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Play-offs talk 'absurd' for high-flying Farnborough
By Jon CouchDecember 13, 2012
SPENCER DAY insists avoiding relegation is still Farnborough's main objective this season – even though his side are sitting pretty in the play-off places.
Saturday's highly-impressive victory at Bromley lifted Boro to the dizzy heights of fifth in the Blue Square South table, with big-spending Boreham Wood, lying one place higher, the visitors to Cherrywood Road in an early Christmas cracker this weekend.
It is now six wins from their last eight league games for free-scoring Boro, but realistic Day is urging his players to keep their feet on the ground and maintains that survival is his only target.
“All talk of play-offs is absurd,” the Boro boss said. “We have massively over-achieved with the budget we are working to and we have a very testing next six weeks where injuries and suspensions will undoubtedly come into play.
“The players have done remarkably well to get the club in the position it’s in, but it’s important we keep our feet on the ground and just take each week as it comes.
“It’s an extremely tight division and the target remains the same - get to the 50-point mark as soon we can and see where we go from there.”
Farnborough’s hopes, however, have not been helped by the loss of nine-goal striker Reece Connolly, who has returned to parent club Aldershot Town after officially ending his loan spell at Cherrywood Road on Wednesday.
Day said last week that a potential buyer for cash-strapped Boro had agreed to sanction a deal to sign the 20-year-old on a permanent transfer, but as negotiations with that prospective buyer remain ongoing, Connolly must head back to the EBB Stadium with Eastleigh looking to steal in with a £12,000 offer.
Reluctant owner Day also revealed this week that they were back to having two interested parties locked in “very heavy due diligence” to buy the club, although no official offer has yet to be lodged from either.
Both, however, will have been impressed with their potential assets on Saturday as Boro laid to rest their FA Trophy humiliation at the hands of Woking by returning to winning ways at Bromley.
Goals from Josh Huggins, Nic Ciardini and Dave Tarpey capped a dominant Boro display and sealed, incredibly, only a second away victory of the campaign.
Both Tarpey and captain Alan Inns went close to breaking the deadlock as Boro burst out of the traps early on – and it was no surprise when Day’s men took the lead on 11 minutes when right-back Huggins headed in from Dan Bennett’s corner.
Bromley’s big-money signing Louis Theophanous had a goal ruled out for offside and Farnborough took full advantage when Ciardini capitalised on some sloppy home defending to lash home his eighth goal of the campaign on the half-hour.
Bennett might have added to Bromley’s misery after the break, but in the end it was the industrious Tarpey who stepped up with a fine individual strike on the hour to put the game to bed.
Ali Fusieni pulled a goal back for Bromley within five minutes but, in truth, Farnborough were never in danger of their surrendering their advantage.
“The first half was the best 45 minutes we have played away all season,” a delighted Day said. “We stuck to the game plan religiously and they could not handle it, we strangled them.
“People say Bromley were poor on the day but we deserve credit, we made some quality players look poor on the day.”
Despite winning each of their last five home games, Day insisted his Boro side were “massive underdogs” this Saturday against a Boreham Wood side packed with quality players and boasting a record of just one defeat from their last nine away encounters.
With Connolly’s future up in the air, Day is hoping that Elvis Hammond will recover from injury to make Saturday’s squad, while Serge Makofo may also be in contention for a recall after impressing for the reserves.
Centre back Dean Inman has also picked up a slight knock but is expected to be fit.
“On paper we are massive underdogs,” Day warned. “Boreham Wood have plenty of quality and strength in depth, but we are proud of our home record and if we can show the same type of attitude we showed at Bromley on Saturday then I’m confident we’ll win the game.
“It’s very sad to see Reece go, however, but he’s an Aldershot player and we wish him all the best.”
BORO: Bradshaw, Huggins, Treacher, Inman, Inns, Jones, Bennett (Moody 78), Laidler, Connolly, Tarpey (Abalimba 71), Ciardini (Bosch 86). Not used: Norris.
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