Vandals capitalise on Farnham penalty count

Farnham were playing catch up after conceding 10 points in the first nine minutes of play. The initial penalty awarded after three minutes. The kick was made easier when the referee marched Bond back a further ten yards for questioning the decision even though as pack leader Bond was perhaps entitled to make such an enquirey.

Soon after, Farnham’s new fly half Elliot Rich missed an opportunity to equal the scores. Vandals broke out to force a line-out deep in the visitors half. A well worked catch and drive sucked in the Farnham forwards and slick hands put the Vandals winger over in the corner. The extras pushed the score to 10-0 with the momentum very much with the home side.

The sizeable crowd was then treated to the spectacle of both Number 8s, Bond and his Vandals counterpart - a significant chunk of a man from the Chilean Easter Islands -, battle for supremacy. At the turnover Bond was ahead but on the charge the Easter Islander had the edge.

The game ebbed and flowed interspersed by the referee’s whistle. As happened last week, Farnham failing to grasp that at this level the ball carrier just cannot be isolated, exposed and vulnerable to turn over or a penalty for failing to release the ball.

Scrum half Olly Brown sniped through the Vandals defence and at the ensuing breakdown that man Bond won the ball only to be battered by Mr Easter. Penalty! And Farnham were on the scoreboard 10-3.

Much of the play was taking place in the middle third of the pitch with both defences holding sway. Farnham’s half back pairing of Brown and Rich varied the play releasing Salmon and Penn in the centre. Phase after phase invariably culminated in turn over or penalty.

Farnham have yet to recover the ability to prise open gaps as in previous seasons. Enforced changes have blunted the cutting edge and whilst many of the replacements are talented players they are taking a while to emerge as an attacking threat.

However, the same could be said about the home team. Their pacey, slick handling often led them up blind alleys.

Frustration, the core emotion of this game, began to mount for both sides. On 38 minutes the home captain was despatched to the bin. The extra man allowed Farnham to increase the pressure. James Trodden on the charge put full back Gabe Hills clear with a sublime offload – only to be halted by a tap tackle ten yards short. So Farnham had just 3 points to show at the half time whistle.

Coaches Matt Kemp, Pete Simmons and Gary Stennet were forced to make further changes. Yeomans came on for Naisbitt at prop, Greene for Simmons in the row and Kitson for Hills. The bench was now bare.

The game continued at a consistently relentless and frenetic pace with both sides continuing to probe for openings while defences reigned supreme. This was a full-on league encounter with no quarter being asked or given.

Centre Ben Crean and skipper Toby Comley came into the game to create inroads. It would take but one score to open the door.

Slam! Farnham dubiously penalised for not clearing away from the tackle - three points and the home side had a 10 point cushion.

Credit must go to both sides for good fitness levels. The high intensity and pace continued to the final whistle.

On 65 minutes Gabe Hills was released by a drive from Meagher and Chiverton who had benefitted from some excellent line-out work from Harrison and Jennings. Hills raced into the home 22, chipped the defence but, alas, the chase did not end with a try thanks to the random bounce of that funny shaped ball. Frustration!

Farnham's naivety had been exposed across two reasonable performances. Failure to keep the ball, to attack in numbers and to eradicate isolation from their game cost them victory on both occasions. Farnham will adapt to these new levels however it may take some time. The healthy number of senior players at the club means competition for places should raise the performance and re-hone the vital cutting edge in attack.

The Podium Points were awarded by the Weybridge Vandals Chairman and Coach: Buster Bond 3, Steve Simmons 2, Olly Brown 1.