Farnham Town 0, Cove 1

AS the age-old adage goes, football’s a funny old game – just ask Farnham Town boss Luke Turkington.

Seeking a fourth consecutive win to cement their title push in Division One of the Combined Counties League, and jump into the top three, Turkington could only look on as his side slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat at home to basement boys Cove at the Memorial Ground on Tuesday night.

Paras Gill’s 72nd-minute goal on a bitterly cold night was enough to condemn Town to their first defeat of the year while lifting near neighbours Cove out of the bottom two.

It also overshadowed a fine 1-0 win against Dorking Wanderers Reserves on Saturday at the Memorial Ground in which Max Meaton popped up with the winner in the third minute of stoppage time – a game which Turkington described as “the best game we’ve seen all season”.

“It’s football, it’s why we love the game so much,” mused Turkington. “It’s just frustrating and I think the boys have realised pretty quickly that you don’t get any gimmes in this league.

“You can be totally dominant and then you find yourself losing the match. I’m sure there are more twists and turns to come in the course of the season.

“It gives us a little bit of a harder task to be up there where we need to be next year.”

Defeat of any kind never really looked likely as Town dominated the first half on a sticky pitch, forcing four corners in the first five minutes but without unduly troubling Cove goalkeeper Aiden Upward.

And Cove, who fought for their lives, visibly grew in confidence as the game wore on, with Gill pouncing for what proved to be the winner with Town unable to clear their lines.

“It will hurt me 100 times more than the modern day footballer and it has sunk in a little bit too much,” said Turkington.

“The table doesn’t lie, we’re there to try to win the league but you’ve just lost at home against the team at the bottom of the league. That’s a huge statement for every other team in the league to say that you’re beatable.

“Cove are fighting relegation and they need to perform. We didn’t turn up on Tuesday, although we did create chances, and that’s what happens in football. The playing surface was a bit sticky but you’ve got to beat what’s in front of you.

“The positives are that we can still win the league if we win every game from now on in, so things haven’t really changed. You’re going to drop points somewhere, it’s just unexpected when it’s against the team at the bottom of the league.”

Other positives from the defeat, only Town’s third in the league, were the performances of Luke Medcraft at the heart of the defence – who was unlucky to slip on the lead up to Cove’s goal – and big Farnborough forward Pat Cox, who Town hope to have until the end of the season and who was a real threat with fellow front man Charlie Horwood.

But after such a good run, Turkington now needs to see a response from the men in claret and blue.

“I think the modern way is that you look on paper and think you are going to be able to go out there and get the three points without having to try. I can’t fault the guys for trying but I think that could have been a psychological factor of thinking you have already won the game before you have crossed the white line,” admitted Turkington.

“The boys will have to lick their wounds, carry on, and hopefully we’ll get a response on Saturday.”

On Saturday, Farnham Town make the trip to Calthorpe Park in Fleet to face Division One rivals Bagshot (kick-off 3pm).

Farnham Town: Birchnall, Meaton, Smith, Sharratt, L Medcraft, Oakley, Nash (Peck 85), Scurfield, Cox, Horwood (N Medcraft 58), Cardona. Subs (not used): Moore.