Farnham XV (12) v Petersfield 2nd XV (76)

With players turning up late to ground, Field’s warm-up for the game was somewhat perfunctory but however brief it may have been, when the first whistle went Field slipped smoothly into gear to play with pace and power and beat their hosts with a twelve try romp.

Whilst the two teams may not have been equally matched, the final score continues to demonstrate of the free-scoring capability of this Field squad; including Saturday’s outing, the 2s have scored 199-points in their last three matches for the cost of only 20-points against.

Field dominated territory from the start of the first half, Farnham taking fifteen minutes to reaching Field’s 22 courtesy of a penalty kick to touch - poor execution at the lineout allowed Field to clear the pressure. Before this, Field had scored two converted tries and in the process demonstrated their power in the scrum by winning both their own and the opposition’s early set-pieces.

Minutes after their first foray into Field’s red zone, Farnham were back again, but this time to better effect. Finally on the front foot and fed the football Farnham’s flying backs foxed Field’s scrambling defence to score a converted try.

Field’s next two tries resulted from penalties as Farnham’s defence sought to contain Field’s pressure. The first came from a quick tap and go, the ball passed through the hands, the second from a catch and drive from a penalty lineout 5m from the line.

The penalty count for both teams was poor however Field’s indiscretions were generally in midfield and less costly than for their hosts. However, in the dying seconds of the first half Farnham took their own quick penalty and the fleet-footed ball carrier ran half the length of the pitch to score. The missed conversion brought the half to an end with Field 24-12 to the good.

The second half turned into a procession of tries as Field scored eight without reply, converting all bar two. The picks of the bunch being second row and sometime winger Kemp executing a storming solo run – one of many in the match – to outpace the defence; Coyte and Bremner exchanging a series of passes before a magnificent off-load out of contact from the former sent the latter over, and; prop Orr finishing another powerful run from the Farham 10-metre line with a touchdown under the posts.

Field face a busy end to their league season with matches already scheduled for every weekend until the middle of April. The rescheduling of the fixture against Tottonians - potentially to decide the league champions – may have to wait until the 19th April. Until then, the 2nd XV have to take each game as it comes; next week they travel across the sea to meet mid-table Ventnor 2nd, who Field beat by 37-points when the teams met at Penns Place in January.