Match Report

Having had what seemed less than sleep than Maggie ‘The Iron Lady’ Thatcher used to have today’s away fixture to Edenbridge was needed like a hole in the head and given the amount of alcohol yours truly consumed the night before it definitely felt as if I had one! And if that wasn’t a bad example of pre-match preparation the fact we turned up to the wrong ground meant we were late kicking off when we finally arrived at the correct one (NB Nomads Ground, Toby!!!).

With hardly a decent warm up Farnborough lined up as follows.

Gary Rosslee - GK
Simon Hunt – LB
Paul Brett – CB
Chris Greenhough – CB
Richard Davies – RB
Matt Wright – LM
Grant Gable – CM
Daragh Nott - CM
Paul Bailey - RM
Rowan Foggitt – CF
Pete Harvey – CF

SUBS

Neil Connelly
Danny Saines
Paul Tanton

On a nice big pitch that had a slight incline Farnborough dictated the early exchanges and were kicking downhill into the bright sunshine. And it didn’t take long to pepper the less than convincing goalkeeper in the Edenbridge goal however for all their efforts Farnborough failed to make the breakthrough. Peter Harvey making his return to the team after a week lay off was his usual busy self but spent most of the first half on the floor courtesy of some over zealous challenges. Edenbridge rarely troubled the Farnborough rearguard in the first 25 minutes. Farnborough’s two full backs (Simon & Richard) were doing their best to assist in the attacking play with mazy runs and a good vision of passing. While Grant Gable seemed to win was every tackle or header in the centre of the park. With the Edenbridge keeper somehow keeping out a couple of long range awkward albeit speculative efforts he soon had to pick the ball out of the back of the net, Richard Davies coolly despatching a penalty after a handball in the 18 yard box. 0-1 To the OBG.

Edenbridge managed to muster up a couple of chances; the first came courtesy of some confusion at the back between Chris Greenhough and Richard Davies. The effort drew a decent save from Rosslee low down to his left and then moments later the home team hit the crossbar from 10 yards out in a crowded area. To their credit and for their persistence Edenbridge soon equalised courtesy of an own goal from Paul Brett who somehow managed to deflect the ball home from what seemed an innocuous ball floated into the box. 1-1 half time.

Following some strong words and a reality check from the management during the interval Farnborough grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck from the restart and soon took the lead once more. Again the goal came from Richard Davies and again from 12 yards out. Richard Davies showing why he is the undisputed spot kick king for Farnborough. 1-2 OBGs.

And Grant Gable's impressive display was soon capped off with a deserved goal to his name with a cheeky backheel after a corner was not dealt with correctly 1-3 OBGs.

Grant was on hand to double his tally for the day with a powerful header from a corner and then soon added a 3rd and record his second hat-trick of the season for two different teams! (Surely a future quiz night question there??). In the end Farnborough strolled over the finishing line but in stark contract to last week's annihilation by Cudham for some bizarre reason today didn’t seem “right” - we all came away kind of missing the point of today’s match??

Grant Gable scooped the MOM award and Richard Davies and Simon Hunt both had excellent games as well. Next week we are at home to Wellcome Vets another side who I believe we have not lost to, scoring 8 goals against them and only conceding the once, so maybe sleep wont be required next week either – after all it is very overrated!!