GOSPORT & FAREHAM 23, FARNHAM 19

IN good weather for sailing at Gosport’s seafront ground – it was the 212th anniversary of Trafalgar after all – Farnham were edged out in a game of two distinct halves.

Playing into the wind and horizontal driving rain, Farnham executed coach Ross Chisholm’s game-plan of retaining the ball pretty well, Gosport being held to an 18-7 lead at the interval.

But Farnham couldn’t quite make up the deficit. Two late tries set up a tense finish, but a determined Gosport clung onto a four-point advantage to end a three-match losing run in London 2 South-West.

Fly-half Alex Duncombe kicked Gosport into an early 3-0 lead, but they lost flanker Tim Snowden to the sin-bin and Farnham, with the bulk of possession, fought their way out of their half.

In a sweeping attack, Jemi Akin-Olugbade released Connor Rumpson. The big winger broke the home defence and a superb pop pass inside to Toby Comley gave the flanker his first try of the season, converted by Toby Salmon. Farnham led 7-3 after 12 minutes.

A catch-and-drive from the kick-off put more pressure on Gosport, but a multi-phase move ended with Farnham spilling the ball and after a kick-and-chase counter-attack, centre Dom Hollings scored wide out.

Farnham’s tactics – trying to run the clock down until the gale was behind them – were difficult to execute. It was also tiring. A huge relieving kick caught them on the back foot and although they beat back phase upon phase, the hulking Sean Shepherd finally crossed over, leaving a simple conversion for Duncombe who then added another penalty.

On the restart, Farnham enjoyed their best spell of the match, but a forward pass and wrong options denied them vital points before half-time.

Still, with the elements now in their favour, Farnham were strongly placed to wipe out the 11-point deficit as Gosport took their turn to play ‘keep ball’.

But Farnham got the worst possible start. The home side broke out in numbers and Kieran Darrington scored what transpired to be the match-winning try.

Farnham stormed back, but their attacks were predictable and Gosport put up a doughty defence.

Prop Nathan Titchener took the full brunt of Pete Daly on the charge and required lengthy treatment that added 10 minutes to the game.

The away supporters finally had something to cheer about as Farnham scored two tries in the space of three minutes. Andrew Bond crashed over after shepherding a driving maul and then Toby Salmon squirmed his way over from five metres, adding the conversion to make it 23-19.

Gosport defended with their lives in the remaining 19 minutes and Farnham, again spurning chances, were unable to turn sustained pressure into further points.

Farnham’s Podium Points: James Corlett 3, Pete Daly 2, Toby Comley 1.

This Saturday, Farnham host fellow promoted side Eastleigh at Monkton Lane (ko 3pm).