Fresh Faces Fail To Fire As Farnham Lose 1-0 To Horley Town.
Football has changed a lot since Tottenham Hotspur last won the league title.
In fact (sorry Spurs fans!) it’s almost unbelievable to realise that, if they don’t win the Premier League next season, the date of their last title will be closer to the 1800s than the present day.
However, as some things change, so others remain the same.
At the start of each season, Bill Nicholson, the man who guided Spurs to their last league title, would write down the names of his preferred starting eleven, place it in an envelope and put the envelope in a drawer.
Then, should results go against him during the season, and tinkering with the team formation fail to improve things, Nicholson would go back to that piece of paper and, effectively ‘reboot’ the team to that line-up.
It’s unlikely that Farnham Town manager Tony Reid has such a piece of paper.
And, even if he did, it wouldn’t be much use to him right now.
Injuries, suspensions and off-field issues have so affected the Town that, of the five players who played at the back against Raynes Park Vale last Saturday, only one was present against Horley Town a week later.
Such disruptions do not build defensive solidity and the fact that debutant ‘keeper Connor Beattie was bringing up a not so magnificent total of seven ‘keepers who have played for the Town this season, did little to help.
This was a disjointed performance that is best consigned to history.
Having scored thirteen goals in their last four games, Farnham created very few chances against a well-drilled Horley Town and, unfortunately, provided precious little in the way of entertainment for the local schoolchildren who had been invited to watch the match as part of the club’s excellent community programme.
In contrast, the one moment of quality in the game came from the Horley Town goal, with Ethon Archer pulling the ball back for substitute Karl Parker to slot home with what was quite possibly his first touch of the match.
The Town now have a two week break before facing three home games in eight days.
Hopefully this will give them time to get those missing players back to full fitness.
MOTM : Cavan Atkinson
The Town’s next home match is the Combined Counties league game against Camberley Town on Saturday 19 March. Kick off 3:00pm
