The OHAFC 3rd XI were summarily dumped out of the Junior League Cup at the first time of asking following a 5-0 defeat away to the OId Sennockians down in Kent on Saturday morning. A rather threadbare eleven made the long trip for the early kick-off against the Division Three high-flyers and competed well for the first hour before tiring legs finally allowed the hosts to stretch away. The Blues can now concentrate on the David Woolcott Trophy with a relatively kind draw, on paper at least, suggesting a deep run may be on the cards.

This was always likely to prove a tough challenge for even a full strength 3s side, but with several regulars unable to make the trip, the task was almost an impossible one. The late arrival of the kit which meant only a fifteen-minute warm-up also didn’t help matters.

Nevertheless, the visitors began solidly enough, the poor playing surface, a regular feature of away fixtures at the school, inhibiting both sides in their attempts to play with any confidence. It took twenty minutes for the hosts to break through, some neat play down their left wing saw the ball worked into their striker and he produced an excellent curling finish into the far corner. A second then followed on the counter, stand-in keeper Charlie Lupton, who continues to perform admirably with the gloves as the search for a regular keeper continues, parried the first effort well but some slack defending allowed the hosts to collect the rebound and square across the box for a simple finish.

Despite the 2-0 scoreline at the break, the visitors had shown enough to suggest the result was not quite a foregone conclusion just yet. Lupton was allowed the second half in midfield, Charlie Dunn taking over between the sticks.

The second half ultimately proved just as scrappy as the first, with both sides finding chances hard to come by. The Blues continued to compete well enough, but ultimately they ran out of steam on the heavy surface and conceded twice in quick succession before enjoying their best chances of the game, skipper Joss Awdry seeing his header cleared off the line after he’d connected with Ed Corswarem’s cross.

The final goal was the best of the game, a lovely chip over the stranded Dunn, with the Blues by now down to ten men owing to an injury to striker Freddie Everett. So the hosts moved safely into round two and a trip to face the Old Aldenhamians in what should prove a stern test of their capabilities, whilst for the OHAFC, four League fixtures remain alongside the DW Trophy, beginning with the visit of Old Tonbridgians 2s to the Hill this weekend.