BGB Southern Premier

Farnborough 2 Rugby Town 1

A new manager, a revamped ground and a side that boasted four summer signings, but some things at Cherrywood Road never change.

Last season Farnborough thrilled their fans with late drama, stacks of goals and ultimately the championship title.

This time around their BGB Southern Premier campaign kicked off under new boss Francis Vines in exactly the same fashion, with a frantic last three minutes giving rise to an extraordinary opening day win.

Vines’ first competitive game in charge certainly didn’t start as it finished, with Boro looking sluggish in the opening 45 minutes and conceding a comical goal after a disastrous defensive mix up against an unfancied Rugby Town side.

The second half continued in much the same vein but Boro gradually took charge and a 70th minute red card for Rugby’s Ashley Walker saw the home side crank up the pressure. It eventually told when Michael Charles struck on 87 minutes to drag Boro level and moments later he was at it again, scrambling home the winner to send the Cherrywood faithful delirious.

After the game Vines was relieved to get a positive result to begin his side’s league challenge, and paid tribute to the two-goal hero he brought back to the club from Basingstoke Town in the summer.

“I’m relieved to get the three points,” he said. “I think maybe we weren’t positive enough today, but it’s the first game of the season. We did start a little bit nervously, but we got the win which is the most important thing.

“We kept on going right to the last minute, and scored the two late goals. It’s the first game of the season, and hey, a win is a win.

“That is why we brought Michael Charles back to the club, to score us goals. He scored a good first goal and to be honest a slightly lucky second, but it went in.

“He scored at a time that we needed it most, which is great, but we do have players in the side that are capable of doing that.”

Vines gave debuts to summer captures Steve Laidler, Ryan Scott, David Ray and Charles, with last season’s top scorer Rob Saunders forced to settle for a place on the bench alongside Nic Ciardini and Marcus Richardson. They were joined by young goalkeeper Simon Moore, who signed for Boro last week from Brading Town.

The season almost began in disastrous style when Ian Oliver misjudged a cross and David Kolonyski thundered a volley straight at Lyall Beazley, who palmed the ball away.

Boro hit back, dominating the early possession and going close from two Leigh Rumbold corners. The first was headed over the bar by Dave Woozley, and Ray flicked a header straight at Andrew Stevens in the Rugby goal minutes later.

But out of the blue it was Boro who fell behind, caught out by a hopeful punt up the middle from Andy Commander after 16 minutes. With Woozley underneath it, Beazley raced from his goal and appeared to call for the ball, but the uncertainty saw the defender glance a header into his keeper who was just inches behind him. The ball bobbled into Dolapo Olaoye’s path, and Rugby’s lone frontman coolly slotted home.

Boro struggled to drag themselves back into the game, unable to convert a number of more hopeful than accurate crosses into the box. Charles and Laidler had shots deflected wide, but Boro’s cause was hardly helped by Scott in central midfield, who was enduring a nightmare debut.

The former Aldershot Town star, who missed the whole of last season recovering from a broken leg, looked off the pace as he was too often caught in possession, and his radar was woefully off target when it came to finding a team-mate with his passing.

The second half showed little signs off improvement early on, but the arrival of Saunders in place of Scott gave Boro more purpose to their attacks. Moments after coming on Saunders whipped a freekick to the back post and Charles could only head into the ground and over the bar when completely unmarked.

Saunders then shot over the bar from inside the box as it started to look like it wouldn’t be Boro’s day, but with the pressure mounting on the visitors’ goal, the game swung in Boro’s favour after 70 minutes. Walker, who had been a rock at the back for Rugby, was dismissed for a dangerous tackle with his studs showing on the flying Darren Wheeler.

That saw Rugby drop even deeper, and Stevens denied Boro with a point blank save from Charles, and Wheeler was starting to cause havoc with his searing pace down the left. Even so, with 87 minutes on the clock even the most ardent Boro fan would have been forgiven for thinking the game was up, but Charles had other ideas.

Ray touched a pass into his path and the striker slipped the ball through a defender’s legs before crashing a shot into the net to a huge roar of relief from the Farnborough faithful.

But Boro were not finished there, and two minutes later they had stolen all three points, when Laidler and substitute Ciardini robbed the ball in midfield. Ciardini charged forward and played a neat pass through for Charles. There was more than a hint of offside but the flag stayed down and although Charles’ first shot was saved, the ball rebounded back off him and into the net to snatch an opening day win.

One thing is for certain, Boro will need to step up their performance on Tuesday night when they make the trip to take on promotion hopefuls Brackley Town. Kick off at St James’ Park is at 7.30pm.

Boro: Beazley, Ray, Oliver (Ciardini 77), Woozley, Doyle, Laidler, Scott (Saunders 60), Rumbold, Wheeler, Charles, Gamble.
Rugby: Stevens, Gordon, Commander, Scott, Walker, Edge, Kolonyski (Ryan 83), King, Olaoye (Pearson 68), Gearing (Fitzharris 77), Banner.

For a full match report, player ratings and match stats, plus more reaction from Vines to a thrilling opening day win, pick up a copy of tomorrow's Farnborough Mail.