By Geoff Bond, your pitch-side reporter.
The pitch inundated with surface water did not help matters, the swirling breeze offered the players a further excuse to explain this mistake ridden catalogue of errors that served up as a London 3 rugby match.
The prime cause for the less than average entertainment was the East Midlands exchange referee who was palpably not up to the role at this level. Off the pace and non communicative, players and spectators alike were baffled, furious, non-plussed at some of the decisions or lack of them. We are all keen to encourage sport at all levels and give referees all their due respect, but something had gone awry in the appointment process. This performance was not acceptable.
The action hampered by the conditions and the sole arbiter was fast, often furious and invariably disjointed. After four minutes Meagher in at the wrong side of a ruck and penalty (taken well after the regulation minute and a half had expired) gives Old Mid Whitgiftians the lead 3-0.
Farnham have started brightly with promoted second teamers - Freshwater, Hailstones and TK keen to make an impression. Toby Salmon moved to outside centre bristled with intent and after a surge through Ben Adams and the rampaging Dan Williams he takes the scoring pass from brother Mike to dot down under the posts - easy extras for the score provider. 3-7.
More to come - OMWs are disorganised and Farnham romp forward again through Trodden and Davidson - penalty 3-10.
A sterile period of mistake on mistake and scrum after scrum is lifted from the mire by the one classy backs move of the day - OMW line-out, ball off the top, loop round and quick hands to the winger who skins the inexperienced TK to go over in the corner - a simple move done well. 8-13.
More attrition and tempers and patience on both sides is being stretched by the referee's baffling approach to the game. Meagher to the bin for ten minutes and the crowd desperate for the half time whistle for some respite.
The second half begins in a fog of absolute disbelief. OMW line-out won by Farnham - Ollie Brown pass to Salmon M for clearance is patted down by the attacking prop who promptly falls on the ball. Deliberate knock-on, yellow card! No!? No, knock-on! TRY!! The referee deems the pass has been "charged down". Confused? Everyone was, even the scorer.
The game is now descending into farce - no fault of the players. In this the eighth month of the season Farnham have, effectively, nothing to play for with no chance of promotion or relegation. OMW on the other hand are desperate for points to avoid demotion to Surrey 1. "They want it more," as the saying goes. But some of the antics employed are annoying: the constant appealing to the referee; applauding when the opposition make a mistake; congratulations when a scrum penalty is won. No place in the game but sadly copied from the Premiership. (Rant over.)
Apart from the odd possibility of a drowning in any one of the pitch side puddles the game took its inevitable course. Odd penalty decision and 3 points to OMW, who, with the final throw of the dice, catch and drive to score the try that sees the home side win by 21-13. Farnham denied even the losing bonus point. The experiment had failed and with Comley, Corlett, Hurley, Simmons on the side line the boys were philosophical at the end.
The referee assessor would have been debriefing long into the evening.
Podium Points
Toby Salmon - 3
James Trodden -2
Mike Salmon - 1