Clear blue skies and the going soft-to-good at Monkton Lane presented perfect conditions for the visit on Saturday of old adversaries Purley John Fisher Old Boys (PJF). The right result would clinch Farnham’s promotion to London South-West 2 - the highest league the club has ever played.

Farnham started at breakneck pace with a series of twenty phases that stretched the PJF defence. The backs and forwards worked to a devastating common purpose. The visitors were shocked by the intensity and eventually wilted allowing Ed Weeks to score under the posts. The new electronic scoreboard sponsored by Comley Demolition burst into life – 7-0.

Within 20 minute Farnham had the four try bonus point win with tries from skipper Toby Comley, Ben Rubio and prop Lennie Jennings. The score would have stretched to embarrassing proportion had Farnham not managed to squander possession on a number of occasions. The energy levels demanded by Coach Matt Kemp are high.

PJF had battled hard during this initial quarter but they were overwhelmed by the Farnham pace and direction. The visitors had suffered from unavailability in key positions and their fly half deserved better support in his virtually one man battle.

On the other hand, the foundations of a near perfect rugby team would be a front row that is strong in the scrum, works hard on the fringes and is skilful in open play. In James Trodden, Lennie Jennings, Dan Ross and substitute Morgan Rushton, Farnham is lucky enough to have such foundations. The second row engine room is powered by Steve Simmons and James Franklin. They too work hard at the scrum, make the hard yards and miss few – if any - tackles in broken play. With this front five, a dominant pack is beginning to take shape.

Add to the mix Buster Bond at open side flanker who is a nuisance at the breakdown and competes hard at every tackle and for every yard, Jason Crabb on the blind side who creates space for the backs and is devastating in the tackle, and a No 8 in Pete Daly who is literally an absolute colossus all around the pitch. Together, front five and back row, the foundations for the team’s success is in place.

If the forwards are the piano shifters, the backs are the players. The perfect team needs a conductor for its orchestra and Farnham’s Ben Rubio fulfils the role admirably. He has a precision pass off both hands and the ability to side-step in the space of a phone box. Outside Rubio stands the team’s Director of Music in Chris Penn at fly half. His ability to pick and time the right move allows centres Mike Salmon and James Corlett to play the chords that penetrate the opposition’s defence and free up wingers Toby Comley and Ed Weeks who can finish the piece. With fullbacks like Andy Freshwater and the injured Gabe Hills willing and able to play a solo flourish, the team is complete and so it proved this day.

The referee enjoyed empathy with both sides and allowed the game to flow for the first half. After securing the bonus point, Farnham scored further tries from James Corlett and Toby Comley and with Rubio kicking the extras the score to stretched to 38-0 at half time. Having put his body on the line as he crashed into the post in the act of scoring, the unfortunate Corlett had to leave the field after a lengthy period of treatment.

Despite the wide margin, Coach Matt Kemp still had plenty to discuss with his squad during the break. The joy of coaching is that your charges will always make mistakes and take wrong decisions.

The second half began from the kick off with a swarming attack by Farnham. They drove deep into the visitor’s half with quick ball won and swiftly transferred. Prompted by experienced winger Ben Crean, Chris Penn popped through a perfect grubber kick that sat up nicely for an easy score in the corner. 43-0.

The contest was over and the game entered an odd period where Farnham simply could not get on the right side of the referee. First Pete Daly was dispatched for a 10 minute break for driving through the middle of a ruck and then the uncompromising Fran Meagher, on to replace Corlett, was also given a break for handling the ball at the base of a pile up.

Farnham became frustrated and a game that threatened to deliver a cricket score stagnated under the shrill blast of the referee’s whistle.

Character shows through on these occasions and the impetus was gradually regained by pack leader Bond driving on his six forwards. Further tries by Rubio and Daly ensured that the new scoreboard was fully exercised. With Daly and Meagher back in the fray, Farnham were tempted to try ever more expansive moves from within their own 22 and it was such a move that provided PJF their only score. Their fly-half pounced to intercept a long pass and scored unopposed under the posts for a well-deserved converted try.

That proved to be the visitor’s last throw. Farnham finished off in style with Andrew Bond waltzing over unopposed from a five metre line-out and with Rubio adding the extras the final score was 62-7.

A four-man jury awarded three Presidents Podium points and man of the match to Ed Weeks, two to the omnipresent Andrew Bond and one for the 100% commitment of Steve Simmons.

With Hampshire side’s Eastleigh and Ellingham & Ringwood both losing, Farnham are assured of promotion. This is a great reward for this group of players and the stalwarts such as Dean Chiverton, Graeme Black and Richard Philips who give their all when called on to play. It is also testament to the efforts of the coaching team of Matt Kemp, Gary Stennet and Terry Whitear.

Are Farnham at perfection? Maybe not. But in this particular season and in this league, everyone has put in a tremendous shift to secure their status in London South West 2. Well done Farnham!