The OHAFC 2nd XI chose one of the toughest opponents possible for their one and only pre-season friendly, when the Charterhouse 2nd XI visited Kings House astroturf in Chiswick on a blazing hot late summer's afternoon.

The Blues fielded four youngsters making their OHAFC debuts and all acquitted themselves well in difficult conditions - the two sides and referee Hugh Wylie agreed prior to kick-off that three half-hour periods would be played, allowing all concerned to take on fluids in the restrictive heat.

As it turned out, the three periods came to neatly define the game, with the OHAFC, perhaps understandably, weakening the longer the game wore on.

The first half-hour saw some excellent football played from both sides with Harrow enjoying plenty of possession. Debutant Harry O'Hara offered plenty of running up front and fellow new boy Andres Hutchinson, younger brother of Pablo, immediately looked at home on the left side of the back four.

The hosts took the lead a quarter of an hour into the game with an excellent move that culminated in Hutchinson Snr crossing from the right allowing Alhadeff to tap in from close range.

Both sides had chances to score again before the first break for water but it didn't take Charterhouse long to find the net following drinks as the magenta stripes scored twice in fairly quick succession. Indeed, the middle third of the game saw the visitors much more to the fore and the need for greater fitness among Harrovian ranks became all too apparent.

Despite this, following a further round of substitutions during the second interval, the Blues equalised with a second strike from Jack Alhadeff, debutant Jack Dolbey cutting the ball back from the goal line for the predatory Alhadeff to sweep home into the bottom corner.

It was to prove a temporary inconvenience to the Carthusians however, as the closing stages saw their superior fitness and organisation overwhelm a tiring Harrovian squad. Four goals were conceded as play became concentrated inside the Harrow half, midfield runners seemingly appearing from every conceivable angle.

Indeed, it could have been five, but the Carthusian skipper, somewhat amusingly, fluffed a late opportunity from the spot with an attempted Panenka effort - gratifyingly, he succeeded only in chipping the ball straight into the grateful arms of Emre Sert, who was lying on the ground having already dived in anticipation of a more serious attempt on goal.

Despite the one-sided nature of the last thirty minutes, the fixture proved a valuable run out for the Blues in anticipation of another tough season in Division Two.

The four debutants (Hutchinson, Dolbey, O'Hara and Alex Munday) all enjoyed themselves and showed they had plenty to offer - Hutchinson in particular enjoyed a superb game, raiding forwards from left back with authority and purpose and proving that, despite his tender years, he possesses a keen understanding of the game.

The intra-club friendly next Tuesday night provides the next opportunity for players to get further minutes under their belt, but with the squad's opening League fixture likely to arrive only towards the end of September, there remains plenty of time to shed any remaining summer excesses.