FARNHAM 36, BECKENHAM 33

FARNHAM, playing their first cup match since their Senior Vase triumph at Twickenham last May, came from behind to edge home against Beckenham in the opening round of the higher-grade RFU Intermediate Cup.

It was always going to be a tough test against a side currently sixth in London 2 SE – and Beckenham showed their mettle as they turned a 17-point deficit into a 33-31 lead with four minutes to go at Monkton Lane on Saturday.

But injuries had sapped the strength of the visitors and a final mighty push by Farnham was rewarded, Pete Daly’s pick-up and drive putting Connor Rumpson over in the corner for the winning five points.

Farnham made changes after two superb league victories, but started brightly, despite playing into the nagging breeze.

With space created, fly-half Toby Salmon needed no second invitation to slash through the Beckenham defence and send winger Alex Chalker over in the corner.

Beckenham’s big men pounded into the home 22, but the defence held firm, and after a mass break-out scrum-half Oli Brown sold a series of dummies and darted over under the posts for his best try of several seasons. Toby Salmon converted and Farnham led 12-0.

Stung into action, Beckenham came back with a penalty try, only for a driving maul to put Daly over at the other end and Salmon’s boot increased the advantage to 19-7.

Beckenham countered with a line-out try of their own (converted) and scored again soon after half-time as they began to break the gain line in ominous fashion.

Soon, however, Daly was again on the charge and an outrageous sidestep took him over under the sticks. Salmon converted and Farnham seemed to take an iron grip on the game as another catch-and-drive sent Daly over for his hat-trick try; 31-14 and with 20 minutes left, it seemed game over.

Wrong! Farnham switched off and Beckenham moved up through the gears, their classy back division scoring two tries to bring it back to 28-31.

A third interception by the inside centre after a strange scrummaging decision saw Farnham trailing for the first time in the game. Beckenham had plundered 19 points in 12 minutes to take them to the brink of victory.

Farnham dug deep and shunted their flagging opponents back at the scrum, forcing them to concede a penalty. Skipper Andy Naisbitt went for the jugular, the eight responded and the massively influential Daly set up Rumpson for the decisive score.

After their surge up the London 2 SW table to fifth place, Farnham visit Gosport & Fareham this Saturday.

Farnham’s Podium Points: Pete Daly 3, Oli Brown 2, Jemi Akin-Olugbade 1.