Game 1: Wallingford Town 1.2 Farnham Town (Friendly) 17.07.21
Originally we had planned to start the season with a pre-season game at Clanfield 85 but problems repairing a puncture near the ground meant that we missed thirty minutes of the game and both goals (but not a penalty save by the visiting keeper) in a 1.1 draw with Oxford City. That game wasn’t added to the records and we then planned a trip to watch Holyport take on Thatcham Town, only to pick up a tweet on Friday that the game was off due to Covid-19. So plan B kicked in and I was relieved to meet up with Alan at Wallingford Town pre kick off.
The ground is set in a sports complex with plenty of parking on a hot day. After paying £3 admission we had a wander along the two sides of the ground with easy access – behind the far end was pretty much overgrown. The first half kicked off on time and it was Farnham who made most of the play. They had a really good chance to score early on when a pass set up an open goal only for the visiting player to stumble and mishit his shot, allowing a covering defender to clear the ball. Just before the drinks break they came close again, only for another defender to clear the headed corner off the line. Wallingford had their best chance just before halftime, a good run from the left side and cut in saw a shot well tipped wide.
A few minutes after the restart Farnham took the lead. A corner was played into the area and after two headers were cleared, a Farnham defender cleverly looped another header over the home defence and under the bar to score. The game settled down with attacks from both teams but few clear cut chances. With fifteen minutes left to play a Wallingford player was played in, taking the ball around the keeper only to be brought down for a penalty. The same player stepped up to convert the penalty, striking the ball to our right as the keeper dived to the other side.
By now we were tucking into ice creams from the main bar and hoping for a winner which came just before full time from the best move of the match. A great crossfield ball found a Farnham player on the left wing, he beat his man and put a low strong cross into the area for a team mate to run onto it and strike the ball past the keeper. A great end to an enjoyable match.
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