BADSHOT LEA 1, FARNHAM TN 3

THIS convincing win over their local rivals was just what Farnham needed after a difficult month in the Combined Counties Premier League.

Key players have been missing through injury and availability, but Paul Tanner was able to pick a strong side against the Baggies and deployed his preferred wing-back formation.

“We’ve been doing ok the last five or six games, without getting much out of them,” said the Town manager. “The Chertsey result looked dire (Farnham lost 4-1), but the performance was not that bad and the first three goals were down to errors.

“This was much better. I think both sides would have taken a point when it was one-one with not long to go, but we earned the win with our determination to win key battles on the pitch. I thought we looked more likely to score throughout.”

With Matt Glass and Darren Wilson back in the side and Jack Dillon on the bench, Farnham were a different proposition and it took them only 12 minutes to break down the Badshot Lea defence.

Right-back Max Meaton completed a forceful run with a decent ball in and Elliott Cardona did the rest with a neat side-footed shot past Pat Kinsella.

Farnham looked comfortable, but failed to build on their lead. By the half-hour mark, they were losing their edge and the Baggies were quick to capitalise, equalising with a similar goal when the in-form Paul Coventry got ahead of his marker to convert a cross.

Town kept the ball well in the second half, but the game seemed to have 1-1 written all over it as the sides struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Then, with 12 minutes to go, James Thomas supplied a fine cross from the left and Glass restored Farnham’s lead with a well-directed header.

The visitors then had a chance to put the game to bed when they were awarded a softish penalty after Elliott Hobden’s challenge on Cardona. Glass somehow made no proper contact with the spot kick and Kinsella merely had to pick the ball up.

The door was still open for the Baggies, but Farnham finally made sure in injury time when Cardona broke down the right, got the ball on his trusty left foot and smashed it inside the near post.