Match Report

Armistice spirit prevails as generous Farnborough and Wellcome both claim a share of the spoils

A cracking game played in excellent spirit on Remembrance Sunday, good weather conditions, big crowd, fantastic farewell to Mick O’Flynn, not a bread roll or mini-sausage roll left, six goals including a couple of crackers from Wellcome – what more could you want?

This game also marked the end of Mick O’Flynn’s tenure as co-manager – the end of an error, some might say.  A new dynamic duo have already stepped up to the plate in the form of Ian Coles and Colin Mant, to utter silence, it seems, from the rest of the squad (no doubt in shock from the realisation that anyone would want the job).  Colin even brought water bottles, having given up on the ones which Steve Blanchard is very attached to.  On a historic day, before a ball had been kicked, Phil Anthony achieved the status of Farnborough legend by being the only player known to have suffered an injury in the pre-match photo. 

FOBG Squad: Dean Statham, Phil Anthony, Andy Chan, Ian Coles, Jay Hardy, Peter Harvey, Dan Herbert, Waine Hetherington, Michael Hills, Louis Hussey, Colin Mant, Danny Mullins, Joe Skinner, Simon Thomas. 

Referee:  Paul “Play on” Parsons.

Supporters: Jez Allen, Steve Blanchard, Tony Harvey, Lee Hudson, Kayleigh Richards, Ian Shoebridge, Miss Claire Skinner, Gary “moist” Willison.

Director of Football:  Mick O’Flynn.

Chief Football Correspondent:  Patrice Mongelard.

After last night’s rain it was a relief to get the news early this morning that the pitch had been passed fit for play.  The surface was a little greasy but the ball ran true. 

After an impeccably-observed two-minute silence at 11:00 the game got under way.  We made the better start – more passing but without really troubling the Wellcome keeper.  Our opponents appeared to be working harder and made us wait before we could take the lead.  They were playing quite a high line (as they did throughout the game) inviting the angled run or pass to unlock their defence but we could not quite find the killer ball. Peter Harvey was first to show, clean through but was caught in two minds as neither a cross nor a shot ensued.  At the other end Dean Statham could liven things up at any time by rushing off his line to intercept an imaginary or even a real ball and was nearly caught out after fifteen minutes.  We got the breakthrough we deserved after twenty-five minutes when Jay Hardy slipped his marker, advanced on goal and slipped the ball sideways for Danny Mullins to poke home from close range.

This should have served as a platform for us but instead we found ourselves at the receiving end of two Wellcome goals in ten minutes.  Their equaliser was a sublime twenty-five yarder that went in off the angle of post and bar and they took the lead after we were slow to come out from a Wellcome corner. 

The score felt harsh at half-time.  We did not wait long in the second half to draw level.  Five minutes in, a Dan Herbert cross was met at the far post by Simon Thomas.  The Wellcome keeper could only parry Simon’s shot into Danny Mullins’ path two yards out and we had our equaliser.  The next half an hour or so was a catalogue of misses from Farnborough.  At one point, Tony Harvey was heard to say repeatedly “I would have scored that”.  It was all very well saying that but he should clearly have passed those genes on.  Lee Hudson, an endangered species as Peter Harvey’s friend, kept offering to retrieve the ball from behind the goal; but, of course, Peter was not the only Farnborough player to have run out of luck.  On the hour Michael Hills ran from his box to the opposition box, with the ball, beating three or four players, only to fluff his shot at the climax. Joe Skinner put a peach of a cross from Simon Thomas over the bar from two yards out.  

Farnborough frustration spilled over as Simon Thomas exchanged pleasantries with the Wellcome player who was running the line, a case of semaphore Tourette’s perhaps.  Simon was advised to cut out the drama and focus on what he does best.  With fifteen minutes left Jay Hardy penetrated the Wellcome defence and crossed the ball for Danny Mullins to give us a deserved lead.  At 3-2, I confess we all thought more goals would follow for us.  And we had our chances, oh, how we did!  Danny Mullins, Peter Harvey, Simon Thomas all had decent scoring opportunities that they have buried many times in the past. 

Yes, you guessed it.  We paid the price with ten minutes left as Wellcome crafted the best goal of the match with a deep cross from our left that travelled a long way and got the header it deserved.  Arguably it was their only scoring opportunity of the second half.  Our keeper Dean Statham looked like he was injured in the move and for a moment it looked like Mick O’Flynn was going to have to go in goal.  But Dean recovered and we had time to miss two or three half chances before the final whistle went.  Obviously, Wellcome were happier with the point than we were but they made their luck. 

The clubhouse experience was enhanced by a Farnborough Quiz devised by Mick O’Flynn – sample question – who gassed the Farnborough Tour Party in the Arras Tunnels in 2018.  The quiz was won by Patrice Mongelard, by virtue of not only being the answer to some questions, but also of having the longest remembrance as a Farnborough Vet.

As I left the club Jay Hardy suggested to the new management team that all the players should grow moustaches (like the Village People perhaps).  Jay is not quite management material but he is the man you want with you in the trenches.

Man of the Match – hat-trick hero, Danny Mullins, putting in a huge shift for the gaffer, who will get a jug at the next game he plays for us.