Farnham find their mojo

Saturday’s match against Hammersmith and Fulham RFC was the performance the Farnham Faithful had been waiting for all season. October’s record-breaking win over London Irish was the Black and Whites’ only other victory of the current campaign. If that match could be likened to the efficient demolition of an unstable building, this game was more akin to the classroom dissection of an amphibious creature.
That analogy does not mean to denigrate “the Hammers”. With Jason Leonard their President, they are a proud club that plays an open and attacking game. Why else would they be sitting fourth in London 1 (South) with 10 try bonus points? Furthermore, it was obvious to all on the balcony that they had come to play. As the score piled up against them, they kept going to the very end.

However, Farnham had one of those days where every department of the game worked to training ground perfection. In truth, the potential had been there all season. It’s a tough league and although they lie second from bottom, the average result has been 28-23 for the first half of the season – a mere one score – against Farnham.

For this match, however, the Farnham defence was clinically effective. The attack pierced from all corners of the pitch. “The Hammers” were helplessly pinned down.

Up front, scrum dominance was provided by props Marco Azevedo and Ben Edwards with Jon Vincent at hooker– and, as the game progressed, front row inter-change Jules Joris. In open play, often in the role of first receiver, Azevedo and Edwards punched into the Hammers’ midfield to soak up defenders. Vincent harried and carried to effectively provide the team with a third flanker.

In a special moment of reward for their efforts, as the clock wound down, Azevedo once again was on the charge when Vincent called for the inside ball and galloped over 20 metres of undefended ground to score his try.

Ben Adams moved from his usual slot in the row to play at blindside flanker on the day with Matt Chapman and Harrison Horner providing weight in the row and the hard yards in open play. Ben remained the main target at the line out securing the bulk of Farnham’s ball and making himself a real nuisance at the Hammers’ throw in. Toby Comley at openside had his usual omnipresent game. The spectators on the balcony revelled in the fact that in Oscar Petersen, Farnham had a talented ball player at Number 8 who provided a real threat from the base of the set scrum.

Skipper Ollie Brown was excellent at scrum half. His rifle pass was delivered that crucial split second quicker than of late and his sniping runs kept the Hammers’ defence guessing. Matt Farnes at No 10 controlled the game well and made the most of the Salmon brothers Toby and Tim at centre – both on electric form. He kicked well out of hand – one notable, raking 50-22 putting Farnham on the attack from a perilous position. Out wide on the left wing, Reece Stennett scored his try and never missed a tackle (when does he ever?). On the right, Fijian debutant Lai Rokotuwai ran direct and hard in attack and his defensive work had that distinctive “islander” edge to it. At full back, Gabe Hills’ defensive qualities were rarely tested, but he remained a dangerous attacking option throughout.

Despite the starting 15 all being in such form - and credit to the Hammers - it took half an hour for the Black and Whites to unlock the door despite overwhelming territorial advantage. After a rare foray by the Hammers into the Farnham half, it was that Farnes’ 50-33 clearance that set up the opening score. Farnham set the maul from the lineout and threatened the Hammers line, but the ball was turned over and the Hammers looked to break out – but the Farnham line was up fast and forced the knock on. A training ground loop-move from the scrum put Toby Salmon over wide out on the left for the first of his three tries – all of which he converted immaculately from a distance.

From the restart, Farnham were soon back in the Hammers 22 and a sequence of dominant scrums looked likely to produce a score one way or another. However, as can happen in such moments, the ref awards the final scrum penalty to the defenders, and they clear their lines. However, Ben Adams stole the line out ball and Farnham unleashed a series of sharp phases to give Toby Salmon the space to jink through for his second.
From the next restart, it was brother Tim who makes the break. He had a very good game. While brother Toby relies on deft footwork, Tim prefers an arcing run at pace with a ferocious hand off or two. Both styles of attack made holes in the Hammers defence.

Under extreme pressure, the Hammers lost their composure and their discipline. A hand knocked the ball forward intentionally. Yellow card. A body continually flopped over the ruck denying Farnham quick ball. Yellow card. This second card is shown to a prop forward and with no spare front row, uncontested scrums are called. The law states, in these circumstances, the Hammers must lose yet another man. For the next ten minutes of so, they are down to 12 players on the pitch.

Farnham are quick to capitalise spinning the ball left to right and back again to give Stennett the opportunity for his well taken try. Toby Salmon converted from the far touch line into a stiff breeze, and Farnham head for the half time talk ahead by a highly satisfactory 21-0.

Still playing against just 12 men, Farnham failed to pierce the Hammers defence for the first ten minutes of the second half – bar the moment when Gabe Hills streaked down the right hand touch line and over only to be adjudged to have had a foot in touch at the last yard. Perhaps some over-confidence led to slips in concentration. Passes failed to go to hand and off-side penalties allowed the Hammers to clear their lines. Credit to the Hammers twelve who never gave up.

It required the game to be a full 15 a-side contest for Farnham to turn the screws. Another line out stolen by Ben Adams turns defence into attack and sumptuous interplay between the Salmon brothers put Toby over for his hat trick which he duly converted. 28-0 and try bonus point in the bag.

The Hammers fight on and their powerful No 13 looks to break through the Farnham line only to be halted by a crunching tackle from Toby Salmon. The ball spilt, Farnham are quick to counter and spin the ball wide only for the Hammers No 10 – whose efforts hitherto had largely kept his team in the game – to intercept the pass and sprint over between the posts. 28-7.

Farnham – at least the first syllable of the club’s name – struck back immediately. Farnham cleared their lines from the restart, and doubtless buoyed by their score, the Hammers launch an attack through the hands. However, Farnham’s blitz defence was up fast, the ball spilt and No 10 Farnes hacked forward. After a lung bursting 50-yard chase and some deft football, he dots down. Toby Salmon converted. 35-7.

The Black and Whites squandered a couple of other opportunities before that Azevedo/Vincent try. Toby Salmon – suffering a slight niggle – had been replaced by Chalker, so brother Tim converted the try. 42-7.
Farnham’s final score came from the “influencer” backs. Ben Jones, on for Rokotuwai, showed he had well recovered from long term injury, not only by securing the restarts in ball- and eye-catching style, but also by rounding off some slick Farnham phases with a searing break down the left. As the cover defence drew near, there was Chalker on the inside to gratefully receive the pass with nothing but 25 metres of grass between him and the try line. Gabe Hills successfully took the chance to convert. 49-0.

After one last hurrah from the Hammers denied by the Black and White’s niggardly defence, the final whistle blew.

After such a performance, both the Farnham team and the Faithful eagerly anticipate the postponed visit of Camberley to Monkton Lane next weekend. Second in the league Camberley beat leaders London Welsh on the day proving that in this league, any result between any sides is possible. This will be the Derby game of the season and not to be missed.

Presidents Podium: Toby Salmon 3, Tim Salmon 2, Marco Azevedo 1.