YOU could be forgiven for wishing Farnham Rugby Football Club (FRFC) a small slice of luck in what has been a trying season, on and off the pitch. Plans to move to a new ground in Monkton Lane have been hit by the Surrey Minerals Draft Plan, while nine straight defeats since Christmas see the side currently occupying a relegation place. Nevertheless, light relief came in the shape of a patriotic competition organised by brewers Wells Bombardier and The Daily Telegraph. With a £10,000 St George's Day party offered as a prize, entrants merely had to sign a petition to raise the profile of England's patron saint's day, with one lucky signatory chosen as winner. FRFC's publicity officer John Fairlie dutifully squiggled members into action, with his lucky hand rearing dividends. "About four or five weeks ago I signed us up to support St George's Day, telling them what we had planned as a club on Sunday. As it is our last game on Saturday, we were going to have an end-of-season bash. However, these plans were scuppered last week, with the welcome announcement that a medieval circus was coming to town. "We heard the news just over a week ago that we had won the prize - obviously we were delighted. We were set to have a medieval theme with a lot of guys charging around jousting on some big old horses, and knights all kitted up in full armour, alongside fire eaters and jugglers - and that's not even mentioning the beer!" However, fate intervened, as Mr Fairlie described. "They came down to the site to do an initial recce to see if they could fit all the equipment into the site, but there would have been problems getting access to the club with a bus and horseboxes. "It's the age-old problem we have at Wrecclesham that has screwed us again," he lamented. "It would have been lovely, particularly in a small Georgian town like Farnham. We've got everything. A lovely town, a castle and local businesses looking to bring people into the town. It seemed an idyllic situation as people could have sat on the bank and seen all the action," he added. However, beneficiaries of the misfortune were not a million miles away, with first reserves Alton Rugby Club - themselves also in the midst of a turbulent season - inheriting the free party. While expressing sympathy for FRFC's predicament, Alton Rugby Club president Charles Clark was delighted with last week's "out of the blue" announcement. "It was quite extraordinary that two clubs at such close proximity should be in the winning line-up," said Mr Clark, who will see the extravaganza come to Alton's Anstey Park this Sunday afternoon. Yet for FRFC, the disappointment cannot linger too long, as Saturday's must-win clash with runaway leaders Andover will determine what division they play in next year. "Obviously, it's very disappointing. It's been a long old season for us," remarked Mr Fairlie. "We were all looking forward to a great Sunday, but we have a sevens tournament the following weekend, and we've decided to put all our efforts into into that. "Good luck to Alton. Obviously we're very disappointed, but I think we'll pinch a few beers there this Sunday!"