The OHAFC Veterans produced a splendid, if somewhat surprising, second-half comeback on Sunday morning to rally from a goal down and beat a youthful, energetic selection of Harrow beaks 4-1 on the Sunley Field in front of a cheering crowd of a couple of hundred schoolboys.

That the Vets were still in the game at the break was solely attributable to a remarkable display of goalkeeping from 51 year-old Jon 'The Cat' Sharples, who made numerous saves as the Beaks threatened to run riot. Notably, Jon kept out a well-struck penalty midway through the half following an interesting first few minutes from OHAFC debutant Will 'Stan' Matthews, whose contributions included gifting the ball straight to a Harrow beak from a goal-kick and clattering into another beak for the penalty.

Fortunately, Jon used his years of experience to outwit Mr Knight, asking him where he was going to place his penalty and correctly guessing following a stony silence from the master. Jon also foiled a one-on-one and made several other excellent interventions to keep the game goalless as the Vets struggled to successfully string together even a few passes on the giant Sunley surface.

Ironically, following a stint of textbook goalkeeping, Jon then flapped at a corner shortly afterwards, allowing the ball to fly through his hands and into the net with no player near him.

At half-time skipper Jon Wyn-Evans enviously eyed the beaks as they set about rotating through their plentiful squad. The ten other Vets in front of him appeared fairly uninspired with barely an attack mustered let alone any shots on goal.

As a large number of schoolboys gathered on the banks overlooking the pitch prior to their own Founders Day Harrow Football fixtures, many of those wearing black and white stripes readied themselves for the second half simply hoping not to be embarrassed.

The opening ten minutes promised little with the masters still moving the ball swiftly and looking the more threatening side.

It took an unfortunate incident to spark a reaction from the veterans, with an unnecessary late challenge on striker Harry Hoffen by the goal line curiously drawing little response from the referee. The master immediately apologised but the old boys were still angered by the official merely shrugging his shoulders and pointing for a corner.

Suddenly there was life amongst the oldies where previously there had been none and a more determined air about them. Hoffen used his pace to drive into the box and he was brought down from behind, this time the referee making no mistake and pointing to the spot. Lederman stepped up to convert.

As the masters, remarkably given their age advantage and numerically superior squad, seemed to tire, the veterans grew more confident and were soon in front as Lederman was afforded an acre of space in midfield, striding forwards before drilling the ball into the top corner from twenty-five yards out. Oddly enough, the watching schoolboys seemed more enthused by the strike than his teammates, so the scorer decided a bout of finger wagging in their direction was the appropriate form of celebration.

With the masters now in danger of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory the closing minutes were the most hotly-contested of the match. Efforts were redoubled and once again Sharples was called into action on a number of occasions, punching away several corners and crosses effectively.

The Vets rearguard of Ru Hoffen, Matthews, Baddeley and Durling worked their socks off to restrict chances and wide players Warner and Bear Maclean, another making his OHAFC debut, found themselves far more involved, both making excellent use of the space to storm forwards and deliver balls into the box.

A long throw provided the veterans with the vital fourth goal of the game, Harry Hoffen flicking the ball on blindly to no-one in particular, only for the masters to make a hash of clearing it, the ball eventually running through to Phil Bearn who stretched to poke home into the bottom corner from six yards out.

Again the masters pressed but again the visitors rearguard stayed strong, Sharples' goal at times leading something of a charmed life.

As the old boys hung on grimly, the result was put beyond doubt in the final minute in fairly comical circumstances. A long clearance upfield found Harry Hoffen sprint clean through, just him and the beaks' goalkeeper in that half of the pitch. Rather confusingly, the 'keeper made no attempt to advance from his line, instead running off to his left-hand post as Hoffen neared his goal. True to type, Harry waited for the 'keeper to move...then drilled the ball straight at him, into a gap a yard wide with the rest of the goal completely at his mercy.

Several members of the Vets' team later admitted their day would have been made had the 'keeper managed to make the save.

Nevertheless, it was a fitting way to round off a superb effort from the Veterans, the 4-1 final scoreline looking highly improbable at the midway point.

Thanks to the Beaks for arranging the fixture, the referee and allowing the game to be played on the Sunley Field - no doubt the smell of revenge will be in the air next February!