The final OHAFC League fixture of the season proved to be one of the most extraordinary as the 3rd XI fell to a dramatic 5-1 defeat against the Old King’s Scholars on the Harrow School astroturf in a game that saw no fewer than three red cards and both sides play the final half-hour with just nine players apiece.

There was little sign of the drama that was set to unfold in a flowing first hour that saw the visitors take the lead midway through the first half, both sides spurning multiple other scoring opportunities. But with twenty-five minutes remaining, an innocuous incident on the touchline saw Murray Barr and a Kings player come together before players from both sides intervened. Once tempers had cooled, referee Kacper Ignatiuk issued red cards to Barr, Felix Tritton and the Kings player –with the visitors already a man down due to injury, this meant a final half-hour of nine-a-side.

Straight from the restart the hosts levelled, Ollie Wilson squaring for Henry Bamford to score his first ever goal for the club. But Kings then struck immediately, the kick-off launched over the head of Toby Colehan in goal to restore the advantage. And the visitors pulled away in the closing ten minutes, using the extra space on the pitch to take advantage of a tiring Harrow outfit to score three times and give the scoreline a rather one-sided look.

Despite this disappointing ending to the League season, the 3s still have the prospect of a David Woolcott Trophy quarter-final to look forwards to against the Old Canfordians a week on Saturday.

Saturday’s teamsheet and match report are now available in the results section.