Conditions were perfect - clear blue skies, bright sunshine and a soft surface. The Yorkshire based referee's shrill blast started proceedings and the large crowd, suitably lunched, waited for the first collision.
First sparring points for Farnham after a series of probing kicks from both fly-halfs. Home fly-half Chris Penn has learnt his craft through the club and is now beginning to control games - this was his best game for Farnham - composed, unruffled, efficient - all of the qualities a team requires from it's playmaker. Full back Gabe Hills is also on top form and was beginning to shift through the gears. Seemingly held Hills eludes the tackler to sprint for the line. Only a last ditch double tackle held up the
Farnham Express five metres out - from the ensuing penalty - Confident Penn slots the reward 3-0 Farnham.
From the kick off Warlingham respond driving deep into the home half - they possess a half back pairing with a great understanding and like Farnham's Penn the visitor's fly half was a master at variation, power with an immaculate kicking game. With pressure mounting the Farnham backs put themselves under pressure and a miss move goes horribly wrong - desperate defending - penalty. 3-3.
The Farnham pack are starting to up the ante, Naisbitt, Davidson and Trodden are beginning to niggle their counterparts - after weeks of creaking the home scrum is starting to move into gear - big drive and some skulduggery at the base - penalty and Farnham deservedly take the lead on the half-hour. 6-3.
Warlingham are mid-table and produce sequences of superb rugby interspersed with untidy periods on the ball. Farnham needed to continue applying the pressure. Sterling work from Simmons and Harrison backed by Ian Williams in the row ensured that the line-outs were working well and the tackles around the fringe continued to frustrate their opposite numbers. The pace was frenetic, phase after phase from both sides thwarted by equally resilient defence or spoilt by last chance handling errors - frustration for both sides.
As half-time loomed the Warlingham centre pairing manage to release the right winger who is held by O'Connor. The ruck develops and Dedman penalised for handling 6-6 and a stalemate for the festive crowd to digest during the break.
The breaks would come and the Farnham faithful were treated to the try of the season so far as Farnham received the second half kick off. De Gruchy soars to take the catch and offloads to Hurley in the home 22. A scissors move with the flying Hills releases the full back to transfix the visitors - tackle after tackle eluded surely the visitor's defence will close down the threat. On sprints Hills, changing up and down through the gears finally evading the desperate Warlingham full back to crash over in the corner. A wonderful try to warm the crowd to put Farnham 11-6 ahead. The extras from Chris Penn wide out pushes the score to 13-6. Victory is begging!
The visitor's response is clinical - a kick deep into the Farnham half puts the home defence under pressure. Penalty 13-9.
From the kick-off Warlingham sense this is their purple patch - fifteen phases of play, constant recycling eats up the territory and with the line beckoning the swarming Farnham defence forces a knock on. Home put in to the scrum and surely some respite. The Warlingham pack snarl and put on the squeeze, marching the home forwards inch by inch over the line - pushover try. Farnham lose the lead they are never to regain and a superb conversion rubs salt into the wound. 13-16.
The purple patch continues and further Warlingham sustained pressure results in a silly obstruction in the midfield - kick where the ball lands and an easy three points for the assured visitor's fly-half.
Farnham have to respond and they proceed to launch wave after wave of attacks - three times the visitor's are penalised and rather than take the points on offer to keep the scoreboard ticking over - pragmatism or expansionist - Farnham opt to go for the glory score - three times the ball goes to the corner and from the line-outs the visitor's scramble to survive - successful on each occasion Warlingham break out to reach the Farnham half for only the fourth time in this period. Quick hands with a hint of a forward pass frees up the winger arriving at pace - try against the run of play. 13-24 and Warlingham are starting to move away.
With just seven minutes remaining Farnham launch their final series of attacks - centres Corlett and Penn penetrative throughout are beginning to wear the opposition. O'Connor darts for the line held up - penalty. Once more for the corner. Practice obviously helps and with their fourth attempt Farnham forward Deadman finally crosses the line - deserved reward for their efforts 18-24 and a bonus point.
One more score would win the game - drive after drive repelled and, finally, Warlingham turnover the ball and pick and drive to run down the clock and secure a hard earned win in this Ding Dong battle.
A lot of good rugby, some bad decisions and the age old conundrum do you take the points when they are on offer putting the pressure on the opposition 16-19, 19-24 etc with successful kicks would have started to raise doubt in the visitor's minds or go for the instant winning score. Sport in all it's twists and turns.
The Christmas fixture next Saturday is a 2pm kick off at Monkton Lane versus old rivals Weybridge Vandals.