Shock away defeat for Farnham as league’s bottom club fight back
FRUSTRATED Farnham suffered a surprise defeat to Regional Two South Central basement boys Reading on Saturday, losing 24-19 away.
Farnham were under no illusion that they had to perform to win. Prop Marco Azevedo led the side out in his 100th game and Farnham also welcomed back Reece Stennett from long term injury.
Farnham kicked off into the breeze and up the slope, but immediately put themselves under pressure with silly penalties that cost them field position.
A quick tap from the Reading scrum-half got them in behind and then an offload to the number seven resulted in the first try of the game. The conversion was missed but Reading had the ideal start 5-0.
Farnham responded well and put a series of attacking phases together. Young Ted Bailey brought his usual energy at scrum half with Ollie Brown controlling things at 10.
The backs linked-up well with Toby Salmon putting Ben Jones into a hole who then drew the last man to put Stennett into the corner for
“We didn’t kick on at all in the second half. We didn’t come out and it was a very even game in the second half. Unfortunately, we’ve made another individual error, but it’s the same individual error that happened at St Albans. I think I’m going to absolutely put my hands up to it because I think Selim [Saied]’s a fabulous player, but he
RUSTY Fleet Town were thrashed 5-0 at Tooting & Mitcham United in the Combined Counties League Premier South on Saturday. Fleet Town finally got back on the pitch for the first time in two weeks after a string of three postponed games. They made the trip up to Tooting in fine spirits as they welcomed back Joel Haliday between the sticks from his enforced injury lay-off. Fleet started the game brightly enough with Fareed HakeemHabeeb getting two dangerous crosses into the box in the first ten minutes, but the home defence were able to clear these. Tooting & Mitcham took the lead after 24 minutes when Lolu Ojo intercepted a Brad Manning clearance and crossed the ball into Shay Brennan, who slotted the ball in off the inside of the post. Fleet carved out a great chance ten minutes later, when Matt Surmon passed the ball forward to Manning, who crossed the ball to Dan Bone, but his shot was blocked and cleared by the home defence. The game reached half-time with the score only 1-0, leaving Fleet with some hope of getting something from the second half. It was Brennan again who dented Fleet’s hopes after 66 minutes when he got a shot away that was blocked but he was first to the loose ball and made no mistake from his second chance and scored to put Tooting two goals ahead. Only four minutes later it was 3-0 when Andy O’Brien headed in a free-kick. The Tooting keeper was called into action on 78 minutes when he had to get down low to make a save from a Dan Bone header. Tooting added another on 82 minutes when Blake Loyza played the ball into the box, initially cleared by the Fleet defence the ball only reached Andy O’Brien who volleyed the ball home, in off the post. Right at the end Brennan completed his hat-trick to make the final score 5-0. Fleet Town are back in action on Saturday with a home game against AFC Croydon Athletic at The Mustard Seed Stadium, the first in a run of difficult games for Fleet, against sides in and around the promotion play-off places. This will the first visit back of their manager Jermaine McGlashan who had started the season in charge at Fleet.
Farnham’s first try. Conversion successful 7-5. Farnham failed to clear their lines at the restart and gave Reading an opportunity to reply immediately. A penalty in front of the posts was readily converted; 8-7.
Farnham continued to look dangerous in attack. A kick to the corner got their rolling maul going.
It was well controlled and moved close to the Reading line before Matt Kouris peeled away and powered over for Farnham’s second try.
The conversion was missed and it was now 12-8.
Reading came back and ill-discipline in front of the Farnham posts allowed the Reading fly-half a kick for goal to make it 12-11.
Successive penalties gave the referee no option but to put Farnham on a warning.
Therefore a high tackle from Oscar Henderson reduced Farnham to 14 men for the rest of the half.
Reading opted for the posts again and took the lead 14-12. Farnham looked to finish the half well and Toby Simmons broke down the lefthand side before kicking in behind but unfortunately the Reading player got their first and ran into touch to conclude the first half.
Reading kicked off the second half with Farnham bringing on Jack Scullion to use his boot and the wind to pin Reading back.
The first ten minutes was a battle for territory with no chances for either team.
Finally, Farnham managed to put some phases together with good interplay allowing Matt Kouris to break the line.
However a high tackle stopped him and the guilty Reading player was given ten minutes in the bin.
Farnham opted to take a shot at goal, but the kick hit the post.
Luckily Marcus Lambert-Parsons chased up and was first to react to the loose ball to score under the posts for a massive swing in Farnham’s favour. The conversion was successful, and Farnham led 19-14.
The basement side continued to show their character and desire.
The Reading scrum was very powerful with several penalties allowing them to kick to the corners and gain territory. After several phases, the Reading 13 broke through the line and offloaded to the flanker. However he was stopped short by Josh Watson.
But the referee adjudged this tackle to be high and with the attacked close to the try line awarded a penalty try and an accompanying yellow card.
A huge blow for Farnham with Reading now ahead by 21-19.
Down to 14 for the rest of the game and with the whistle consistently going against them, Farnham continued to be frustrated and could not create the opportunity to score the winning points.
The final nail in the coffin came as Jack Scullion’s counter-attack was halted by the Reading defence who were quick to flop off their feet and kill the ball.
Remarkably, Reading were awarded the penalty enabling their fly-half to dissect the posts with the final score at 24-19.
Farnham welcome Wimborne to Monkton Lane next week in a midtable encounter (2.30pm).