Farnham Town got their Southern League Premier South campaign off to the perfect start with a 1-0 win at home to Hungerford Town.

Bobby-Joe Taylor’s 70th-minute winner gave Town a deserved three points in front of a crowd of 848 at The Memorial Ground in their first match at Step 3.

Farnham created their first opportunity of the afternoon when Taylor went on a driving run and was fouled on the edge of the box on nine minutes. Darryl Sanders stepped up and curled the resulting free kick over the bar.

Hungerford were happy to sit off Farnham, with the hosts enjoying the majority of the ball.

Town produced their first effort on target in the 33rd minute when Taylor picked up a loose ball and drove forward before laying the ball off to Jack Dean, whose shot was comfortably saved by Hungerford keeper Luke Cairney.

Dean and Sam Evans then combined nicely down the right-hand side on 36 minutes and Evans’ delivery found Ogo Obi, whose shot was well blocked.

Farnham produced another good move four minutes later when Sanders fizzed the ball to Obi, who played the ball out to Brandon Mason on the left-hand side of the box, but Mason drilled his shot wide of the near post.

Town produced the best move of the half on 43 minutes when Dean, Sanders, Obi and Joe Jackson linked up and the ball was played to Sanders, but his touch was well gathered by Cairney.

Farnham then nearly took the lead in the 45th minute when Mason’s deep cross from the left found Jordan Stepney, who beat Cairney to the ball but flicked his header just wide of the far right-hand post.

Town continued to dominate possession and territory in the second period, and created their first opportunity of the half on 56 minutes. Mason went on a driving run from deep and picked out Obi, who laid the ball off out wide to Taylor. Taylor picked out Sanders on the edge of the box, but Sanders fired his effort over the bar.

Taylor and Evans then played a neat one-two six minutes later before Taylor’s shot was blocked for a corner.

Farnham boss Paul Johnson made a double change in the 66th minute in search of a breakthrough, with Owen Dean and Adam Liddle replacing Obi and Evans.

The breakthrough arrived four minutes later when Taylor got the ball on the right and cut inside onto his left foot before expertly firing his finish into the far corner.

Johnson made his third change of the afternoon on 80 minutes, with Tom Leggett replacing Sanders.

Town nearly doubled their advantage two minutes later when Liddle went on a marauding run down the left and picked out Owen Dean, but his cutback was well cleared by the visitors.

Farnham made their fourth change on 83 minutes, with Ben Purcell replacing Jackson.

Johnson made his final change of the afternoon in stoppage time, with Kai Tanner replacing Taylor.

One goal proved to be enough as Town comfortably saw out the game to make a winning start to the season.

Next up for Farnham is a trip to Gosport Borough in the Southern League Premier South on Wednesday, August 13 (7.45pm kick-off).