Sloppy Start but Fantastic Fight Back Secures Bonus Point Win
A welcome return to rugby for Farnham after a month without a game, the first fixture of 2025 finally took place with Petersfield visiting Fortress Farnham at Wilkinson Way on Saturday afternoon. Still bitterly cold, but dry and crucially, not frozen, players, coaches, and supporters, were all chomping at the bit to get stuck into the new year of rugby.

Farnham were forced into a late change, with arguably one of the players of the season in Shawa Rai, pulling out sick the morning of the match, meaning a debut for young academy graduate Oli Kirkpatrick at 6, with an otherwise familiar Farnham line up. Petersfield managed to play on the first weekend of January, record an impressive win away at Wimborne, and given how close the reverse fixture was back in October, with Farnham pinching a win with the final kick of the game, this was sure to be a tough encounter for the home side.

Farnham made a fast start, return the Petersfield exit from the kick off with a counter attack of several phases, but the Petersfield tackling with up to the challenge and after going laterally, Petersfield are overzealous at the breakdown and give up a penalty, allowing Farnham to kick to the corner. The resulting line out is on point, with a fast-moving rolling maul, the ball recycled and moved through the hands and skipper Salmon barges over. He duly converts his own score and 7-0 with less than 4 minutes gone. Perfect start for Farnham and a warning to Petersfield.

From the restart Farnham are at it again, moving the ball, looking to attack and making breaks, but with a plethora of players begging for the ball wide, they go short, get isolated and turned over. A let off for Petersfield who exit towards halfway. The visitors then string some tidy phases together for their first attack and Farnham are guilty of falling off one-on-one tackles, and with their defence being tested for the first time, Petersfield find another soft shoulder and break through the middle to get over for their first score. Conversion missed, 7-5.

Farnham make a forward pass in an attempt to counter from the exited restart, providing Petersfield with some good field position, and they take full advantage again, breaking tackles and penetrating deep into the home side’s 22. Farnham win a breakdown penalty and managed to exit to halfway, but some worrying defensive nerves and errors have given Petersfield a taste of opportunity. Farnham move the ball wide and make steady yards up the right side, winning another penalty and kicking to the corner. The lineout is scrappy and Petersfield manage to get rid, another opportunity missed from a good position.

Farnham are then undone by 2 clever, probing kicks, defensive positioning is again, questionable and being exposed. Petersfield have a scrum outside the Farnham 22 and run a simple miss pass, with the defensive line more jagged than an Everest climbing route, the centre glides through the hole made for him and breaks a soft tackle for a, quite frankly, easy score under the sticks. Easy conversion and just like that, it’s 7-12 to Petersfield after 20 minutes.

But back come Farnham! Petersfield attempt to run it from their own 22 after the restart and spill the pill, which speedster Simmons pounces on and gallops away. Farnham recycle the ball well and show good patience, exceptional hands and offloading, with the final inside ball by Greg Franzel allowing Salmon to bag his second try and grab the extras too. Toby Salmon (and Farnham) 14 – Petersfield 12.

As good as that was, the next 2 minutes was woeful. Petersfield are finding gaping holes out wide and Farnham are at sixes and sevens defensively. Tackling looks to be optional at this point, and despite a superb last ditch try-saving tap tackle from Simmons, Petersfield offload and score with easy extras added, 14-19. Despite the poor defensive, the game is entertaining with 33 points in the opening half hour and both sides are not afraid to attack from anywhere, seemingly evident that the boys have missed playing.

Petersfield turn the ball over again at the breakdown and start putting phases together and again make a break through the middle. Really have to question the tackling attempts from Farnham. With the ball recycled quickly, there is a huge overlap on the far side and poor Ben Stevens is left to defend a 3 on 1 and Petersfield draw and give to go over again. Good conversion from out wide and the bonus point secured. 14-26 to the visitors with around 5 minutes left in the first period.

Farnham win a breakdown penalty from the restart and kick to the corner, a great opportunity to get to parity before the break. The line out is good, Farnham recycle the ball well and again, show great patience in trying to wait for the right moment. Multiple phases in the 22 but the Petersfield defence is relentless, and Farnham cannot find a way through. Another penalty and Farnham look for the tap and go back it appears rushed, and the first carrier is held up and turned over with Petersfield kicking resulting the penalty up to halfway. Opportunity missed and Farnham may come to rue that chance.

