Match Report

A brave performance that deserved better.

Our last three performances have followed the same pattern now, we take the lead and the other team come back or make a spirited rally of some kind. It happened against Holwood but we won the game, it happened last week against South Bank and we ended up drawing and the performance was below par and it happened this week against Santley, but what a performance the lads put in, it definitely was deserving of taking victory.

It’s still early days in the league and we knew little about Santley apart from the fact that they won the division below last season with a one hundred percent record and come from Brixton. We’d heard on the grape they were big and physical and that much left us knowing that we would have to match them in the tackling and heading duels.

It was clear after just ten minutes or so Farnborough were pulling out all the stops, we were passing the ball superbly and creating openings but we couldn’t carve out the final pass or finish. Santley were under pressure from us all the time in the early stages and showed little for us to be worried about, the only chance they had in the 1st half sailed over the bar. After 20 minutes we worked a great move switching from right to left, Bossley put in the cross and Hunt headed home, easily outjumping his defender. Disaster! Their linesman had his flag up. It was never offside in my opinion, but the referee ruled it out. Fullone made amends 10 minutes later heading in from a well worked short corner routine by Stevens and Laurant. We maintained the lead until half time 1-0 but once again it could have been 2 or 3-0 but for missed openings.

The 2nd half started with Santley showing a bit more of what they’re made of, however we stepped up and matched them, winning tackles and headers and still passing the ball well, despite the torrential rain. They then hit us with an equaliser - a decent shot from outside the box. We then went 2-1 ahead, Laurant went on one of his dribbling sorties leaving defenders in his wake and set up Stevens to slam home from just inside their box. Unfortunately the game see-sawed again back to them and they took full advantage with another strike from the same player, again from long range, we put in challenges on him but he rode them well and finished. We’d still had chances in between, Fullone had another effort blocked by the far post, Wray and Holmes had shots saved. We were the better team but just couldn’t get the winning touch. Stevens had a thunderous shot blocked by the keeper in the last minute, he spilled it to Holmes but unfortunately his point-blank effort went straight back into the keeper’s arms.

It just wasn’t to be.