Farnborough v Farnham Town
Women’s FA Cup First Qualifying Round
With my original choice of Women’s FA Cup action at Ashridge called off due to their opponents being unable to raise a team, my attention switched to the highly anticipated clash between Farnborough and Farnham Town. The hosts were a new team last year and sailed through their league, winning both the title and a cup in their first season, and looking to make similar strides this season.
Farnham are a brand new side this year and have been causing quite a stir with some excellent acquisitions and some quite stunning results in their pre-season games. This was to be their debut in competitive senior football and what a way to introduce yourself to the game. I was interested to see many names in their squad I’ve covered previously, Megan Averill, Laura Comerford, Emma Mutch, Chloe Melton, Kaitlin Howard & Lily-May Varney. Just seeing those names you know they’ve recruited very well indeed!
It was a glorious summer day bathed in sunshine as the teams walked out to a good reception from a large crowd of 201 with the pitch looking in excellent condition.
We kicked off just after 2pm and the first real chance of the game went to the hosts after 5 minutes, Ellie Stalley picking up a long ball ran in to the box but pulled her shot wide of the target.
Farnham had been playing some nice football in the early stages and went ahead in the 12th minute. A great break down the left by Laura Comerford resulted in a teasing cross which was just too high for Morgan Palmer in the Farnborough goal; Chloe Melton headed the ball down where it bounced over Georgia Stalley and was bundled in by Kaitlin Howard for Farnham’s first ever goal in senior football. 0-1
Farnborough came back with Ellie Stalley making a half chance for herself on the counter attack, hitting a shot which keeper Emma Stait parried away, Jordan Thompson sent it back towards the goal but Stait was there to gather at the far post. Farnham came close soon after, Melton outpaced the defence and got a shot away which was well saved by Palmer, the rebound falling to Howard who blazed over the bar.
Soon after, another Comerford corner caused the home defence problems with an Efro Theocharous effort just too high. On the half hour a lovely slide rule pass from Francesca Thornton found Emma Mutch in space in the box where she was bundled over and the official pointed to the spot. Melton took the penalty but Palmer guessed right and saved well to her left, the ball falling to Comerford but she wasn’t able to steer the rebound into the net.
A mini scare at the other end minutes later when Stait was closed down in her box and her clearance blocked with the rebound going safely wide. Farnborough had another break moments later, Ellie Stalley played a first time pass over Megan Averill for Esme Parsons to run on to. She took a touch and shot from the edge of the area but with there being no real power behind it, Stait saved easily.
From a goal kick from the home side, the ball fell to Mutch who tried an audacious first time effort from 35 yards which bounced in front of the retreating Palmer, nearly bounced over her but she gathered well. This was soon followed by another smart save from the Farnborough keeper, this time low to her right from an Eshe Davies effort.
On the stroke of half time Farnham added a second. Thornton winning the ball on the left and playing a lovely ball through to Mutch, she hit a teasing cross which bypassed the two defenders and was picked up by Howard who beat the keeper with Melton sliding in to get the final touch to make sure. 0-2
They still weren’t finished and could have added a third soon after, Mutch winning the ball in her own half, moved forward then played a delicious curling ball into the path of Melton but her shot was again saved by Parsons who had come out quickly to narrow the angle.
H-T: Farnborough 0 Farnham Town 2
It didn’t take the visitors long to add a third in the second half to relatively kill the game off. Just two minutes after the restart an Averill throw on the left picked out Melton, she knocked it on to Thornton who threaded a lovely little ball with the outside of her right foot through the defensive line to pick out the run from Mutch. She ran into the box and calmly slotted the ball past Palmer. 0-3
Davies then had two further chances on the right side of the box, the first saved well by Palmer and the second sliding past the far post. Ellie Stalley made a chance for herself at the other end, winning the ball out wide left, running into the box but her shot was saved at the near post by Stait.
There was a contentious moment when Melton chased after a ball over the top and appeared to be winning the footrace with Georgia Stalley when they both went down. From where I was sitting it looked like it should have been a free kick to the visitors but the referee adjudged it to have been what Garry Birtles always called a “six & two threes” challenge, both tussling with each other. There has been a lot of discussion and photos of the incident on social media since but that’s football, these things happen.
Farnborough had another break and had a 3v2 advantage but Parsons couldn’t find the pass to release Stalley. They then won a free kick a good 40 yards out which was hit goalwards by Kelly Rutledge, the ball flying over Stait but cannoned back off the crossbar and out to safety.
At the other end Mutch created another chance for Howard but she couldn’t get a clean shot in under pressure with the ball easily picked up by Palmer. There was then a lengthy stop as Palmer needed treatment for a head injury when diving on a loose ball with a Farnham player following up catching her.
Howard made amends for her earlier miss hit in the 80th minute, starting the move inside her own half then chasing after a long ball down the right from Davies. She was second to the ball but managed to smuggle it away from the defender before lifting her shot over Palmer and into the far corner. 0-4
A nice move featuring Kiahna Atkins, Lilly-May Varney and Marianne O’Byrne found Thornton in space on the edge of the box. She controlled and fired into the bottom corner to get the goal her performance deserved. 0-5
There was still time for a sixth, another superbly weighted pass from Thornton picked out the run of Howard and she flicked the ball past the onrushing Palmer with the outside of the foot to complete her hat-trick and a great day’s work for the visitors. 0-6
F-T: Farnborough 0 Farnham Town 6
A well deserved victory for Farnham who look a very good side on this showing. A great team performance but I have to pick out three players who stood out for me. Obviously Kaitlin Howard who scored three and was involved in most of the others, she and Chloe Melton up front will be a real handful for all defences facing Farnham this season.
Emma Mutch had a great game, her play with her back to goal is superb. So many times she either rolled her marker or perfectly timed a pass to a teammate and her curling crosses into the box from the left will I’m sure, be feasted on by Melton and Howard this season!
My player of the match though goes to Francesca Thornton who was central to the way Farnham play and involved in everything. Won the ball back in midfield countless times and her ability to pick a pass through a backline is sublime. A top quality player.
It was a tough day for Farnborough but their players battled gamely on a hot Sunday afternoon and it was a fantastic performance from Morgan Palmer in goal who made countless saves during the game. They will be thankful they are unlikely to face another team with the quality Farnham possess again this season but under Craig Shields I know they’ll learn from this and improve over the course of the season.
Good luck to Farnham on the long trip to Newhaven in the next round and to both sides for the rest of the season. I’m sure it’s not the last you’ll see of me this season!