Petersfield put in a probing kick but Farnham counter well and Ben Stevens is finally released, the shackles are off and so is he, stepping would-be defenders and turning on the after burners. This boy can really shift and he finds Joe Wood in support who takes Farnham into the visitor’s 22. Another penalty to Farnham and another kick to the corner. Farnham must score from here to end the half on a high. The line out is good and the maul is brought down legally but Farnham recycle well and go through some carries in close quarters. One of the Petersfield giant locks managed to rip the ball and give Petersfield the chance to clear. But, bizarrely, they starting passing the ball down the line, just 5 metres from their own line and it is goes loose! Salmon cleans up the scraps and like a pack of hyenas, Farnham descend on the breakdown, sniffing blood. The ball moved quickly and Jack Haylett goes over for a much needed score. Conversion pulled wide but 19-26 to the visitors at the break.

If the first half was a fantastic spectacle for the neutral with 45 points scored, the second half was a different storey, but possibly even more nerve-wracking for the home support. Farnham know they have been far from their best defensively, but my goodness do they look vivacious in attack.

The second half starts with a penalty to the home side right from the kick off and the kick to touch. Good attacking structure from the line out and they win another penalty, to the corner again. Multiple phases but the Petersfield defence holds strong until their 6 is off his feet and it’s one too many consecutive penalties in the red zone, yellow card. Another kick to the corner. Talisman Oscar Henderson limps off allowing Sam Woodhams to finally come on for his 50th cap, which he has been waiting from since the 4th of January! Farnham again pepper the Petersfield try line but to no avail, incredible defence from the visitors who will just not budge. One side to another and back again, phenomenal patience, everyone offering to carry, bags of support and eventually the pressure tells, and the one man advantage means Ben Stevens has too much gas and can round his man in the corner for the score. A spectacular conversion from the right hand touchline from Salmon means it’s 26-26, game on.

Petersfield look shell shocked and some errors start to creep in. The Farnham defence appears vastly improved and more organised, this time forcing a breakdown penalty and getting out of their half back up to Petersfield’s 22. Finlay Sloan is back and comes on at 12 with Salmon shifting to fly-half, Ollie Brown to 9, with Harry West making way. Farnham win another penalty from the lineout move and it is bang in front. Salmon steps up and slots it, 29-26 and Farnham are back in front.

Back come the visitors and winning a penalty they kick to the corner, Farnham disrupt and have a 5 metre scrum with a chance to exit and relieve some pressure. But the Petersfield scrum walks over the Farnham pack and snatch the ball to look to score but spill it, another scrum to Farnham. Jack Buxton into the mix and Oscar has shaken off the leg niggle to return to the action. The next 15 minutes sees Petersfield have a dozen scrums and line outs inside the Farnham 22 line, with a score almost inevitable, but they can’t seem to find a way over the line. Credit where credit’s due, the Farnham defence was the defence of old; relentless and courageous, refusing to give up an inch, with bodies on the line and pride in the try line evident for all to see. Marco makes a great read and a dominant tackle and Captain Salmon makes the turnover, allowing Farnham to finally exit in the opposition half and the crowd to breathe a sigh of relief.

Farnham overthrow at the line out and Petersfield look to counter with a speculative kick down the middle, Farham counter with another equally tentative kick, neither side prepared to keep the ball as the clock ticks down. Oscar Henderson gets over one of the big Petersfield carries and wins a superb and vital turnover on halfway. Another kick to the corner and chance for Farnham to close this out.

Few scrappy exchanges and tempers flaring a bit with the pressure of a tight score line, currently Petersfield have 2 points in the bag from 4 tries and losing by less than 7. The home side have a scrum and manage to get the ball out despite huge pressure from the dominant Petersfield pack. Again, patient build up of phases and keeping it tight, until a soft shoulder is found by Jonny Vincent and he breaks through to go under the sticks and secures the win for Farnham. Salmon uses up the full minute and slots the conversion to bring an end to proceedings.

Final score 36-26 to Farnham, who win the second half 17-0. Quite the turnaround from the first half, with heroic defence, well-orchestrated attack, calm heads, and impressive discipline. They stuck to their structure and earned a hard-fought victory, despite the cobwebs showing in the first half defensively, ultimately they were deserved winners. They remain top with a game in hand that takes place at home next week with the rearrange fixture against Newbury.

Podium:
Toby Salmon – 3
Joey Wood – 2
Jonny Vincent – 1