Any hopes the OHAFC 1st XI had of earning promotion back into the Premier Division of the Arthurian League ended in disappointing fashion on Saturday afternoon when an under-strength side lost 2-1 away to the Old Aldenhamians.

With a number of regulars unavailable for the penultimate fixture of the season, and the club fielding three sides, skipper Yunus Sert was forced to call up two seventeen year-old schoolboys just to make a bare eleven: twins James and Tom Walduck had much to live up to, with father Jason - or 'Jaggers' as he was better known - having served the club with distinction for a number of years.

James looked lively up front and Tom battled manfully at the back, despite having to mark a powerful Aldenham striker who clearly decided he would be easier to play against than skipper Sert.

Indeed, Yunus was soon in the thick of the action, waging a verbal war with both the referee and an Aldenhamian so much so that it prevented him from properly defending a quick Aldenham free-kick midway through the first half. With the skipper out of position, the hosts worked the ball through the gap allowing a simple tap in to take the lead.

The visitors plugged away in a bid to find an equaliser, but several players were below their best, including leading scorer James Breeden, who endured a frustrating afternoon.

Knowing only a win would maintain a realistic chance of finishing second behind runaway leaders Bradfield, the visitors saw their task made even more difficult when they fell two behind ten minutes into the second half, a low shot beating McGuinness inside his far post - possibly one he should have saved.

The visitors gave themselves hope of an unlikely comeback when Breeden did pull one back ten minutes from time, a perfectly executed one-two was rounded off with an equally adept finish to take his tally for the season to 32 goals in 15 appearances. But that was to be it on a disappointing day for the Blues.

History may yet prove a second season in Division One to be a blessing in disguise for the side, with plenty of issues still to be ironed out. Certainly, the lack of availability for a 'live' game this late in the season shows there is much work to be done in the summer off season.

Huge thanks must go to the two Walduck brothers for their efforts on the day: hopefully they will be seen again in OHAFC colours.

For the rest of the squad, just one game remains, the visit of Cholms to the Hill. Disappointingly, neither side will have anything to play for when they meet after Easter.