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Farnborough rally in the Boxing Day rain
By Jon CouchDecember 27, 2012
SLICK Farnborough gave their rain-soaked fans some festive cheer with a reasonably comfortable Boxing Day derby victory over rivals Basingstoke Town.
Christmas alarm bells rung with the 3-0 home defeat by Boreham Wood a fortnight ago but Spencer Day's ensured that was just a blip as they put the Dragons to the sword with a blistering opening 20-minute spell.
An eighth-minute opener from captain Alan Inns and a cool finish from striker Dave Tarpey three minutes later put the hosts in complete control, but they failed to finish off their lowly visitors and were made to sweat in the end after Wes Daly halved the deficit 13 minutes from time.
Day's men held on comfortably though and came within a whisker of bagging a killer third goal but Nic Ciardini's late free-kick cannoned off the post.
"We should have put the game to bed in the first 30 minutes," Day surmised. "We completely controlled the game but we stepped off it a bit and stopped doing the things you have to do in conditions like that.
"If you'd have said to me though that we'd get the three points and come through it without any serious injuries in those conditions then I would have been delighted."
Captain marvel Inns gave Boro the perfect reward for their fast start by rising highest to head home Dan Bennett's free-kick at the far post.
And Tarpey put the home fans in dreamland when latching onto Elvis Hammond's pass, side-stepping former Boro defender Jay Gasson and firing past Aldershot Town's goalkeeping coach Ashley Bayes between the sticks.
Hammond came within inches of making it three with a shot which just flew wide, while Basingstoke also threatened themselves after weathering the early storm - Shaun McAuley twice just missing the target.
In fact it was Basingstoke who just about shaded a disappointing second half in the driving rain - Simon Mann firing against the crossbar - and it was no surprise really that it was they who troubled the scorers when Daly bent a fine effort past Craig Bradshaw and into the top corner.
New signing Reece Connolly gave fans even more reason for concern by limping off with a hamstring injury and they left on edge until the final whistle despite the best efforts of Ciardini late on.
Thankfully though Connolly is not seriously injured and could even be back for the visit of leaders Salisbury City on Saturday.
FARNBOROUGH: Bradshaw, Huggins, Treacher, Bosch, Inns, Jones, Bennett (Moody 61), Laidler, Connolly (Abalimba 74), Tarpey, Hammond (Ciardini 61). Subs: Salami, Norris.
Ref: Adrian Quelch. Att: 572.
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