FARNHAM TOWN 1, BADSHOT LEA 0 (Combined Counties League Premier Div)

FARNHAM had enough chances to win three games at the Memorial Ground on Saturday, but it took an injury-time goal to finally kill off Badshot Lea who played most of the second half with ten men and finished the match with nine on the field.

And there was more than a hint of controversy about the last-gasp strike, with the linesman apparently flagging for offside before McCaulay Ford, the last defender, brought down Steve Ramsden just outside the area.

Ford trudged off as Badshot Lea protested in vain, but there was no argument about the quality of the free-kick, Ramsden striking the ball cleanly past Lee Allen who had been superb in goal for the visitors.

The Baggies had defended valiantly – centre-backs Peter Millington-Lee and Jordan Stepney were outstanding throughout – but the visitors offered very little in attack.

Farnham keeper Richard Ossai hardly had a serious save to make as his side forced the issue right from the start, yet contrived to squander opening after opening.

The pace and close control of Jack Dillon and Sam Henneberg constantly stretched Badshot Lea on the flanks, but Town struggled in vain to break down their opponents’ rearguard action.

The pattern was set in the first 15 minutes as young Henneberg, set up by Jack Cox, had a shot cleared off the line by?Josh Pound. Then a superb crossfield pass by Elliott Cardona picked out Henneberg who was dispossessed as he lined up his shot by Pound’s well-timed tackle.

Allen used his legs to stop Dillon’s on-target shot and, soon after, finger-tipped a Ramsden free-kick over the bar.

Badshot Lea’s gritty defiance earned them several yellow cards, but their resistance should have been broken just before the interval when Ramsden, clean through on goal, dinked the ball the wrong side of the upright as Allen came rushing out.

And so it continued after half-time. Cardona and Dillon failed to get the ball from under their feet during a goalmouth melee. Then Henneberg chipped over a cross from the right and Cardona’s header was scrambled away for a corner by Allen at full stretch.

Farnham’s task seemed to be made easier on 53 minutes when full-back Craig Wright was sent off for a second yellow card, but still they huffed and puffed for no result.

Cardona, after some slick work out wide, measured his pass perfectly for the incoming Stan Staines who volleyed high over the top.

And when Town did get the ball in the net, Staines this time driving home sweetly from the edge of the box, the goal was ruled out for offside.

Allen made a fearless boot-level save to foil Ramsden, after which Badshot Lea almost pulled off a classic smash-and-grab, a swift and rare counter-attack only being thwarted by George Spiers’ vital goal-line clearance.

Michael Charles’ side seemed to have done enough to earn a point, adding to their valuable victory in midweek, as the stalemate continued into injury time.

But then came McCaulay Ford’s despairing challenge on the pacey Ramsden and the disgruntled Baggies could only watch as Ramsden’s free-kick flashed past Allen and into the far corner.

“We needed the three points and in the end we got what we deserved after creating all those chances,” said Paul Tanner, the Town manager. “They only had one effort on goal, so all I can say is that I’m extremely happy to win a derby game. If your opponents have three defenders booked by half-time, there is a big possibility they will go down to ten men and that’s where we took advantage, even though I was confident eleven against eleven.”

Farnham: Ossai, Clarke, T Smith, Spiers, D Ford, Cox, Dillon, Staines, Cardona, Ramsden, Henneberg. Subs: Slater, Poole, Jones, Wilson.

Badshot Lea: Allen, Wright, Pound, M Ford, Stepney, P Millington-Lee, Stamp (Frisby), B Smith (Turner), G Smith, Gaulter, Blake. Sub: Hunter.

* Badshot Lea and Farnham were due to meet again on Tuesday in the Surrey Senior Cup, but the severe frost caused the second-round tie to be postponed.