TROJANS 10, FARNHAM 67

FARNHAM mauled a plucky Trojans side at Eastleigh and advanced to fourth in the London 3 South-West table.

Trojans won the first scrum of the game, but it proved highly misleading as Farnham settled to give their best performance for some time.

An early long-range penalty gave Mike Salmon a sighter, the ball drifting past the post, and minutes later his trusty right boot drew first blood.

The unexpectedly hard pitch and cold breeze made running rugby both essential and the sensible option and Farnham were quickly into their stride.

Hooker Jonny Davidson sets the tone with a thunderous tackle and driven on by the ‘Bordon massive’ of James Trodden and Fran Meagher, Farnham constructed attack after attack.

Dan Williams and Ben Adams went straight at the heart of the home defence, while the introduction of the effervescent Toby Finneron at scrum-half fizzed the backs into action. And with Toby Salmon at his direct best, the tries began to come.

A Finneron chip-and-chase made the first and wing Luke Jermyn was in for the first of his hat-trick of tries.

Straight from the kick-off, with Trojans in disarray, Farnham scored a real team try, with centre James Corlett making the final break to send Jermyn flying over.

Mike Salmon converted and Farnham led 15-0 after 20 minutes.

Toby Comley, not to be outdone, romped over for the first of his three tries. The versatile Comley has played flanker, full-back and centre this season – a true team player, always available and always effective.

Trailing 0-22, Trojans were jolted into action and had their most effective spell of the half as they battered the try-line. But the visitors swatted back successive attempts and a breakout try by the ubiquitous Comley took the sting out of Trojans’ game. Mike Salmon kicked an easy conversion.

Trojans’ long kick to restart merely played into the hands of the marauding Farnham backs. Elliott Rich’s half-break opened up the defence and after a charge by wing Charlie Badgery, the ball was recycled for Toby Salmon to score out wide; 34-0 at half-time.

Trojans, now with the breeze at their backs, needed a good start to the second half to have any chance, but it was just not their day.

The Farnham forwards muscled their way back into opposing territory and Comley darted over for his third try, Mike Salmon’s conversion taking his side past 40 points.

Trojans rang the changes, hoping that some old heads might inspire their young side. Pride was at stake and they enjoyed their best period of the match.

Farnham sat back and Trojans got on the scoreboard with tries in quick succession from skipper Joby Kochanowski and Will Page, both unconverted.

The visitors’ response was brutal. Mike Salmon, after a delightful change of pace, offloaded to speedster Elliott Rich whose inevitable try was followed by a nonchalant Mike Salmon drop goal for the extras.

James Franklin came off the bench to score under the posts and now the game was becoming a rout as Trojans struggled with their fitness levels.

With the clock running down, Farnham launched another multi-pronged attack and the predatory Jermyn clinched his hat-trick wide out. The Salmon conversion rebounded off the post with 60 on the scoreboard.

A superb performance by all 18 players was capped by a final lung-bursting team try, started and finished by Toby Salmon and converted by Mike Salmon with the last kick of the game.

Farnham’s podium points: Toby Comley 3, Fran Meagher 2, Luke Jermyn 1.