By Mike Salmon

Farnham made the short trip down the A325 this week to meet another new team to the league in Petersfield. Having risen steadily up the leagues in recent years, again a new threat and an element of the unknown was ready to welcome the Surrey side. Memories of mini rugby tournaments and festivals shared between parents and former players alike from yesteryear was the talk of the touchline, as was the laughing at the odd person who might have forgotten their sunglasses on perhaps the nicest day since August.

Farnham had several changes for this fixture, most notably the impressive and busy no. 9 in Sam Cowman for the first time this year, who has embarked on a Gap year down under, but Farnham welcomed back another version of Le (trés, trés) Petit Generale in the experienced Harry West, while the sizeable Harrison Horner came into the second row for the absent Benjy Biggs. Joe Brockman started in the centre in place of the injured Joey Wood, Ben Stevens earned a starting spot after impressing off the bench last week, and Toby Simmons was back on the bench after missing the last few games with a hamstring injury along with Shawa Rai in as back row cover.

Petersfield kicked off with the sun, slope and any sniff of wind in their favour, and Farnham tidily worked their way up the pitch with on-point phase play and set-piece execution, almost like they’ve been practicing it for years, much to the delight of the coaches as they ventured into the Petersfield bottom left corner with an attacking line out. The subsequent catch and drive comes up short, but a penalty and scrum option taken. Penalty again, scrum again – stand-up, scrum-down, rinse-repeat, until finally with the scrum going forward again, the prolific top try scorer of the season, Oscar Henderson, picks and dives over for his 7th try in just 6 games. 2 points added and 0-7 to the visitors. Back come Petersfield from the restart and win a couple of breakdown penalties. They persist with kicking to the corner and are duly rewarded with their catch and drive and get the score, conversion missed, 5-7. Discipline would be a talking point throughout the afternoon as the referee was particularly hot on not rolling away and Farnham found themselves guilty of not doing so, or not doing so in a timely fashion, on too many occasions in the eyes of the adjudicator. Another penalty to Petersfield and their home supporters getting behind them with shouts of “C’mon ‘Field” bellowing from the balcony. Catch and drive again, try scored again, conversion good this time, 12-7.

Farnham kick-off and win back possession stringing together some fine phases and exquisite offloading which results in an attacking line-out about 8m out from the try line. Catch and drive and this time it is Farnham who take the spoils back to the halfway line through Greg Franzel, who enjoyed a fine afternoon in both the tight and loose. The conversion slips by but 12-12 with just over 20 minutes played. Had this game been on any other day this week, it might have been a heavy-footed affair and a grinding 12-9 scoreline, but such were the conditions and combined with the lack of discipline, both teams were prepared to roll the dice and throw caution to the wind in attack.

Petersfield managed to get some momentum and look to release their big, elusive winger who makes good yards down the right, in front of the home support, but Oscar Henderson is there to win a fantastic turnover at the breakdown and he releases Harrison Horner who fends someone into an early grave before a sumptuous offload out the back door to Adam Pickett in support who makes excellent ground and keeps the ball alive, further good hands as Farnham enter the opposition half, but the final pass is forward and into touch, positive intent nonetheless and another warning to Petersfield of what Farnham are capable of converting loose scraps into.
Petersfield win a penalty and kick to touch, but Farnham steal the line out and make some good yards, but a flurry of knocks-ons/attempted interceptions results in a Farnham scrum. A strong carry from skipper Salmon straight over the barn door in the 10-12 channel and Harry West then moves the ball quickly back down the blind and gives the effervescent Jonny Vincent time to break down the flank, weaving his way up the pitch, drawing two defenders before releasing Ben Stevens who canters down the touchline from his own half, and like Usain Bolt in the last 30m of a race, Ben seems to be coasting, with defenders gasping to keep up, he goes in untouched to score under the sticks. Conversion a formality from Salmon and the score is 12-19 to Farnham with 5 minutes left in the half.

