At this stage of pre-season results are perhaps not hugely significant, but the final score at Cherrywood Road on Tuesday night may well raise a few eyebrows.

Paul Barry’s Camberley Town battled to a deserved 2-0 win over their more illustrious neighbours Farnborough, who produced an off-colour display as they slipped to a shock 2-0 home defeat.

For Barry’s men, it does mark them out as potential title challengers for the coming Combined Counties Premier season, particularly with big-spending Merstham promoted and no longer in their way.

But although the Camberley boss was pleased with his side, he was quick to point out that they must keep their feet on the ground.

“Every single player that played did well and we have a strong squad now,” he said. “It makes it difficult to pick a starting line-up, but that’s a nice problem to have.

“Farnborough are a really good side but we defended well. They had a lot of possession and we knew they would cause us some problems, which they did, but we dealt with it really well.

“We kept the ball, passed it well and worked hard. It was a good display, but we have to keep our feet on the ground and not get carried away, because it is one result.”

It was the first time this summer that Boro have taken on a side from a league lower than themselves, and their disjointed and at times slow-paced performance was in contrast to the last couple of games against Woking and Maidenhead United.

Even so, Boro did create enough chances to have got something from the game and  boss Francis Vines admitted he was surprised at his team’s disappointing display, particularly criticising their wayward finishing.

“We missed some good chances today, and that was the most disappointing thing,” he said. “They made some good saves and we missed some clear cut opportunities.

“That is not good enough, and although it is a nothing fixture you still want to do well and score goals. At times we overplayed things, the tempo was slow, and really in the second half we didn’t test them.

“But before the game the warm-up was a little bit jovial and relaxed. Maybe we thought we are only playing Camberley and we are better than we thought. We are better than we played today, but you cannot have that mentality.

“This should be a little awakening for some of the players. We are not the finished article and we have things to work on. We will take it into training this week and have a look at things.

“But it is just a pre-season game. We lost, but there is no need to get too excited.”

Michael Charles took part in a vigorous warm-up before the game, easing fears over his ankle injury, and Steve Laidler pulled on a Boro shirt for the first time since his summer return. But that was about as good as it got for the Boro fans.

After an even start it was the visitors who made the first chance, when Adam Cornell robbed Nic Ciardini and crossed for Jay Coombs who could not quite bring the ball under his spell.

Boro hit back when Paul Harkness’ header was brilliantly saved by last year’s Boro keeper, Justin Gray.

Cornell was a constant thorn in Boro’s side, and it was he who broke the deadlock after 26 minutes. The big striker latched onto a through ball after Laidler had lost possession, ignored Boro’s claims for offside, and finished with aplomb.

Boro never quite looked on their game but they should have gone in level at the break after missing a host of presentable chances.

Ciardini forced Gray into another good stop with a powerful drive before trialist Rob Parrot planted the ball straight on Richardson’s head, only for the big striker to nod over the bar.

They came even closer when Harkness headed Saunders’ freekick onto the bar and Dave Woozley lashed over the rebound, before Richardson  put a header straight at Gray.

Boro made ten changes at half-time, and started a little brighter, with trialist Polish striker Arek firing at Gray from close range, but Camberley soon doubled their lead.

Subsitute Chris Tardif mis-judged a ball over the top and Camberley’s Danny Ker nipped in to loop the ball over the stricken keeper and into the back of the net.

Boro could have pulled a goal back with trialist Paul Massaquoi twice going close, but in truth they didn’t do enough and Camberley were good value for their win.

Boro have a chance to make amends for their lacklustre display with a trip to the Isle of Wight on Saturday to take on Cowes (IOW). Kick-off is at 3pm.

Boro (first half): Beazley, Pestle, Ciardini, Woozley, Evans, Laidler, Saunders, Parrot, Richardson, Harkness, Barima.
Boro (second half): Tardif, Ray, Burton, Doyle, Oliver, Laidler (Massequoi), Scott, Wheeler, Hamilton, Gamble, Arek.

Camberley: Gray, Webb, Barnard, Sills, Kevin Swift, Hoppitt, Chalke, Jon Swift, Coombs, Cornell, Johnson. Subs (all used): Messenger, Dadson, Paris, Ker, Cobbett, Evans, Smithers, Stone, Davies.