Farnham test title-chasers but end match empty-handed
A YOUNG Farnham side battled well in testing conditions against title-chasing Winchester but lost 11-7 in Regional Two South Central.
Farnham elected to play into the wind in the first half with a view to digging in and limiting their opponents’ chances. The ploy worked.
Winchester kicked off and applied early pressure but, albeit held in their own half for the first 15 minutes, Farnham handled the period well.
Despite having to kick into a gale-force wind, playmakers Harry West and Ollie Brown managed the game well while Jack Scullion at full-back regularly found a good touch with his boot.
On 20 minutes, the referee awarded Winchester a kickable penalty and they duly opened their account. Thereafter, Farnham managed to get their hands on the ball and put together some strong attacking phases.
The game was then halted for half an hour as medics carefully dealt with a neck injury to
Farnham hooker George Haylett.
As the first half drew to a close, Farnham were pleased to have restricted the downwind score to just three points.
The Black and Whites kept the tempo high and the ball in hand with Harrison Horner going close but Winchester’s well-drilled and gritty defence kept him out.
After a shortened half-time break given the earlier delay, Max Williams and Archie Cleeve entered the fray for a Farnham team confident after their first half performance.
But they coughed up a penalty and the Winchester scrum half took the quick tap and scurried over. The conversion missed but the score was up to 8-0.
With ten minutes to go, Farnham finally got on the scoreboard when the ball was moved wide to Nathan Phillimore who cut in to beat his opposite man and power over in the corner. He converted his own try to make it 8-7.
However, Farnham failed to deal with the restart and Winchester were determined to stay in Farnham’s half.
The Black & Whites fought ferociously for the ball – perhaps too much so – and Winchester were awarded a penalty in front of the posts to make it 11-7 with five minutes remaining.
Farnham continued to apply pressure but another penalty at the breakdown allowed Winchester to hoof the ball dead and secure the win.
On Saturday Farnham welcome Newbury to Monkton Lane (2pm).