It was a case of more of the same for the OHAFC 2nd XI on Saturday as they again conceded soft goals prior to the break, again fought back courtesy of a strong second half display but, for the second consecutive week, fell just short of earning their first point of the 2017/18 season. Lancing 2s were clinging on by the end, but cling on they did to secure a 2-1 win and in the process earn their first points of the season.

Defeat means the OHAFC 2s have now lost their first five games of the season - an unwanted record no Harrow team has matched in the past decade. And the loss was again compounded - as happened last week - with the trip to A & E for a Harrow player: Phil Berry landed awkwardly on his arm following an aerial challenge and had to undergo surgery to reset a broken wrist on Sunday. The injury is expected to keep him out of action for at least a month.

Despite the familiar hard-luck nature of the afternoon for the Blues, the side continue to gift their opponents soft goals, a worrying trend that needs to be eradicated quickly.

On the pristine pitches of Kingston University in south west London, both sides looked dangerous going forwards early on. Woolley, Barrett and Maydon - the trio of OHAFC centre-backs - were continually in the action and at times some hurried punts forward belied the fragile confidence of a side that had previously conceded 16 goals from just four games. But despite playing Jack Alhadeff as a lone striker, the visitors also looked capable of causing problems, especially down the flanks as Payne and Hovey surged forwards into dangerous areas on several occasions. The only thing lacking from a Harrow point of view, as is so often the case with any side, was the final ball into the box: from numerous situations in both open play and from set-pieces, Harrovian crosses either hit the first defender or were fired straight at the goalkeeper or were comfortably cleared by Lancing defenders.

Lancing were the better side but had rarely tested Walsh in the Harrow goal until a disastrous five minutes saw them gifted two goals prior to the break. A poor clearance from the back saw the ball fired back over the top of the retreating Harrow defence. Maydon looked to be just about goalside of his man but the Lancing striker cleverly cut inside past the centre-half and fell to the ground under minimal contact. The referee deliberated briefly before pointing to the spot, Woolley's pleading observation of 'It's so soft ref' was accurate but in vain. The penalty was confidently fired home.

Shortly afterwards the hosts doubled their lead following a spell of pressure on the Harrow goal. The Blues had cleared their lines well initially but a fine cross was delivered from the Lancing right and the striker was left unmarked to send a header looping over Walsh from fifteen yards out.

At the break it appeared as Harrow had a mountain to climb with only defender Berry and striker George Sanders, yet to pull on a Blue shirt this season, on the bench. But stand-in skipper Woolley rolled the dice, dispensing with a back five that had evidently failed in it's primary task of preventing Lancing from scoring and sending Sanders on to partner Alhadeff in attack. The back five reverted to a back four, with Berry replacing a somewhat puffing Hovey at right-back.

The change seemed to breathe new life into the visitors and they were on top almost from kick-off. Suddenly, with the Lancing back four under increased pressure at the back, play was concentrated almost entirely in one half. Alhadeff began stretching the centre-halves, finding space that had hitherto proved elusive and Harrow's link-up play improved markedly.

Despite the dominance, the visitors continued to struggle to create clear-cut chances with some desperate defending from the hosts preventing shots on goal. It took two superb touches from Lederman and Alhadeff to force the breakthrough with just under twenty minutes remaining, the former firing a fifty-yard ball over the top of the Lancing rearguard and into the path of the striker, who allowed the ball to bounce before sending a wonderful volleyed effort over the 'keeper and into the roof of the net.

Harrow continued to press urgently, urged on by their two faithful season ticket holders on the sidelines, but there then followed the unfortunate clash that saw Phil Berry leave the field, clearly in some discomfort.

The last ten minutes saw both teams threaten, with Harrow still enjoying the bulk of possession and looking the better side. Despite this, it was disappointing that Will Payne, who had looked electric in the first half, was starved of possession and Harrow's best chances came from corners with Connor Barrett, who enjoyed a fine game at the back, twice heading just over when an equaliser seemed likely.

At the other end, Lancing could have sealed the win with a couple of counter-attacks, but some more frantic defending from the overrun Harrow back four saw the scoreline remain the same until the death.

It was tough on a Harrow side that had thrown everything at their opponents in a determined second half display. Given the lack of available strikers, the team threatened as much as could reasonably be expected, but once again the concession of cheap, early goals proved pivotal. Until these are eradicated, the team will continue to find life in Division Two tough going.

Next week the side return to the Phil for the first meeting of the season with one of the two Charterhouse teams in the division. It is sure to be another exacting test.