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Sat 11 Jan 2014 · London 3 South West
London Exiles
1st XV
12
33
A "badly played" bonus point win
Mark Weeks13 Jan 2014 - 10:56
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The visitors won but had played - by their own admission - badly. It is to be hoped this battle blew the festive cobwebs away for the encounters ahead.
Farnham were made to work hard for their win at London Exiles on 11th January turning a 7-0 deficit into a 33-12 victory.
A brace of late tries from Gabe Hills together with scores from Chas Penn and back row forwards Pete Daly and Jason Crabbe ensured that Farnham recorded their thirteenth bonus point of the. Farnham now top London South West 3 by three points but second placed KCS Old Boys are unbeaten. The mouth-watering clash between these two sides on the 25th January at Farnham could well be the divisional championship decider.
The Exiles game kicked off under clear skies and on a Thames-side pitch that was cloying but thankfully not waterlogged. This was Farnham’s first game for four weeks. Pre-holidays, they operated as a team but on this day it was all about individual effort. The close coordination was simply not there.
The home side caught Farnham cold in the first five minutes to take a 7-0 lead. They nipped a Farnham break-out in the bud and attacked down the right flank setting up the winger to scoot round the defence and score under the posts. The conversion looked wayward but was nevertheless awarded.
After this early set back skipper Toby Comley chose to counter-attack with a kick for the corner when three penalty points were there for the taking. The decision paid dividends when Pete Daly’s catch and drive launched winger Chas Penn over the line in the corner. Rubio missed the extras but Farnham were on the board and on the prowl.
The early season clash between Exiles and Farnham had been a feisty affair and once again the home side were determined to upset the league leaders. The game was played to the limit of the laws and at the edge of the referee’s ability to enforce them.
Farnham gradually gained ascendancy in up front with props Lenny Jennings and James Trodden helping hooker Morgan Rushton to strike and win several scrums against the head. And under the powerful pressure of the second row - Steve Simmons and James Franklin - the home pack began to creak. After a series of driving mauls - superbly marshalled by pack-leader Buster Bond - the juggernaut figure of Daly simply smashed through the defence to score near the posts. Rubio converted.
Farnham enjoyed territorial advantage and played with spirit. However the final pass went awry or the ball was turned over at the breakdown on too many occasions. The Exiles had come to spoil the party. A fit, young team they were enjoying success at Farnham's expense.
Periodically, the visitors showed what they could do as a collective. For example, after an slick interchange of passes between centres James Corlett and Mike Salmon, flanker Jason Crabbe breached the home defence to make it 7-19 to the visitors at the interval.
The second half was a repeat of the first despite Farnham enjoying the advantage of a slight slope. Farnham were in the ascendancy but final decisions again proved costly, turnovers a frustration and scoring opportunities were squandered.
The game was finally resolved with an exquisite jinking break by fly half Ben Rubio that freed up top scorer Gabe Hills to go in under the posts giving Farnham an unassailable nineteen point lead of 26-7.
Nevertheless Exiles continued to compete, spoil and disrupt in all areas of play. A final flourish by Farnham and by that man Hills was met by the Exiles coming back to score a controversial try out wide to close out the game at 12-33 to the visitors.
The President's awards for man of the match were judged by ex-England and New Zealand international Jamie Salmon and Farnham backs coach Dave Hurley. They went to winger Ed Weeks (3) - a constant threat, Lenny Jennings (2) at prop for decimating the home pack and Ben Rubio (1) for controlling the game at fly half.
Despite yet another bonus point win, the Farnham supporters headed home nonplussed. Something was missing. The visitors had won but had played - by their own admission - badly. It is to be hoped this battle blew the festive cobwebs away for the encounters ahead.
These begin with two home games to savour - Old Wellingtonians on the 18th, always an entertaining encounter, followed by that top of the table clash on the 25th against KCS Old Boys.
A brace of late tries from Gabe Hills together with scores from Chas Penn and back row forwards Pete Daly and Jason Crabbe ensured that Farnham recorded their thirteenth bonus point of the. Farnham now top London South West 3 by three points but second placed KCS Old Boys are unbeaten. The mouth-watering clash between these two sides on the 25th January at Farnham could well be the divisional championship decider.
The Exiles game kicked off under clear skies and on a Thames-side pitch that was cloying but thankfully not waterlogged. This was Farnham’s first game for four weeks. Pre-holidays, they operated as a team but on this day it was all about individual effort. The close coordination was simply not there.
The home side caught Farnham cold in the first five minutes to take a 7-0 lead. They nipped a Farnham break-out in the bud and attacked down the right flank setting up the winger to scoot round the defence and score under the posts. The conversion looked wayward but was nevertheless awarded.
After this early set back skipper Toby Comley chose to counter-attack with a kick for the corner when three penalty points were there for the taking. The decision paid dividends when Pete Daly’s catch and drive launched winger Chas Penn over the line in the corner. Rubio missed the extras but Farnham were on the board and on the prowl.
The early season clash between Exiles and Farnham had been a feisty affair and once again the home side were determined to upset the league leaders. The game was played to the limit of the laws and at the edge of the referee’s ability to enforce them.
Farnham gradually gained ascendancy in up front with props Lenny Jennings and James Trodden helping hooker Morgan Rushton to strike and win several scrums against the head. And under the powerful pressure of the second row - Steve Simmons and James Franklin - the home pack began to creak. After a series of driving mauls - superbly marshalled by pack-leader Buster Bond - the juggernaut figure of Daly simply smashed through the defence to score near the posts. Rubio converted.
Farnham enjoyed territorial advantage and played with spirit. However the final pass went awry or the ball was turned over at the breakdown on too many occasions. The Exiles had come to spoil the party. A fit, young team they were enjoying success at Farnham's expense.
Periodically, the visitors showed what they could do as a collective. For example, after an slick interchange of passes between centres James Corlett and Mike Salmon, flanker Jason Crabbe breached the home defence to make it 7-19 to the visitors at the interval.
The second half was a repeat of the first despite Farnham enjoying the advantage of a slight slope. Farnham were in the ascendancy but final decisions again proved costly, turnovers a frustration and scoring opportunities were squandered.
The game was finally resolved with an exquisite jinking break by fly half Ben Rubio that freed up top scorer Gabe Hills to go in under the posts giving Farnham an unassailable nineteen point lead of 26-7.
Nevertheless Exiles continued to compete, spoil and disrupt in all areas of play. A final flourish by Farnham and by that man Hills was met by the Exiles coming back to score a controversial try out wide to close out the game at 12-33 to the visitors.
The President's awards for man of the match were judged by ex-England and New Zealand international Jamie Salmon and Farnham backs coach Dave Hurley. They went to winger Ed Weeks (3) - a constant threat, Lenny Jennings (2) at prop for decimating the home pack and Ben Rubio (1) for controlling the game at fly half.
Despite yet another bonus point win, the Farnham supporters headed home nonplussed. Something was missing. The visitors had won but had played - by their own admission - badly. It is to be hoped this battle blew the festive cobwebs away for the encounters ahead.
These begin with two home games to savour - Old Wellingtonians on the 18th, always an entertaining encounter, followed by that top of the table clash on the 25th against KCS Old Boys.
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