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Sat 14 Oct 2023 · Regional 2 South Central
1st XVReading
27
15
All five points!
Mark Weeks16 Oct 2023 - 09:16
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But a disappointing performance
The sun was out again as Farnham welcomed Reading Rugby to Monkton Lane for Round Six of the league season. Both teams were eager to improve on the single win to their names thus far. Farnham made just a couple of changes to the team that narrowly lost to Witney last Saturday and played the first half with the wind behind them.
The Black and Whites started well and applied early pressure to Reading’s defence. A break from Toby Simmons - who had an action-packed afternoon - presented Farnham with a good scoring opportunity. However, the execution was not quite there – an issue that was to plague the team for the rest of the game. Nevertheless, the opening score came moments later. Hard carries from Josh Watson and Matt Kouris tightened the Reading defence allowing Ben Jones to spin the ball wide to Toby Salmon who released Simmons to sprint into the corner for his first try. The conversion missed but Farnham were on the board.
A young Reading side responded well. Playing with bags of courage, they created some good opportunities with clever kicking and strung together a number of good attacking phases. A penalty at the breakdown gave them the opportunity to get on the scoreboard and Tom Sharpe, the Reading fly half, duly converted to make it 5-3.
Farnham created plenty of opportunities with several line-breaks. However a series of handling errors and mistakes cost them dearly. Loose forwards Fin Basil and Jonny Vincent were threatening all game and the backline made numerous breaks but just couldn’t quite connect on the final pass. The last play before halftime saw Finn Basil smash through and offload to Jemi Akin-Olugbade who broke away before being dragged down ten metres from the line. However, the move broke down with another handling error that summarised Farnham’s half. The score remained 5-3 until the break.
Frustrations galore! Farnham had to put them aside and focus on the job at hand. They claimed the restart and immediately broke out. Tom Brooker had come on and immediately made an impact with his usual direct running. Farnham earned a penalty in front of the posts but opted to go for the corner. The rolling maul was well set allowing Matt Kouris to break off and power over for Farnham’s second try. 10-3.
Farnham had to be patient for their next score with mistakes again being their undoing in attack. However, the reliable Farnham “D” was superb as ever and kept a resurgent Reading at bay. Then an uncommonly inaccurate kick from Reading presented an opportunity. Good control from Ben Jones who found Jonny Vincent who drew the defence and released Toby Simmons for his second try. The conversion was good and Farnham had some breathing space 17-3.
Farnham were now starting to find their groove and brought on Harry West for a backline reshuffle. Another loose kick was fielded well by Ben Jones who had moved to full back. He broke through and found Toby Simmons who sprinted down the touchline to skin the covering defence and complete his hattrick. 22-3.
Farnham had their tails up and broke through again with Reading’s defence in disarray. Ollie Brown now at flyhalf spun the ball wide to Toby Salmon who found that man Simmons in space to dot down in the corner. Four tries for the Academy graduate all well deserved. (Thank heavens he did not score his fifth or, to follow in England’s footsteps, he would have to be dropped!)
To their credit Reading never gave up and scored two late tries by putting together some good attacking play that seized upon yet more Farnham mistakes. At 27-15, Reading now pushed for a losing bonus point. However, Farnham managed to get hold the ball and keep it to claim the much needed five league points. Farnham skipper Toby Salmon said, “That was not the performance we were looking for. There are lots of areas to work on in training – including the basics. But a much needed win should give the lads the confidence and momentum to turn this season round.”
Presidents Podium, voted for by the players.
Toby Simmons 3 – with four tries and a hat full of meters gained, he takes the entire podium this week.
The Black and Whites started well and applied early pressure to Reading’s defence. A break from Toby Simmons - who had an action-packed afternoon - presented Farnham with a good scoring opportunity. However, the execution was not quite there – an issue that was to plague the team for the rest of the game. Nevertheless, the opening score came moments later. Hard carries from Josh Watson and Matt Kouris tightened the Reading defence allowing Ben Jones to spin the ball wide to Toby Salmon who released Simmons to sprint into the corner for his first try. The conversion missed but Farnham were on the board.
A young Reading side responded well. Playing with bags of courage, they created some good opportunities with clever kicking and strung together a number of good attacking phases. A penalty at the breakdown gave them the opportunity to get on the scoreboard and Tom Sharpe, the Reading fly half, duly converted to make it 5-3.
Farnham created plenty of opportunities with several line-breaks. However a series of handling errors and mistakes cost them dearly. Loose forwards Fin Basil and Jonny Vincent were threatening all game and the backline made numerous breaks but just couldn’t quite connect on the final pass. The last play before halftime saw Finn Basil smash through and offload to Jemi Akin-Olugbade who broke away before being dragged down ten metres from the line. However, the move broke down with another handling error that summarised Farnham’s half. The score remained 5-3 until the break.
Frustrations galore! Farnham had to put them aside and focus on the job at hand. They claimed the restart and immediately broke out. Tom Brooker had come on and immediately made an impact with his usual direct running. Farnham earned a penalty in front of the posts but opted to go for the corner. The rolling maul was well set allowing Matt Kouris to break off and power over for Farnham’s second try. 10-3.
Farnham had to be patient for their next score with mistakes again being their undoing in attack. However, the reliable Farnham “D” was superb as ever and kept a resurgent Reading at bay. Then an uncommonly inaccurate kick from Reading presented an opportunity. Good control from Ben Jones who found Jonny Vincent who drew the defence and released Toby Simmons for his second try. The conversion was good and Farnham had some breathing space 17-3.
Farnham were now starting to find their groove and brought on Harry West for a backline reshuffle. Another loose kick was fielded well by Ben Jones who had moved to full back. He broke through and found Toby Simmons who sprinted down the touchline to skin the covering defence and complete his hattrick. 22-3.
Farnham had their tails up and broke through again with Reading’s defence in disarray. Ollie Brown now at flyhalf spun the ball wide to Toby Salmon who found that man Simmons in space to dot down in the corner. Four tries for the Academy graduate all well deserved. (Thank heavens he did not score his fifth or, to follow in England’s footsteps, he would have to be dropped!)
To their credit Reading never gave up and scored two late tries by putting together some good attacking play that seized upon yet more Farnham mistakes. At 27-15, Reading now pushed for a losing bonus point. However, Farnham managed to get hold the ball and keep it to claim the much needed five league points. Farnham skipper Toby Salmon said, “That was not the performance we were looking for. There are lots of areas to work on in training – including the basics. But a much needed win should give the lads the confidence and momentum to turn this season round.”
Presidents Podium, voted for by the players.
Toby Simmons 3 – with four tries and a hat full of meters gained, he takes the entire podium this week.
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