Not for the first time this season, a poor first half left the OHAFC 2nd XI with just too much to do and, despite another spirited comeback, Geoff Taunton-Collins' men once again found themselves on the wrong end of a narrow defeat, this time losing 3-2 at Radley on Saturday afternoon.

Remarkably, the 2s found themselves playing a League game on astroturf for the fourth time this season - already setting a new record for the most number of games the team has played on an artificial surface in a single season. Disappointingly, the 3G pitch at Lincoln Field Sports Centre has deteriorated in recent seasons and the surface was spongey and uneven, clumps of black rubber crumb forming small mounds everywhere. The one saving grace was the heavy rain that fell just prior to the kick-off, the moisture at least helping the ball travel across the surface quicker than usual.

Not wanting to break with this season's tradition, Taunton-Collins again plumped for a back five, with the three centre-halves this time being the ever-present Woolley, Conti von Hirsch and Alexi Pittalis. The captain sacrificed himself somewhat at left wing-back with Hovey on the right. The midfield trio from the previous game of Lederman, Swan and Hutchinson all retained their places, with Alhadeff playing just off Alex Smith in attack - the youngster taking advantage of the 3s' weekend off to play his first game of the season for the side. Two other 3rd XI regulars began on the bench, youngster Olly Roberts and the talented attacker Charlie Bick.

Radley were relegated from Division One last season and have clearly had problems fielding a side at times this season with several postponements. Despite this, and the immediate recognition that they only had available a bare eleven, the first half hour of the match proved that any thoughts of a comfortable afternoon could be firmly dismissed.

A tall, powerful side, the hosts were quicker to the ball, more aggressive in the challenge and far more certain with their passing. The result was a torrid opening spell that saw the visitors clinging on for dear life at the back and struggling to create anything of note going forwards.

The Blues were regularly pegged back with Radleians bombing forwards down both flanks, outnumbering Hovey and Taunton-Collins out wide, and slicing through a Harrow midfield that was struggling to contain their opposite men.

After twenty minutes the inevitable opener for the hosts arrived as they broke down their left, one forward getting to the byline and pulling a low cross back for the striker to flick in from close-range, the ball deflecting off Alexi Pittalis before squirming past brother Kyri at the near post.

It wasn't long before the lead was doubled, a swift, incisive move through the middle of the pitch saw a Radley forward played in down the inside right channel and he ran on to finish comfortably past Pittalis.

Harrow were rocking and Taunton-Collins wasted no time in shuffling his pack, replacing Pablo Hutchinson in midfield with Charlie Bick. The new arrival almost made a stunning immediate impact, striking the post from twenty-five yards out via a deflection. The visitors briefly raised the level of their football and began to keep the ball better in Radley’s half without managing to carve open what looked a solid back four.

Then, fifteen minutes before the break, calamity struck. A long ball from close to the halfway line was pumped into the Harrow box and the lone attacker was left unmarked, fifteen yards out, to cushion a simple header over the ‘keeper and into the net.

Three goals down and it was quickly suggested to the skipper that there was little point in retaining a five-man rearguard when goals were being conceded without any suggestion of a threat from the visitors. Taunton-Collins duly pushed himself into midfield leaving four at the back. Initially, the change made little difference, with Pittalis asked to make two smart saves prior to the break just to keep Harrow’s slim hopes of earning a point alive.

At half-time, youngster Olly Roberts was sent on for his OHAFC 2s debut, although he was asked to fulfil a somewhat unfamiliar role at left-back. Alhadeff moved to the left wing, Taunton-Collins to the right, with Lederman now supporting Smith in attack – Bick and Swan the central midfielders.

The opening skirmishes of the second half were fairly even with neither side threatening much. But Harrow were then to enjoy a stroke of good fortune when a Radley player injured a finger, requiring him to withdraw from the game. With no substitute, the hosts were forced to play the majority of the half with ten men, and this shifted the balance of the play totally in Harrow’s favour.

Immediately following the Radley player’s departure Smith leapt unchallenged at the far post only to see his header arrow straight at the Radley ‘keeper who somehow kept it out. There then followed wave after wave of Harrow attacks as the visitors, using their extra man to great advantage, consistently created overlaps down the wings – von Hirsch and Taunton-Collins on the right in particular. Several dangerous crosses were delivered into the box, all somehow just failing to find their man. Von Hirsch then delivered a peach of a cross to the near post only for Smith to place his header two yards wide. He did rather better with the next chance that fell to him however, racing through onto a perfectly-weighted through-ball from Charlie Bick to clip the ball over the ‘keeper and give Harrow some hope of a comeback.

A similar passage of play created Harrow’s second with seventeen minutes remaining when more good work down the right allowed Taunton-Collins to fire the ball across goal. Alhadeff somehow missed his kick from a yard out but fortunately his slight deflection saw the ball fly into the knee of his marker and nestle in the far corner.

With plenty of time remaining and the play now almost exclusively focussed in Radley’s half, all three results still seemed possible. Some fairly robust challenges began to fly in from both sides as tension grew and the two sides were also left frustrated by a number of offside decisions, referee Colin Busby doing well to keep his cards in his pocket.

The visitors continued to throw everything at their opponents in the closing stages but Radley somehow managed to cling on to their slender lead. Indeed, they should have made the game safe right at the death as some kamikaze defending on the edge of the Harrow box saw a petrified Woolley retreating with as many as four Radleians bearing down on him. Fortunately, the veteran did enough to hold up the attack just long enough for a scrambled clearance.

The final whistle was met with cries of relief from the hosts and sighs of disappointment from the visitors. Credit must go to Radley for hanging on at the end, but the performance of the Blues in the second half was excellent: on a tricky surface the side showed excellent composure to work the ball around and create numerous dangerous situations whilst nullifying any threat of a Radley breakaway.

If the side can just put together a complete ninety minutes, something they have failed to do so far this season, the team will be well on their way to earning a second win of the season.