Farnborough returned to winning ways in the Isle of Wight on Saturday with a comfortable victory over Cowes Sports.

It was a game that Boro should undoubtedly have won in the manner they did, but after a disappointing defeat against neighbours Camberley Town last week, it was a far more efficient display as they dispatched their inferior opponents.

Goals from Dave Woozley, Darren Wheeler and Mark Gamble were more than enough to win a game that Boro controlled from the outset, but in truth they should have scored more after dominating for long periods.

Against Camberley they created some good opportunities that went begging, and at times on Saturday Boro showed a lack of creativity that probably stemmed from enjoying so much of the ball that they became a little sloppy.

It was a fact that was not lost on boss Francis Vines, who while pleased with an improved performance from his side, demanded more cutting edge in attack.

“It was a decent workout for the boys,” he said. “But again I wanted to see us be more positive and show more quality in and around the box.

“We still created a few opportunities but we must start to take them. I know it’s only a pre-season game, and you would rather be missing them now, but as a striker you want to put them away and go into the season sharp.

“I can’t turn around and say they are going into the season sharp because they seem to be panicking in front of goal rather than showing composure. They are taking three or four touches instead of just one or two.

“When you have as much of the ball as we did, you can start to run out of ideas and try to do too much. That happened today and we ran too much with the ball instead of releasing it quickly and putting them under more pressure.”

Boro took control of the game from the kick-off, with an early chance for Paul Harkness when Wheeler played him in, only for Cowes keeper Gary Streeter to smother the striker’s effort.

Harkness then just failed to latch on to a fine Wheeler cross, before he intercepted a back pass and nipped round Streeter, returning the favour to Wheeler who took too long to get his shot away.

Boro were rarely troubled in defence, and after 32 minutes they finally took the lead when Nic Ciardini lifted Wheeler’s partially cleared corner back into the area and Woozley headed home unmarked.

Almost from the kick-off they could have doubled their lead, when Steve Laidler set Ciardini free and Harkness just flashed the winger’s cross wide.

Boro failed to add to their total before the break, but they were 2-0 up after six minutes of the second half, when Ian Oliver and Ciardini combined to win a corner. Wheeler’s ball in was cleared straight back to him, and he raced inside and saw his deflected shot loop up into the top corner past the stricken keeper.

But instead of pushing on, Boro took their foot off the pedal and allowed the home side back into the game.

Just before the hour mark, they were punished for that slackness, when Woozley failed to clear the ball. It dropped to Phil Whilley who ghosted by Connor Hamilton and struck a skimming daisy-cutter that caught out Lyall Beazley. The keeper took an age to get down to the ball, seemingly thinking it was drifting wide, and the shot snuck into the corner of the net to boost Cowes’ hopes.

Josh Appell then lashed a volley just over the bar as Cowes grew in confidence, but Boro regained their composure to close out the game.

Substitute Marcus Richardson entered the fray, but continued to frustrate as he was unable to convert his chances again. First Adam Doyle headed the ball back into the area from Ciardini’s freekick and the big striker could not force the ball home.

Richardson then headed tamely at the keeper from Barima’s deep cross and he couldn’t put the ball in net for a third time with seven minutes left to play. Ciardini and Laidler worked a quick freekick and the winger crossed for Doyle to head again into the danger zone for Richardson, who couldn’t seal the win.

Fortunately Gamble had already showed a much more clinical streak when he tidily converted from Micahel Barima’s precise cross to restore Boro’s two-goal advantage after 73 minutes, and they were never in trouble after that.

Next up for Boro is Eastleigh’s visit to Cherrywood Road on Tuesday night.

Boro: Tardif (Beazley 45 mins), Ray, Oliver, Woozley, Doyle, Rumbold (Barima 57), Ciardini, Scott (Hamilton 57), Laidler, Harkness (Richardson 52), Wheeler (Gamble 52).

For a full match report, more comments from Vines and the latest on Leigh Rumbold's future, pick up a copy of Tuesday's Mail.