This was always going to be a close encounter between Farnham and Reeds Weybridge, numbers two and three in the league. And so it was. The game was decided by the narrowest of margins possible, brilliant defence by the black and whites and questionable decision making by the Reeds attack.
The high drama of the final minutes was preceded by a ding-dong battle. At lunch, the highly hospitable hosts delighted in telling their guests that their team liked to “fizz the ball about”. Well, that makes for two teams who enjoy playing it that way and Reeds’ firm close cropped first pitch would allow for it. That pitch does bear a significant slope from south down to north, but a stiff northerly breeze evened things up a little and blew in a chilly shower or two on an otherwise bright early spring day.
Farnham’s familiar line up of backs featured the three Salmon brothers, the ever-present Stennett, Ollie Brown back to starting at scrum half, Farnes who is now inked in at 10 and a welcome return for speedster Max Williams on the wing. With the recent loss to injury of Mitchell (shoulder) and Henderson (concussion), the pack was reinforced by the return of Azevedo at prop with Matt Chapman and Ben Brown at hooker. The significant bulk of Harrison Horner joined Ben Adams in the row with back row regulars Comley and Vincent joined by debutant up from the 2s, Jack Haylett. There is a saying in rugby football that if you don’t notice a forward during the game, then he’s doing his job. Thus, Haylett took to first team rugby.
Farnham started down the hill and made the slope tell with ten minutes of sustained pressure featuring an outrageously sharp catch by Stennett from an “unsympathetic” pass from Tim Salmon as the team was determined to “fizz the ball about”. The try was scored after a classic series of punches from the forwards followed by a blistering break from Mike Salmon into the line from full back and the ball moved sharply out to Williams who went over out wide. Toby missed the difficult conversion. 0-5 after 10 minutes.
Reeds came flooding back from the restart and their dangerous backs threatened. On 25 minutes Chapman picked up a niggle and was replaced by Woodhams at prop. Perhaps the slope helped, as Farnham had parity in the set scrum in this half. Farnham’s defence held with another siege gun return kick by Mike Salmon into the wind relieving the pressure. However, after a period of sustained possession and effective phase play, Reeds’ winger skipped up the touchline – and may even have clipped it according to nearby away support but not according to the touch judge – and scored out wide. The conversion attempt dropped short. 5-5 on half an hour.
The game then became somewhat scrappy as both sides tried a little two hard to break down each other’s stern defence. Farnham had one more chance as the half came to a close with Ollie Brown taking a quick tap penalty to put Farnes into a gap but his pass to release Williams for the line was adjudged forward.
At the first set scrum of the half, Reeds took advantage of the slope and brutally shoved Farnham off their ball. Jemi Akin Olugbade was brought on to shore up the scrum. He had come to the game as a spectator but was dragooned into the side following an injury sustained during the warm-up. His initial appearance was short lived as in the ensuing scrummage, Farnham were again shoved backwards and the unfortunate Olugbade was adjudged to have precipitated the collapse and was carded.
The game now took on a pattern reminiscent of recent Farnham games with the forwards losing heavily at the set scrum only for the backs to make their crunching tackles and the back row to pick themselves up off the floor and complete the resolute defence. Reminiscent of last week, Toby Salmon once again kicked a clearance dead. Thereafter, having seen off the Reeds counter attack, Farnham kept the ball in hand to edge up the field. Reeds infringed between the half way line and their 22 and Toby Salmon stepped up to take what were to prove three crucial points. 5-8 with half an hour to go.
With a penalty to Reeds almost guaranteed should the set piece stay down, the Farnham trio of Ollie Brown with the put in, brother Ben Brown at hooker and Jonny Vincent at 8 mastered the art of lightening quick ball at the scrum. The pack had been completely reorganised with Jemi back on and Woodhams at prop, Azevedo was moved to the row and Stennett into the pack at flanker while Chalker took his slot on the wing. This gave Farnham some go forward, and the backs made good ground. In a play similar to their opening score, a series of thrusts by the forwards sucked in the Reeds defence until the ball was spun out to Williams for his second. The shot at goal was missed. 5-13 with fifteen minutes to play.
Those were long, nerve-shredding minutes for the travelling Faithful. The dominant Reeds scrum kept Farnham pinned in their half where desperate defence kept the home side out. Jonny Vincent was yellow carded for skulduggery at the breakdown and, eventually, following a catch and drive at the line out, Reeds powered over in front. A simple conversion made it 12-13 and the home side raced back to receive the restart. This they did and stormed back down the hill into the Farnham half.
It would not be unjust to say that at this moment, Reeds lost their collective heads – perhaps as a result of Farnham’s stalwart defence. They were winning their scrum penalties on the Farnham five-metre line. All they had to do, so most on the touchline thought, was keep to the ball in the scrum and shove the visitors over their line or have them collapse and cough up the penalty try. But they did not do this. A couple of times the ball came out and their drive for the line was thwarted. Finally, in desperation, the Reeds scrum half took a quick tap penalty and “fizzed” the ball beyond his winger and in to touch. Farnham won their line out, cleared their lines and the final whistle blew. Of this season’s great escapes by the Black and Whites, this was by far the greatest.
Podium Points: Jonny Vincent 3, everywhere, turn overs, hard yards and tidy at the base of a scrum going backwards; Ben Brown 2, accurate at the line out, busy around the park and lightening feet at the set scrum; Max Williams, two well taken tries.
Farnham have secured their second place in the league seven points clear of Reeds and nine points shy of leaders Horsham with a game in hand. Next Saturday Farnham entertain old rivals Battersea Ironsides at Monkton Lane, a fixture that has witnessed many a close fought battle. Kick Off 3.00pm.