Destination Domination - Hornets Hammer League Rivals

The opposition arrived and the referee brought the teams together to start the game. Due to several illnesses, injuries and players moving up to the first team, the team was missing a couple of familiar names, however those remaining were undeterred.

Old Ruts kicked off into the misty air and Farnham caught the high ball. Handling was proving to be difficult early-on with sticky mud and some poor timing leading to turnovers. Farnham conceded a penalty for offside and retreated back. The kick for touch was unsuccessful and the Hornet’s fiercely counter attacked. The ball was moved away from the chasing opposition players and spun wide to the waiting back line; each player drawing a defender and passing to the next. This released Henry Milas on the right wing, who sprinted onward to score under the posts unfortunately drop the ball over the line.

The Hornets were not despondent. This just proved to them that the opportunities were there, so they got back to work. Milas did not have to wait long before the home team got back on top. Strong attacking by the forwards built a platform and then Lenny Jennings powered through the middle to score under the posts. Unfortunately Connor Rumpson scuffed the conversion attempt, so the score was 5-0.

The pitch began to break up as the game went on, and this was when Farnham’s scrum came into it’s own. A great mix of young and old saw Lenny Jennings flanked by Academy graduate Charlie Trenholm and veteran Sid Cranstone. Together they began turning the screw and winning ball for Farnham again and again. On one occasion, the ball bobbled out and into the waiting hands of flanker Greg Mungall. He surged forward and made 40 yards before being brought down on the 22. Lenny Jennings had another run, this time down the right wing, where, as if appearing in a new Rambo film, he left a trail of bodies before finally being tackled.

Winger Mark Baines went through a gap on the blindside and made considerable ground before being taken out by a high tackle. The normally jovial Baines was clearly peeved by this, his opportunity to score taken from him, and reacted accordingly! A fight nearly broke out and the police turned up, but quickly left when they saw it was much ado about nothing. The referee decided not to award a penalty try or yellow card, so Rumpson kicked 3 points instead.

Old Ruts game plan seemed to consist of keeping the ball in the forwards and then occasionally hoofing it down the field. This was mostly dealt with well by Jack Miller, returning the ball, either by kick or running at the defence. However in the first 20 minutes a long kick was fumbled backward, neither Miller nor Milas being able to field it, before eventually it was kicked into touch. This gave Old Ruts good territory and a platform to attack.

However the Hornets had other ideas. Despite strong mauling play from the opposition, strong defence and tenacious tackling forced them back. Eventually a turn-over was pounced on by Andrew Freshwater who ran with it to the edge of the 22. The ball was then absolutely hooned downfield by Connor Rumpson; using his howitzer like right boot to good effect.

Another sweeping attack saw Rob Brown blast through a hole in the centre of the defence and dive over the white-wash. Rumpson converted to take the score to 15-0. The Hornets did not let up. A marauding run by Dan Greene drew in several defenders and another penalty kick by Rumpson saw the score move to 18-0.
The flood gates had opened and wave after wave of hungry Farnham ball carriers overwhelmed the defence. A try very similar to the score by Brown, was recorded by Andy James, and another by Dave Dyer who powered through two tackles, elongating his body to get the ball down. Both were converted by Rumpson to take the score to 32-0. Half time arrived but it already seemed too late for Old Ruts.

As is normal, a few substitutions were made, water taken on-board and the Hornets kicked off again. Immediately it looked as though one of the new substitutes may have to come off again after he got mud in his eye. Andrew Freshwater continued to supply great service from the rucks and set pieces, keeping the opposition honest with dummies and darting runs from the scrum half.

Sam Greensitt caught the ball and called for the mark in the 22. Sam Greensitt caught the ball and called for the mark in the 22. He then adopted some sort of Iron Man/Bruce Forsyth pose, much to the small crowd’s amusement. Seb Murray jumped well in the line-out, and remained a pest on the opposition throw-in, despite taking a direct hit squarely in the crown jewels on one jump.

Having had to wait for some time, Milas made up for his earlier mistake by supporting Connor Rumpson after he broke through. Milas made sure he firmly put the ball down this time, and then Rumpson converted. The scoring didn’t stop there, as Dan Greene (later to be crowned man of the match) powered through from close range. Connor kicked another conversion.

Ewan MacDiarmid came on to make his senior debut for the club and performed solidly. He tackled well on the wing and made one particularly strong carry, running an inside line off the fly half. A spell of pressure from the Old Ruts forwards was initially defended well, but then the opposition fly-half found a gap and wriggled over. The kick was missed, but it got Old Ruts off the mark.

The final score was from Henry Milas, who capitalised on a break by Jack Miller. A final conversion from Rumpson took his points haul to 18 for the day. The final whistle blew to end the game at 53-5 to Farnham.

A superb effort by the Hornets puts them back into winning form. Next week the Hornets travel to London Irish, to play one of the few teams above them in the league.

By Oli Richford