The omens were good. A packed balcony swelled by nigh on 100 guests from the pre-match lunch – including a table of ex-players from the last century - stood ready to cheer on their boys. The team, buoyed by their historic win over Guildford, included all three Salmon brothers in the back line for the first time in a while. The pack looked solid with talisman Henderson at 8 and the indomitable Steve “Animal” in the row beside the tireless pack leader Ben Adams. Opposite them stood Chichester, a team two places higher in the league and brim-full of power and talent. Having thrashed the black and whites by 50 points earlier in the season, they must have been confident.
That confidence was dispelled in the first three minutes.
Toby Salmon kicked off proceedings from the nursery end with a stiff and bitter breeze at his back. Chichester ran the ball back, but the Farnham chase is vigorous and determined. Turn over and the black and whites put in dangerous phases to release prop Ben Edwards on the charge. He is penalised for crawling after the tackle and Chichester clear to touch – but gain little ground given the strong wind. Again, they chose to run the ball out of their 22 but did not account for Farnham’s blitz defence and the vehemence of Tim Salmon who rips the ball from the Chichester player’s grasp.
Quick hands from the breakdown and Toby Salmon fires a long, inch perfect pass for Toby Comley to take at the gallop, round the defence and touch down out wide. Toby Salmon missed the difficult conversion attempt, but it is 5-0 after just three minutes.
Oscar Henderson collected the restart and clattered into Chichester’s chasing lock. No one likes to see injury on the playing field, but as the player left the field, the balcony recognised a new steel in its side and a marker had been put down.
For the next few minutes Chichester struggle to clear their lines into that breeze while Farnham pound away with strong carries from Marco Azevedo and the relentless Jonny Vincent. Skipper Ollie Brown snapped away at scrum half while brother Ben at flanker scavenged at every breakdown. Matt Farnes at No10 used the wind to advantage with long kicks to pin Chichester in their 22.
Soon pressure told and Chichester concede a kickable penalty, but Toby Salmon’s touch finder lands 10 meters from the line. Vincent is accurate to Adams and undeterred by the distance to the line, Farnham set the maul. Held for a second or two, it started to shift ominously forward encouraging the backs to join in the shove. Over it goes with Jonny Vincent getting his well-deserved try. Toby Salmon made an excellent conversion from distance. 12-0 on twenty minutes.
Chichester came back and for the first time in the half put the Farnham line under pressure. But the redoubtable Farnham D held - led by the tight five who dismissively shoved the Chichester pack off their scrum ball. Top marks to the front three of Azevedo, Vincent and Edwards.
Farnham clear their lines and a strong break by winger Alex Chalker takes the ball down the right wing into the Chichester 22 where he is bundled into touch. The wind blew the throw awry and Farnham took the scrum. Brown rifled the ball from the base and Farnes released the backs. There was space out wide on the left for Stennett to threaten the line, but the scramble defence hauled him down. However, the Farnham support was there and after a lightning fast clear out, Oscar Henderson bursts through for the try. Salmon slotted his second difficult chance from out wide to take the score to 19-0 with the half time oranges beckoning.
Chichester were determined not end the half scoreless and put in a high hanging restart that they collect and their strong, direct runners go for the jugular. Farnham cough up the penalty and Rhys Thompson, Chichester’s talented 10 puts the ball into the corner. They secure their line out and pound the Farnham line with relentless pick and goes. These are held and the referee adjudged that prop Edwards had killed the ball intentionally and is dismissed for 10 minutes. Chichester opted to take the scrum, so replacement prop Connor Haynes is summoned off the bench and Ben Brown leaves the field. Haynes does his job and the Farnham scrum holds forcing their No 8 to pick and go. They pound the line time and again until Farnham’s heroic defensive efforts are rewarded by a brilliant turnover from Marco Azevedo.
Farnham clear their lines and the half time whistle blew.
The balcony cleared inside for warmth and refreshment content with the first half performance – but that stiff breeze still had a role to play. Chichester started the half with a long kick deep into the Farnham 22. Ollie Brown’s relieving box kick simply hung in the air. Another tremendous rip from Tim Salmon epitomised the gnarly defence now called for. However, Farnham cannot break out despite returning to full strength at the end of Edwards’ sin bin. From a line out on the Farnham 22, the visitors show their mettle by pulling that defence first left then right to create the space for their bulky No 7 to barge over adjacent the posts. 19-7 with fifteen minutes of the half gone.
Animal had emptied his tank and was replaced by Connor Haynes with Edwards joining the row. Mike Salmon had picked up a niggle on one of his ground eating runs out of the back field and was replaced by Nathan Phillimore. Farnham were found guilty of a misdemeanour at the restart and Chichester went back on the attack. Ben Adams, not for the first time in the game, stole the Chichester ball at the line out and Farnham go through the phases – but are caught holding on and Thompson takes the points. 19-10. Is the comeback on?
Farnham put the pressure on at the restart, but too eagerly and are caught off-side. A huge boot from Thompson put the ball on the Farnham 5m line. Farnham were pinged for an illegal sack at the ensuing line out. Chichester took a quick tap and a few phases later power over. 19-17 with ten minutes to go. There was distinct tension on the balcony.
As did his counterpart in the first half, Toby Salmon hung the restart in the breeze and Oscar Henderson is under to catch it – but is taken out in the air. Though shaken, he is deemed fit enough to continue. Toby found touch from the penalty and, as was the case all afternoon, the Farnham line out worked, and the attack is on. Chichester infringed and with the penalty advantage, Toby Salmon launched an audacious, but perfectly weighted kick to the right wing where Chalker gathers and dots down. The balcony roared its delight. Toby’s conversion attempt was just short. 24-17. With minutes to go and Chichester requiring two scores to win, the balcony sensed another good result was on the cards.
The team from Sussex thought otherwise and the final minutes were all in the Farnham 22 where once again the home side’s defence was severely challenged. But it held, highlighted by an excellent turnover from late replacement Sam Woodhams, on for a battle-weary Henderson.
A number of match reports written by opponents earlier in the season had noted that Farnham play better than their lowly league position would suggest. The last two games have well illustrated that potential. The team has the talent, organisation, and grit to win in this league. It should carry that confidence into the final six games of this season and then take its rightful position in the league next year.
Presidents Podium: Oscar Henderson 3, Jonny Vincent 2, Steve Simmons 1.