Farnham Town 3 Fleet Spurs 1

THE games are coming thick and fast for Town at the moment, but two local derbies in quick succession saw them take maximum points and tighten their grip on the top spot in Division One of the Combined Counties League.

First up saw bottom two side Fleet Spurs visit in what most neutrals would have had down as a home banker with the visitors yet to register a point this season, but that proved to be far from the case as Town were made to fight every step of the way with the win only sealed in second-half injury time.

Farnham began the better of the two sides but when the early breakthrough didn’t come the visitors grew in confidence and began to create chances of their own on the counter attack.

And it was the visitors who took the lead on 28 minutes when a cross from the right evaded everyone in the Town defence before finding the Thomas Chillery completely unmarked at far post and he was able to slot the ball past onrushing Town goalkeeper Stuart Norman.

The lead only lasted five minutes, however, as a cross from Farnham’s right wing created chaos in the Fleet Spurs defence and, in the ensuing scramble, Nick Medcraft slammed the ball high into the net from inside the six-yard box.

The score remained 1-1 until half time with Farnham somewhat frustrated and lowly Fleet Spurs buoyed by an excellent first half.

The second half saw Farnham dominate possession, but all too often they found that the final ball or effort on goal was wanting, while Fleet Spurs continued to threaten sporadically on the break.

But Town’s relentless pressure eventually paid off in the 71st minute when the ever-dangerous Medcraft produced some excellent work down the right before crossing to Charlie Horwood who, for once, was able to slip his marker and made no mistake with a bullet harder from six yards out past the despairing dive of the Fleet Spurs goalkeeper.

Any hopes for the home faithful that this would prove to be game over proved to be misplaced, however, as Fleet Spurs continued to pressure Town at every available opportunity and used their pace down both flanks to stretch the home defence, although Farnham’s back four and goalkeeper proved more than up to the task.

And victory was only sealed in the dying moments of the game when another dangerous cross from Medcraft was bundled into his own net by a backtracking defender with Horwood poised to pounce for his second of the game.

So, a welcome victory and three points but also confirmation, if any were needed, that there are no easy games at this level and Town will have to fight tooth and nail all season for theone automatic promotion spot back to the Combined Counties League Premier Division.