The OHAFC Vets returned to action on Sunday morning with their third friendly fixture of the season and a first ever game against an Andy Butler XI, a side consisting mainly of fathers based close to the Butler estate in Dulwich. Disappointingly however, injury prevented the opposition skipper from taking to the field and so he did what he actually does best: stand at the side shouting inanities while everyone ran their socks off. Heavy overnight rain saw the fixture switched to Lower Redgate on the far side of the grounds, but the pitch was in excellent condition and with a qualified referee supplied, there was to be no repeat of ‘Offsidegate’ which somewhat overshadowed the last-minute 3-2 defeat to Winchester a fortnight ago.

The opening quarter of an hour saw both sides relaxed in possession but rarely threaten with Harry Hoffen and Dom Danos unable to break free for the hosts and several long balls over the top easy meat for stand-in OHAFC goalkeeper Steve Stacey.

The play quickly became more stretched however and, as it did so, chances were soon arriving at both ends of the pitch. Harry Hoffen was unlucky not to open the scoring when he curled a shot against the far post, but having narrowly failed with his first effort, subsequent shots became ever more frantic and soon it was the netting behind the goal, the trees and even the planes passing overhead that were in more danger of being found. He was partly spared his blushes when one Danos effort landed perilously close to a corner flag.

At the other end, the few attacks the visitors did manage to muster all seemed to create excellent chances, with Stacey pulling off several superb saves, performing with a level of agility rarely if ever seen from a veteran’s goalkeeper. One save in particular was truly outstanding, the ‘keeper flashing out his right hand whilst lying on the ground, despite having been sent the wrong way initially.

It took a rather simple and somewhat predictable effort to break the deadlock, with Gordon Baker towering above everyone at the far post to thump home a header from Lederman’s corner. The lead was soon doubled in similar circumstances when another Lederman cross from the right was flicked home from very close range by skipper John Wyn-Evans, the ball grazing a single follicle of hair on its way through. That goal was the captain’s second from a header in successive matches – surely an achievement rarely recorded at any level of OHAFC football.

The visitors pulled a goal back from a header of their own, poor marking at a corner allowing a simple finish at the far post. And as tackles flew in and the game became more competitive, it was clear the game was being treated as something more than just a casual friendly. The brandishing of a yellow card – something of a first in a Vets friendly – testament to the efforts of the visitors on their inaugural outing as an eleven-a-side team.

The visitors’ mood soured just before the break when Harry Hoffen was sent clean through the middle only to drag his shot wide of the far post. To most players’ astonishment, the referee then blew for a penalty – the closing defender apparently clipping the forward just before he struck. Despite the complaints, Dom Danos stepped up to fire home from the spot and the OHAFC took a slightly undeserved 3-1 lead into half-time.

The majority of the second half saw the hosts in the ascendency, although for the first twenty minutes the Hoffen/Danos competition for missed chances reached epic proportions with both players continuing to miss the target with regularity. The goals did eventually start to flow and, in fairness, there were some lovely finishes: Hoffen with a far post header and a cross-shot just inside the far post, Danos sweeping home from just inside the box following a cut-back from the byline. Both players completed their hat-tricks late on to take the hosts’ tally up to the heady heights of eight.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic however and the dads from Dulwich kept going manfully, scoring an excellent goal of their own with a dinked finish over Stacey following a strong run into the box. A close-range finish from a far post cross and a late penalty completed the scoring, the final result an 8-4 win for the OHAFC.

It was an excellent first outing for Butler’s XI and future fixtures between the teams are sure to be arranged. The OHAFC Vets now have a break before their first Cup outing of the season, at home to Repton on December 10th. A final pre-Christmas friendly will then take place against the Bank of England a week later.

OHAFC Vets XI: Steve Stacey; Ben Donald, Gordon Baker, Alex Gray, Ben Durling; David Lederman, John Wyn-Evans ©, Piers Haynes, Bear Maclean; Harry Hoffen, Dom Danos

Scorers: Hoffen 3, Danos 3, Baker, Wyn-Evans

*Thanks to Rupert Hoffen for the match photos