FARNHAM 38, NEW MILTON 7

FARNHAM reignited their promotion challenge in London 3SW with a second successive league win.

With five back-row forwards in their pack, Farnham swamped spirited opponents at a windswept Monkton Lane.

New Milton have thus far endured a torrid season, with no wins in 12 games, but they are driven on by experienced coaches Brendan Treacey and Chris Conacher, who both played, and the Hampshire side resisted gamely until the last minute of a lively encounter.

In the first half, Farnham battled into the teeth of a gale blowing down the pitch from Badshot Lea. But a good clearance pushed the home side forward and, from the subsequent up-and-under, fly-half Toby Salmon set the tone with a thunderous first-up tackle on Conacher.

It led to the first points as, from the breakdown, scrum-half Oli Brown sniped wide to free up James Corlett who sent Toby Comley racing in under the posts. Mike Salmon added the conversion.

Some frenetic exchanges followed and the referee had to be on the top of his game. New Milton persisted with quick ball and a switch back to the forwards, but Farnham’s back row of Andrew Bond, Comley and Jonny Davidson relished the tackle and turnover and with normal back-rowers Dan Williams and Will Markham playing in the second row, Farnham had the advantage at the breakdown all afternoon.

Bond won the ball at another turnover to free up the backs. Brown to Toby Salmon and on to brother Mike; a half-break through a gap and flying winger Elliot Rich crossed over for a try that was again converted by Salmon Snr.

New Milton still had the bulk of the possession, but the predictable cut back into the pack was easy for Farnham to police.

Another Bond turnover, another Dan Williams charge, and on to Jemi Akin-Olugbade and then Brown who stretched over the line for the third try.

No conversion this time, but Farnham took a healthy 19-0 into half-time. And with the wind now in their faces, the outlook was bleak for New Milton.

Mike Salmon immediately started to pull the strings, putting the pack into attacking positions with yard-eating grubber and aerial kicks. New Milton put up a robust defence, but crunching tackles by Markham and Williams gradually broke down their resistance.

A penalty was drilled to the corner and although New Milton cleared their lines, the ball went straight to Akin-Olugbade whose superb looping pass gave skipper Salmon the space to send Salmon Jnr in for the bonus-point try.

The extras stretched the lead to 26-0, but still the visitors fought their corner. Attacks were beaten back until, from a lineout, the pack drove for the line. “Use” was the command from the referee and Farnham did just that as a multi-pass move sent Luke Jermyn over for his first senior try.

The wind increased and Farnham were still not finished. Ed Weeks led a breakout and fellow centre James Corlett scored the sixth and final try.

A nonchalant drop-goal conversion by Mike Salmon made it 38-0, but New Milton had the final word with a deserved try for skipper Treacey, converted with the last kick of the match by Dalton Thomas.

Farnham are scheduled to visit Eastleigh this Saturday, but their pitch tends to flood and the game could be switched to Monkton Lane.