EFFINGHAM & LEATHERHEAD 13, FARNHAM 12

YET another one-point defeat for Farnham – this time at the hands of lowly Effingham & Leatherhead.

They need to turn these agonising defeats into victories soon, or they could slide swiftly into the lower regions of London 2 South-West.

Farnham should have been able to beat the second-from-bottom side, but the Eagles had an ace card in player-coach Chris Sheasby, the former England back rower, and took the spoils – just.

The hosts showed spirit and kept their shape, while Farnham failed to adapt well enough to strong winds, icy rain, a ball like a bar of soap, and an agricultural, boggy surface.

Effingham played their pop-and-go game efficiently and choke and gang tackles ensured they turned over maul after maul. Their multi-phase attacks in the second half frustrated Farnham who, in short, had a bad day at the office.

The result hinged on a last-minute penalty, but that was not a true reflection of the way Effingham had bossed most of the game, with mercurial fly-half Brian Collins pulling the strings.

Farnham could have sneaked an undeserved victory with that last-gasp penalty, but Toby Salmon’s kick drifted wide.

Effingham, playing with the wind, pinned Farnham back through the probing kicks of Collins and the opening quarter was attritional and territorial. The tackling certainly not for the faint-hearted.

Farnham weathered the storm and with Pete Daly driving on his forwards, battered their way into the home half. But one slip meant that the ball was returned 60 metres and the whole process had to start again.

Effingham, although regularly driven 15 metres back at the scrums, went unpenalised and it was Farnham who gave away three points when caught offside in midfield in front of the posts and Collins’ kick bisected the posts.

The Eagles had the edge in contact and a repeat infringement by Farnham enabled the fly-half to kick his side into a 6-0 lead.

As the half wound down, Effingham mounted one final attack from a driving maul and scored a try by the posts. Collins made sure of the conversion and a 13-point cushion was a decent return for the wind advantage.

Rather than concentrate on protecting their lead, Effingham continued to take the game to their opponents: attack after attack, pick-and-drive after pick-and-drive, their well-drilled pack now marshalled by replacement Sheasby who, at 50 years old, played a key role in the second half.

The shrewd tactics had Farnham under the cosh and only a wayward last pass or a knock-on prevented the hosts increasing their lead.

Farnham remained dominant in the scrums, but long kicks downfield merely enabled Effingham to resume the offensive.

The clock was running down and Farnham were fast running out of ideas against a swarming defence, with wings Ed Weeks and Connor Rumpson starved of service and growing more and more chilled.

On the hour mark, Toby Salmon kicked a penalty to the corner and Farnham finally managed a catch-and-drive from the lineout, Lenny Jennings going over from the base of the maul.

Salmon converted and the visitors had a chance at 7-13.

It was a nailbiting final quarter for the home supporters and they saw the advantage cut to a single point as Farnham again caught and drove from a lineout and Ian Williams muscled his way over the line.

The conversion would win the game, but Salmon Jnr narrowly missed in the swirling wind and Effingham had clinched their fourth victory of the campaign.

There is no such thing as a certainty in this league. On Saturday, bottom-half sides played opposition from the top half and, with the exception of runaway leaders Camberley, the higher teams all lost.

Farnham, still in mid-table, are home to Gosport & Fareham, the team immediately below them, this Saturday (ko 2.30 at Monkton Lane).

President’s Podium Points: Pete Daly 3, Reece de Gruchy 2, James Corlett 1.