"Scratch" side shows its mettle.

Photo credit Mike Clay @mikeclay4715 of Chichester.

Farnham travelled to Chichester for the hastily re-arranged fixture on Saturday in hope rather than expectation. A Six Nations Saturday invariably provides a weekend off for club rugby, but a packed end-of-season schedule gave no option but to play last week’s postponed game on a day when both clubs’ 1st XV were denuded of regular starters. Farnham were missing their skipper, a number of other key players as well as their Director of Rugby and Head Coach. Assistant Coach Mark Jones assumed the mantle and prepared, encouraged and managed his charges with aplomb. Those charges included no less than four players on 1st XV debut and six with less than twenty first team appearances.
The pitch at Chichester slopes away from the well-appointed pavilion and on this day, a stiff breeze blew down that slope. The consensus in the Farnham technical area was that the elements alone were worth 15 points. Farnham chose to battle the elements in the first half, hold and then come back in the second half.
Within twelve minutes Chichester had ten of those points. The first three came from a penalty in front well taken by their 13 who was accurate off the tee all afternoon. The converted try came after Farnham had battled forward with effective attacking phases marshalled by Sam Jones at 10. He mixed strong carries from the forwards led by heavyweights Matt Chapman and Oliver Banks-Thompson with darting runs from the backs with debutant Michael Bates catching the eye at inside centre. However, the ball was spilt allowing a huge boot in behind Farnham who were all pressed up in attack. The ball bounced kindly for the chasing Fijian who was in for the try.
Farnham struck back almost immediately. A good chase from the kick off produced a line out on the Chichester 22. The home team infringed, and Farnham took a quick tap. Chichester had not retreated 10 and at the next penalty, Farnham took the tap again and flanker Josh Watson was over wide out. Alex Chalker had the kicking duties, and his effort shaved the posts. 10-5.
Debutant Archie Healy at scrum half had a good game overall, however he struggled initially to allow for the effect that the stiff breeze would have on his box kick. The net result was Farnham failed to clear their lines at the restart. Pushed back to a goal line drop out, Farnham were caught offside in the chase. Chichester took their own quick tap and barged over the line. Healy made amends by holding up the attacker and earning Farnham another goal line drop out from which they cleared their lines.
Farnham worked their way up the pitch only for a knock-on to produce the inevitable down-field hoof that put Farnham under the cosh once again saved by a brilliant turn over at the ruck by debutant Daniel O’Keeffe. The young No 7 caught the eye with strong carries, crunching tackles and bravery at the breakdown. The wind caught Jones’ clearance kick and it failed to make touch. Farnham were perhaps too confident that it would, and the chase was not all it could have been. The lively Chichester No5 to burst through and made the most of the slope to gallop in under the posts. Farnham retrieved the restart and threatened but history repeated itself when a long raking return kick by Chichester saw their fast Fijian outsprint the turned Farnham defenders to dot down.
35 five minutes gone and at 22-5, the home side had their 15-point advantage. The first period ended in typical fashion. Farnham pressed with ball in hand. The ball was knocked on. Chichester broke out. Farnham coughed up the penalty for not releasing and from the ensuring 5 meter line out, the pick and drive put Chichester over. 29-5 at half time with a mountain for the Black and Whites to climb, but one they believed was scalable.
Farnham had a lineout deep in the Chichester 22 within minutes of the restart. George Haylett at hooker was accurate all afternoon. Indeed, Farnham had generally dominated at the line out. However, on this occasion the ball was over-thrown - or was it?. Banks-Thompson at the tail was quickest to react and snaffled the ball, set up the ruck and after a couple of punches Josh Watson is over for his second. Chalker was accurate from the tee and at 29-12 the fight back is on.
The next significant event was a sucker punch that could have taken the wind out of Farnham’s sails. Again, the Black and Whites pressed with ball in hand. The forwards had sucked in the defenders and there was space for the speedsters to make their presence felt. Full back Reece Stennett joined the line at pace and the ball was fizzed wide – only to fall into the hands of Chichester’s fast Fijian who sprinted in from 80 meters out. 36-12.
Jones restarted deep and the Chichester No 9 struggled with the breeze as Watson had done in the first half. His box kicks went high but made no ground. Chichester were caught off-side and Jones kicked for the corner. The line out was good, the maul well set and from its base Josh Watson plunged over to complete his hattrick. Chalker’s effort from out wide hit the near post and fell wide. 36-17.
Farnham’s decision-making began to go astray. Their exit kick went straight into touch. However, from the attacking line out, Chichester strayed offside so the chance was there for Farnham to use the wind and clear their lines, but a quick tap was taken. The runner was isolated and Chichester returned the penalty to a line out deep in Farnham’s 22. Here, the famous Farnham D came to the fore. Chichester threatened from a set scrum under the Farnham posts and charged from the base, but there was second row Jack Haylett – a back row player by trade – to win the turn-over.
The final minutes of the game was cut and thrust with both sides close to scoring. The defining moment came as Farnham spun the ball wide to break out of their 22. Debutant Joe Marsh - on for winger Rian Stutley - was almost clear only to be near decapitated by his marker. The miscreant was shown a yellow card and Chichester played the final minutes with 14 men.
Farnham pressed and Chichester repeatedly offend. Jones’ penalty kicks hit the 5 meter line twice only for the attacks therefrom to be rebuffed by desperate Chichester defence. At the third attempt the ball was kept with the forwards who picked, drove to create the space for Jonathan Vincent to go over out wide. Chalker’s effort from the tee fell short, 36-22 and before long, the final whistle blew.
Vincent’s bonus point try was just desserts for the stand-in skipper who marshalled his pack from No8 and led the entire team by great example. He bossed the line out. His blistering runs at Chichester’s midfield invariably put them on the back foot. No attacker got past him.
This team belied the title of a “scratch” side. But for that second half break away, it would have been within a hair’s breadth of a much-deserved win. Presidents Podium voted for by the players: 3- Josh Watson, 2- Jonny Vincent, 1- Dan Okeeffe.
Next week rugby returns to Monkton Lane as the 1st XV plays the derby game against fourth placed Guildford. With some new faces putting down their marker, the Farnham management have some tough but welcome selection decisions to make. Kick off 3.00pm.