Petersfield win a penalty after the restart and take the 3 points on offer before half time, 15-19. Another seemingly soft penalty at the breakdown goes against Farnham for not rolling away, despite this being outside the Farnham 22 and the first penalty in this phase of play, the ref shows Shawa Rai, who had just come off the bench, a yellow card, much to the bewilderment of the Farnham contingent. Petersfield pepper the corner again and Farnham’s defence is tested – but resolute as ever – they force a knock on from the home side and have a chance to clear their lines and get to half time. But Farnham decide to play one too many phases from the scrum before getting the ball off the park and are pinged for holding on, and Petersfield kick to the corner with the clock in the red, a coach’s nightmare. Farnham do well to withstand the driving maul from the lineout but are less successful in their one-one tackling as Petersfield hit up runner after runner who look hungrier to get over the try line than the Farnham players do to prevent them doing so. Inevitable outcome, big ball carrier goes over, converted try, 22-19. Half time arrives and discipline and decision making will no doubt be on Farnham’s hair dryer treatment setting.

Petersfield receive the ball at the start of the 2nd half and are patient in their phase play before moving it wide, brushing off some weak tackle attempts from Farnham and touch down in the corner. Conversion missed but 27-19 to the home team and the crowd are behind them. Back come Farnham after some stern words from the skipper Salmon and they win a penalty, bang in front, which the chosen one duly slots over with ease – despite the jeers and “no pressure” shouts from some of the home supporters who were clearly here before the cleaners this morning to get started on their liquid lunch. Unfortunately, this continued throughout the 2nd half whenever Farnham had any penalty kick to touch, or at goal, or a conversion, disappointing to hear but the result is 27-22.

Farnham are then shown a yellow card for a “high tackle” despite the diminutive Petersfield player dipping and milking the impact as if trying to win a penalty in La Liga at the Bernabéu, Tommy Allen has to take 10 minutes on the side. Petersfield take the 3 on offer and lead 30-22 with 15 left. The 8 point gap was short lived though with another penalty straight infront taken to make the score 30-25. Farnham respond like Farnham of old with a promising attack down the right, in front of the clubhouse and that man again, Ben Stevens makes ground and puts through an exceptional kick to pressure the opposition full back into a hastily rushed exit. The lineout results in a catch and drive and some phases later Sam Voight barges over. Salmon’s conversion shaves the post closer than the latest Gilette model but 30-30 with a little over 10 to go, game on.

As the time runs out and the pressure mounts, things are getting tetchy, who can hold their nerve? Well not Farnham initially as Petersfield win a penalty just inside Farnham’s half, but their kicker doesn’t seem to fancy it, and they opt for the corner. Farnham defend like they should, with the game on the line, big shots coming from everywhere and Jack Bemelmans, who punched above his weight with ball in hand and made easily 15+ tackles throughout the afternoon, drives a player back and Farnham turn the ball over and break out. Both sides trying to gain the upper hand but are guilty of chancing their arm too many times and it becomes a topsy-turvy affair.
Eventually Farnham win a penalty about 40m out, in front, with 60 seconds left… Salmon steps up but pulls the kick left, his worst strike of the afternoon, perhaps pressure and the jeers are telling? From the 5m try line drop out, Farnham counter and win a penalty near the far touchline and Petersfield are show a yellow card, time is now up but Farnham have an attacking lineout. Initially the drive is repelled, but with multiple phases and all players out on their feet, Petersfield hold up the visitors over the line. However, there is an advantage, another penalty to Farnham, another line out, more phases, cracks appearing in the Petersfield defence, but Farnham can’t find the right pass. Another penalty, this time just 20m out, on the 15m line, surely to the posts this time? Skipper Toby Salmon steps up once more, and this time he does bisect the uprights and silence the jeering home support. The final whistle goes, 30-33 win to Farnham.

A draw would have probably been a fair result upon reflection of the entire match, with both sides showing confidence and plenty of willing in attack, as well as equally poor discipline and tackling in defence. However, Farnham exhibited impressive resolve and fitness to stay in the fight after being 27-19 down with less than 15 minutes to go, coming back and claiming the spoils 30-33 away from home. A thrilling game for the neutral and a great advert for running rugby, not so much for on-field discipline or touchline etiquette, however. Farnham retain 2nd place in the table and welcome Chichester to Wilkinson Way next week.

Podium: 3 – Greg Franzel | 2 – Toby Salmon | 1 – Jack Bemelmans