Match Report

The first round of the Joe Gold Cup found Farnborogh reacquainted with our pre-season opponents Chislehurst Dynamoes.

This early season game between a ''Guild'' eleven and Chislehurst had ended two apiece in an even contest.

The Farnborough team for Saturday’s occasion had a different collection of younger players, but buoyed by the previous week’s tight encounter with a higher division side we were looking forward to the encounter.

The side had already been hit by the unavailability of Lee Sheppard and Gary Harrigan, and were dealt another blow prior to kick-off when our promising young goalkeeper James Stevens had to withdraw from the line up, injuring himself in the warm up. This enforced the goalkeeping duties to Mark Friend, whom many watching thought earned the man of the match award, and a reluctant twelfth man of myself.

So a young team, captained by Michael Seymour set about their task. Chislehurst had the better of the early exchanges and were rewarded with a one-nil first half lead after a well worked move was finished with a fine headed goal.

The second half started evenly, but eventually a fine run and shot by Billy Moulson brought the teams level. Chislehurst raised the tempo and regained the lead through another fine goal, this one a 25 yard screamer that left Mark with no chance. Time was passing and Farnborough pressed, a clearance from Chislehurst was contested bravely by Laurence Smith and a direct free kick was given in his favour. Michael Seymour stepped up and helped by the hesitation from the opposition in their wall placement, planted the ball into the back of the net. This earned Farnborough, for the second week in a row, thirty minutes of extra time.

The first period of extra time began brightly for Chislehurst, but towards the end of the first fifteen minute session, a corner for Farnborough was converted by the unlikely goal poaching skills of Steve Blanchard.

The second period was all about Farnborough, Laurence Smith rattled the cross bar from 25 yards and then a forty yard through ball by the excellent Stuart Gaylor that was played slightly in front of our marauding forwards was kindly dealt with by the Chislehurst keeper in `Paul Robinson'' style and ended up nestled in the corner of the net.

At four-two the opposition looked visibly deflated and their misery was compounded by a Bobby `Cantona'' Moulson free kick that made our score five for the afternoon.

So the fine efforts of the eleven players that began this fixture had eclipsed the performance of last week’s encounter and earned a deserved passage into the next round.