The OHAFC Veterans produced one of their most clinical displays of recent seasons to thrash a shocked Bank of England side 7-2 on Sunday morning in their final friendly fixture of 2017.

Despite the opposition enjoying the majority of possession and creating numerous chances, the OHAFC defended superbly and were clinical in front of goal - as well as enjoying the additional assistance of two own goals, bizarrely both headers, from the Bank.

Despite two players pulling out on the morning of the game, skipper John Wyn-Evans was still afforded the luxury of naming a substitute, with a strong XI containing many of the players that have brought the Club Veterans Cup success in recent seasons.

Not that you would have known it in the first half however, as the Bank of England dominated throughout. In the first twenty minutes, the sum total of Harrow's attacking play was a corner. In contrast, 'keeper Steve Stacey followed on from where he left off against Andy Butler's XI in the previous friendly, pulling off a string of excellent saves. Several times, the Bank's tricky, diminutive forwards carved their way through the Harrow rearguard only to be foiled at last as Stacey blocked and parried their shots. Harrow struggled to keep the ball for any length of time, with numerous punts forwards coming to nothing.

It was little surprise when the OHAFC defences were finally breached, the Bank fully deserving their lead as a neat finish into the far corner left Stacey with no chance.

The Bank continued to dominate proceedings but Harrow at least began to wake from their slumbers as the half wore on. Harry Hoffen outpaced the centre halves on a couple of occasions, winning corners both times. From the second, the ball was headed out towards the penalty spot and Paul Molloy volleyed home through a crowd of legs. Sadly, it was to be almost his final contribution of the game as a strained Achilles saw him replaced by Phil Bearn.

Harrow continued to ride their luck somewhat with the Bank of England forwards wasting several more clear opportunities to restore their lead. But as the half drew to a close a significant stroke of luck gave Harrow a barely deserved lead. Another long ball forwards was flicked on by Jon Ingram and Hoffen drove at the retreating defence before unleashing a curler towards the far corner. The 'experienced' Bank goalkeeper actually made an excellent save, diving to his left to palm the ball onto the post, but was powerless to react as it rebounded back onto his head and rolled agonisingly slowly back across goal and into to the opposite far corner.

There was some incredulity, doubtless from both camps, at the half-time score and for the first twenty minutes of the second half the pattern of play continued to be directed towards the Harrow goal. Yet again, some excellent goalkeeping combined with some woeful finishing allowed Harrow to maintain their lead, although their football continued to be of a fairly poor quality with long balls forwards offering little threat to the Bank goal.

Phil Bearn departed with half an hour remaining, having tried a couple of speculative efforts on goal, and the side would have been reduced to ten men but Molloy gritted his teeth and returned to the fray, reduced to sitting in midfield and taking as few touches as possible.

With Harrow struggling to get out of their half and the Bank continuing to look capable of scoring almost at will, the last twenty-five minutes of the game were, frankly, bizarre.

A long ball forwards was helped on its way by Bear Maclean and Lederman reacted quickest, beating his man to the ball before slotting home to extend the lead to 3-1. The Bank couldn't believe it - but worse was to come.

As players tired and spaces began to open up, Harrow took advantage in spectacular fashion. A good move down the right allowed Lederman time and space on the ball and he weighted a perfect angled pass across the box for Harry Hoffen to run onto, take the ball wide of the 'keeper and slot in left-footed.

The same pair combined minutes later as a Bank attack was well-defended, Maclean found Lederman on the break and he split the centre-halves allowing the striker to comfortably out-pace the defence and fire past the 'keeper.

Five became six and Harry completed his hat-trick in style as his electric pace proved too hot to handle once more for a Bank of England defence that, by now, had had their fill of him, Harry carrying the ball across the box before turning to fire into the opposite corner.

At 6-1 down, having fairly dominated play, the Bank of England could have been forgiven for throwing in the towel but there was still one final indignity to come, as one of their substitutes then headed in a second own goal from a corner - his teammates remained silent but stared in disbelief at what had just happened.

Steve Stacey was forced to withdraw with a groin injury and Ben Durling also failed to complete the ninety minutes, a hamstring strain causing him to limp off. Jon Ingram donned the gloves and continued to repel all efforts fired at him until just a couple of minutes from time when, fittingly, the Bank had the final say with an excellent goal, a curler from the edge of the box that looped over the 'keeper and in off the underside of the bar.

The 7-2 final score was remarkable given the balance of play and the relative paucity of Harrow's football compared to their opponents. But at either end of the pitch, where it matters, the OHAFC were ruthlessly clinical.

The side return to action in 2018 with another friendly game on January 7th before taking on Repton in the second round of the Vets Cup later in the month.

OHAFC Vets XI v Bank of England: Stacey (GK); R Hoffen, Baddeley, Molloy, Durling; Lederman, Danos, Wyn-Evans (c), Maclean; Ingram, H Hoffen Sub: Bearn