The smiles on the faces of Evil Kneivel, Super Mario, James Bond and Rambo told the story, it was after all Super-Heroes night at Farnham Rugby Club. The club had been engaged in a thrilling relegation 'crunch' match against Portsmouth. At last Farnham had come to the party on a Super Saturday of rugby thrills and ups and downs. The knowing grins reflecting a sumptuous feast of attacking rugby resulting in a stunning 37-7 demolition of senior rivals Portsmouth.

The match against Portsmouth was effectively the league survival decider with Portsmouth 3rd from bottom and Farnham with two points less just below them. This was indeed - the Crunch.

With a bitter northerly wind blew directly down the pitch from the Weybourne End. Farnham kicked off with the blustery conditions behind them. Securing possession Portsmouth frustrated the home side's efforts for the first twelve minutes of the match with a succession of driving mauls into the biting wind. Farnham just could not get their hands on the ball. The Portsmouth tactics were using up time and significant amounts of energy. A lot of the movement was across the pitch enabling the Farnham defence to at least absorb the early sustained pressure.

As the pressure mounted the penalty count began to rise. Farnham were on the wrong side of the referee - five penalties in the first ten minutes. Skipper Toby Comley, playing on the open side of the scrum had to control his troops. Gradually the sustained Portsmouth attacks petered out against a Farnham defence that would prove almost impregnable all afternoon. Tackle after ferocious tackle, ruck after brutal ruck as the Farnham Wall held firm.

On 15 minutes a swarming break out from the Farnham backs. Brown to Chris Penn and on through Corlett and Salmon to Tom O'Connor. Yards made and inroads into the visitor's 22. Quick recycled ball and Portsmouth offside. Penalty! Chris Penn slots the points 3-0 and Farnham are on their way.

A repeat four minutes later and Farnham increase their lead. Surely more points will be required given the wind advantage. Farnham are now beginning to enjoy parity with possession and are at last freeing up their dangerous backs. Speedsters Chas Penn and full back Dave Hurley are starting to eat up the yards and only the most frustrating of knock-ones prevents a score. Delays would be the optimum word as from the resulting scrum at which No 8 Reece de Gruchy destroys the Portsmouth scrum half to free up Comley for the all important first try 11-0.

Farnham begin to believe and from the kick produce the try of the half Corlett, back to his best, on the charge to Chris Penn for the chip chase and transfer to scrum half Oli Brown and an inside pass to the ubiquitous De Gruchy in under the posts. For expansive rugby look no further. 18-0.

Tries win games but defences secure them and for the final ten minutes of the first half Portsmouth battered away at the home try line. Three scrums in a row were repelled by fair means or foul. The tackle count was on a meteoric rise as Portsmouth inched ever closer. Trodden, Williams and Simmons were the back bone of the effort. Naisbitt Coutts and Davidson the core tacklers around the fringes. "They shall not pass!" summed up the Farnham wall mentality.
Phew! Half-Time.

The season had come down to this. 18-0 up at half-time with Farnham playing into a gale-force, bitterly-cold wind. Portsmouth battling for survival - game on.

Farnham secure possession and maul repeatedly to eat up the territory, a blindside break and up pops the mercurial Chris Penn from fly half on the outside to slide over wide out on the left - the vital first score of the half. 23-0.

One kick is worth 60-70 metres in these sort of conditions and Portsmouth rake the Farnham 22 after a series of kicks. Line-out and the Portsmouth forwards start to rumble. The momentum is theirs. Held and repeat to score? No! Patience is lost and they opt to spin the ball wide. The marauding Farnham defence apply the pressure - interception and the flying Chas Penn gallops fully 90 yards for the score. The extras from brother Chris 30-0.

On 70 minutes Farnham win a turnover penalty and launch another blistering attack. All of these backs have pace to burn and supported by men of the match Comley and de Gruchy, Farnham drive to the right. Salmon on the charge to Chas Penn, Chris Penn on to Comley with an audacious pop up to Oli Brown over the try line 37-0. Now Farnham can enjoy the spoils - a bonus point win and five points in the bag.

Premature celebrations and virtually on the final whistle the hard working Portsmouth XV who had battled manfully all afternoon manage a well worked consolation try under the posts 37-7. Too little, too late.

This was Farnham at their best with five superb team tries. The team plays without fear a new brand of high risk, high reward rugby. Great Entertainment.

Podium Points
Toby Comley - out of position at 7 took responsibility and led by example - 3 points
Reece de Gruchy - another outstanding game from the young No 8 - 2 points
Chris Penn - orchestrated from fly-half a flawless performance.