Unlike the initial game that was postponed at the last minute due to a frozen pitch, Farnham confronted Chichester last Saturday on a perfect day for rugby. Still, cool and a firm pitch that had recovered well from deluge and frost under the tender loving care of the hard working ground staff. With the exception of their very first encounter a couple of years ago, the two sides have enjoyed some close battles. Farnham had squeaked this season’s previous encounter 36-39. The balcony, packed with the Faithful and travelling support, eagerly anticipated a ding dong encounter.
Having lost a couple of props to leg injuries last week, the Farnham pack had a fresh look to it. The ever present Marco Azevedo was joined by Matt Chapman at prop with regular hooker Ben Brown having a good game at the line out, harrying the Chichester midfield and making some good yards out wide. No 8 Oscar Henderson was moved to the row alongside Dr Rob Mitchell – a welcome returnee to the Farnham fold – with the familiar back rowers Jonny Vincent and Toby Comley joined by the young tyro Jack Bemelmans at 6.
While this pack featuring five back row players behind the props did well in open play and at the line out, they had a torrid afternoon at the set scrum. Yet despite this handicap, Farnham were never out of the game.
Harry West at scrum half efficiently zipped the ball to No10 Matt Farnes who mixed distribution to forwards and backs with some deft kicks behind the Chichester defence. Tim and Toby Salmon in mid-field were as abrasive and skilful as ever. On the wings both Nathan Phillimore and Reece Stennett threatened on numerous occasions.
Farnham received the kick off playing from the school end and after a couple of phases, Farnes spotted space out wide and a deft cross field kick put Stennett away. The Chichester scramble defence pulled him down and Farnham put in a couple more good phases before the attack petered out with a knock on. It was at the ensuing scrum that the Farnham pack learned it was to be a long afternoon in this phase of the game.
The game ebbed and flowed for the next half an hour. As long as there was no scrummage, Farnham seemed to pin back Chichester. However, a knock on or a crooked line out would set the scrum from which Chichester invariably won a penalty and pinned Farnham back.
The stalemate was broken when Chichester’s Tyrese Makasi at 7 broke through the first line of defence to be bundled into touch just shy of the line. From the line out Harry West could clear but only to the 22 for a Chichester line out at which Farnham knock on. Chichester took the inevitable scrum penalty with another scrummage which collapsed, and Chapman was carded to sit out the last ten minutes of the half.
On came replacement prop Sam Woodhams and winger Phillimore left the field. At the next scrummage Chichester convert their dominance with a mighty shove that sent Farnham back to their line from where Chichester’s 8, Tom Whitehouse, picked up from the base and ploughed over. Chichester skipper Rhys Thompson was successful with the tricky conversion and the score board ticked over at last. 0 – 7.
The Farnham chase from the restart was good and put Chichester under pressure. They conceded a penalty and Farnham, spurning the chance for a set piece, tap and go and make more ground in midfield. Defence dominated this low scoring game and Chichester held until the referee spotted some skulduggery on the floor and Farnham were awarded a penalty in front which Toby Salmon gratefully converted. 3 – 7 and the half time whistle blew.
The Farnham coaches reshuffled the pack for the second half. The bulkier Vincent replaced Brown at hooker. Sam Woodhams came on at prop with Chapman moved to the row with Henderson back to his accustomed position at No 8. Comley and Bemelmans retained their slots on the flank. Both had good games, Comley using his 200 games of experience to be a constant thorn in Chichester’s side while young Bemelmans’ pace and aggression earned him a number of hard yards.
The game settled into a similar pattern as the first half – although Farnham was grateful for the fact there were precious few set scrums. Furthermore, Farnham were starting to threaten led by their relatively lightweight but fast and highly skilled pack of back row forwards. But for Farnham to have been adjudged to have “crossed” and, in a later move, the final pass going astray, Oscar Henderson could well have been on the scoresheet.
Chichester also had their chances. The mercurial and busy Josef Amin at 10 would often break the line and put the Farnham defence close to “panic mode”. Fifteen minutes into the half the ref spotted a Farnham high tackle and Thompson shot for goal, but it faded past the right hand post. Toby Salmon cleared to the Farnham 22 from where Chichester launched a series of attacks that tested the fabled Farnham D to the limit. But it held and Farnham edged back to a position from which they could put in a series of attacks.
This assault is halted illegally on the halfway line and the frustration felt by two sides who had failed to impact the scoreboard erupted into a bit of “argy bargy”. Farnham were awarded the penalty and Chichester were marched back a further ten metres. Toby Salmon was inch perfect with the kick to the corner. The Farnham line out was immaculate – as it had been all afternoon. Perhaps with a rage ignited by the earlier incident, the pack vehemently pounded the Chichester line until Mitchell spotted a gap and plunged over in front. Toby Salmon converted, and Farnham took the lead 10 - 7 with ten minutes to go.
Toby’s next touch was to have a significant impact on the match. He received the restart and with trademark pace and step he broke through the Chichester chasers deep into their half and put a grubber kick into their 22. Chichester can only clear to their 22 where another slick Farnham line out launched the backs. Chichester made a high tackle in that attack and once again Farnham have an attacking line out. This time they forsake the maul for open play and Bemelmans made the most of it with an incisive run and a deft offload to Mitchell who went over for his second. Toby Salmon made the conversion and Farnham are two scores ahead at 17-7 as the game headed toward its conclusion.
The coaches brought on fresh legs in the form of debutant Oban Baird at flanker and Alex Chalker on the wing. Baird, a talented youngster who is set to join Manley Rugby Club in Australia this summer, did his job well while the final play of the game saw Chalker bundled into touch after a strong gallop down the wing.
This was another close fought battle edged by the Black and Whites that puts them second in the league with two games in hand. League leaders Horsham lost their game at Ironsides, and while they appear out of sight at 14 points clear, Farnham can still harbour hopes of league honours.
After the game, Farnham Director of Rugby Gary Stennett commented, “That was another all team effort. There are no superstars here. They all work for one another. That’s been the backbone of our success this season.”
President’s Podium: Oscar Henderson 3, Rob Mitchell 2, Mike Salmon 1.
Next Saturday Farnham entertain Lewisham-based team Old Colfeians. While OC’s sit mid table, they are one of the three teams to have beaten Farnham this season – so this will be another test for the Black and Whites. KO 2.30pm.