The OHAFC 1st XI completed their 2017/18 League campaign with a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Old Cholmeleians in a surprisingly feisty encounter on the Rowley Lane astroturf in north London. The result confirms Yunus Sert’s men finish the season in third position in Division One of the Arthurian League with ten wins and a draw from sixteen games.

With little of significance riding on the outcome of Saturday’s result, it was encouraging to see the Blues travel north with a strong squad containing many of this season’s regulars. Only two 2nd XI players – skipper Geoff Taunton-Collins and defender Rollo Hovey – were required to bolster the ranks, the former starting at right-back, the latter coming off the bench midway through the first half. The main point of individual interest was up front however, where James Breeden’s late confirmation that he could play allowed him the chance to add to his incredible tally of 32 goals in all competitions this season.

In what was nominally Harrow’s final home game of the season – work has already started on converting the Phil pitches ahead of the cricket season – an early goal helped settled the hosts’ nerves: just ten minutes had elapsed when a quick throw-in from Chester Robinson down the right allowed Alex Breeden and Josh Adejokun to combine, the ball was delivered into the box and Breeden found the roof of the net with a composed finish.

Harrow enjoyed much the better of the first half against a fairly ordinary Cholms side – the difference between the two sides a stark contrast to the opening game of the season when the two teams shared the points in a hard-fought 2-2 draw. The visitors threatened once, late in the half, but the Harrow defence looked as solid as it has done all season, Hugo Trower enjoying his first ever outing at centre-back alongside his skipper.

Yunus rotated his players throughout the game, with veteran striker Harry Hoffen entering the fray at half-time determined, as was the case twelve months ago, to score his first goal of the season in the final fixture of the season. Sadly for the 41 year-old, it wasn’t to be, and so ends a remarkable run – the first time this century the OHAFC’s leading striker for the past two decades has failed to find the net for the club.

Nevertheless, another goal ten minutes into the second half confirmed a positive result for the Blues, Adejokun scrambling in at the near post from a cleverly directed Alex Breeden corner.

Despite the rather one-sided nature of the game and the lack of concrete motivation for either side, tempers flared and several players began to lose their cool. Sert and Hoffen both endured long-running feuds with their opposite men as play became tediously fractious.

But the result was put beyond doubt a quarter of an hour from the end when Adejokun scored his second, and his ninth League goal in what has been an excellent debut season, finishing off a move down the right with a firm shot that struck the ‘keeper as it went in, the ball ending up in the bottom corner of the net. James Breeden continued to bamboozle defenders and leave them trailing in his wake but, for once, his finishing was off kilter and he failed to add to his tally of goals for the season, the final whistle blowing on a season of mixed blessings for the OHAFC 1s.

As on this occasion, Yunus Sert’s men have proved far too strong for most of the sides in the division, but in the crunch games against the three other competitive teams (Bradfield, Brentwood and Berkhamsted) the Blues have come up short, losing four of the six fixtures and conceding sixteen goals in the process. There have been numerous positives however and, most importantly of all, the team has continued to evolve into a far more youthful outfit, something that bodes well for future seasons. A full review of the 1st XI’s season will appear on the website in May, but for now congratulations are due to the side for their efforts in 2017/18 and thanks to skipper Yunus and his vice-captain Fred Richardson for leading the side so ably.

OHAFC 1st XI – Final League Record 2017/18: Pld 16, won 10, drawn 1, lost 5, scored 59 (2nd most in division), conceded 34 (currently 4th fewest), points 31. Final Position: 3rd

*Photos courtesy of Harry Hoffen & Geoff Taunton-Collins