

Such was the confidence flowing through the Harrow ranks, they were then guilty of over-playing at the back and almost paying for their complacency – Mitchell was forced into a superb save, diving to his right to turn a well-struck shot around the post. The closing stages of the half became slightly scrappy with the Blues still very much in control but unable to find a way through.

With a full squad of fourteen available, rolling substitutions became increasingly frequent as the game wore on, but the first twenty minutes of the second half very much followed the pattern of the first: the home side on top and looking the more likely to score, the visitors creating the odd isolated moment of danger. One of which arrived soon after the second half kicked off as another moment of hesitation on the edge of the Harrow box allowed the Bradfield striker to bundle his way into the box only to lash his shot high over the bar with just the keeper to beat.

Five minutes later it was the home side who came within inches of taking the lead as a high press won the ball back deep in Bradfield territory, James Gibbens’ cross from the left just too strong for Toby Colehan at the far post. The Blues continued to threaten down both flanks, Speed and the returning Adebayo the danger men. A brief spell of Bradfield possession then saw the home side break and Colehan and Adebayo exchange passes, the former delivering an excellent cross only for the latter to flick his finish just beyond the far post.

As the game entered the final quarter of an hour it was hard to envisage anything but a Harrow victory. But that optimism proved misplaced, as the visitors stayed the course better. The closing stages saw the Bradfieldians on top for the first time in the game, the fourteen men of Harrow now tiring. The opening goal was still something of a surprise, coming from what appeared a fairly innocuous attack down the right. The shot from a relatively tight angle was well struck, but there was still slight disbelief that the ball ended up in the back of the net via a combination of the keeper’s gloves and the near post. With the home side flagging, an equaliser seemed unlikely. And a second Bradfield goal five minutes from time confirmed the result, another smart move down their right ended with the cross being turned in from close range, a deflection off the covering Colehan sending Mitchell the wrong way.

Despite the defeat, spirits among the squad remained high at the final whistle, the performance certainly worthy of far more. A busy October awaits the side with three tough away games up next before the struggling Old Salopians 2s visit the Hill, including a first ever meeting with the nascent Old St Edwardians at Barn Elms.