Farnborough FC

Reece Connolly will be back in a Shots shirt
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Connolly recall sends Day crashing back to earth

By Jon Couch
October 18, 2012

LUCKLESS Farnborough boss Spencer Day has been brought back down to earth with a bump after seeing his potent strikeforce dismantled after just two games.

Proud Day was left licking his lips at his new fab four front line after they starred in an impressive four-goal show against Tonbridge Angels on Saturday to follow up the storming 6-2 demolition of Eastleigh last Tuesday night,

Of those ten goals, target man Reece Connolly and the lively support act of Dan Bennett, Nic Ciardini and Dave Tarpey have scored nine of them with all four getting on the scoresheet on Saturday.

But Day’s hopes of continuing the goalscoring trend were dashed on Tuesday morning after loanee Connolly was recalled by Aldershot Town boss Dean Holdsworth to help end the Shots’ recent goal drought.

The good news, however, is that Day is ‘very close’ to bringing in a high-profile replacement with Conference South experience and he is extremely likely to be in the squad for the trip to Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday.

“Losing Reece is a blow to us,” said Day of strike ace Connolly, who scored three goals in his short-lived second loan spell with the club. “Reece is Aldershot's player so there’s absolutely no complaints, it’s just disappointing but we are a bit light in the area and he’s really hit it off with the likes of Ciardini, Bennett and Tarpey behind him and contributed to what’s been a fantastic spell for the club.”

Indeed, Day is praying he doesn't lose two of the fab four for Saturday's game with the improving Hawks with in-form Ciardini, top scorer with seven goals so far this term, struggling with an injury sustained in the 4-1 win over Tonbridge.

Ciardini is rated as highly doubtful for the trip to Westleigh Park, although Day is hopeful that knocks suffered by Alfredo Bosch, Oli Treacher and goalkeeper Craig Bradshaw are less serious.

Another familiar face expected to be named in the Boro squad on Saturday is midfielder Medi Abalimba, who is back at Cherrywood Road on a trial.

The 20-year-old Congolese player had his contract terminated by the club last month amid a police investigation but has since asked for a second chance and is currently being assessed by Day on a weekly basis.

The problem for Abalimba, however, is forcing his way into a side which has climbed to ninth in the Blue Square South table and currently playing the best football in Day's 11-month tenure at the club.

Tonbridge arrived at Cherrywood Road on the back on an eight-game unbeaten run but Boro took less than five minutes to break them down on Saturday. Tarpey played the ball across to local boy Ciardini, who rolled the ball home at the second attempt after his initial effort rebounded off the post.

Tarpey himself came close to doubling the advantage but in the end it was the impressive Bennett who seized the opportunity – pouncing on a terrible mistake by Tonbridge skipper Olly Schulz before slotting his shot past Angels goalkeeper Lee Worgan.

Connolly and midfield dynamo Steve Laidler also came close but it was Tonbridge, hardly a threat in front of goal in the first half, who scored next – Lee Browning bundled over inside the box and top scorer Frannie Collin making no mistake with his penalty.

But before anyone could blink, Farnborough dashed up the other end of the field and restored their two-goal advantage when Tarpey beat his man and finished well following some neat link-up play with Bennett.

Then, with 20 minutes left, Connolly made the points safe with a cute finish for number four after good play by Ciardini.

Tonbridge’s misery was compounded late on by a nasty clash of heads involving team-mates Mikel Suarez and Browning, which led to both being stretchered off and taken to hospital.

Thankfully both escaped with nothing more than a headache, which is not something that proud Boro boss Day is suffering from right now.

“It was a comprehensive win,” he beamed. “ We looked like we could score every time we attacked them. We gave the fans something to watch. I thought we played some fantastic football.

“We have got to enjoy this purple patch, and make it last. There is fantastic banter, spirit and confidence in the dressing room, and rightly so, but it's important we don’t get carried away with the good times, just like it's important we don’t get too panicky when things aren’t going so well.

“We’re enjoying life right now but we'll be keeping our feet firmly on the ground.”

FARNBOROUGH: Bradshaw, Bosch (Smith 81), Treacher, Inman, Inns, Jones, Bennett (Huggins 87), Laidler, Connolly, Tarpey, Ciardini (Moody 73). Subs: Day, Norris.

Ref: C Powell. Att: 531.