A LOT is made of “learning curves” in football. And for young Fergus Boyle, there are few steeper than the one he stumbled upon in Farnham on Tuesday night.
With five minutes of normal time remaining and the tie goalless, Farnham Town’s Owen Dean surged into the Jersey Bulls penalty area with defender Boyle for company.
Having shepherded Dean away from Pierce Roche’s goal, Boyle was adjudged to have made contact with the attacker’s foot, who tumbled to the ground. Referee Steve Hart pointed to the penalty spot.
Harry Cooksley sneaked the ball past Roche – just – to give Farnham a lead which they would not relinquish, in the process picking up a remarkable 24th straight league win of the season.
Context is important here.
Despite the two sides being in the top three of the division, Farnham are 12 points clear of their nearest challengers Knaphill, and have now gone a complete calendar year unbeaten in league football.
Manager Paul Johnson has assembled arguably the strongest squad ever seen at this level since AFC Wimbledon reformed over 20 years ago, and his starting XI last night had no fewer than five players with significant experience up the football pyramid.
If that wasn’t enough, such is the resource at Johnson’s disposal that following Farnham’s recent Surrey Cup win against Kingstonian – operating at Step Three in the league structure, two levels higher – they brought in their opponent’s captain, Mark Waters.
This is a club on a serious, planned rise through English football. But for large parts at the Memorial Ground, they were stifled by a Jersey unit from which manager Gary Freeman could not have asked more.
“We’re gutted, of course we are, but every player in a white shirt out there gave absolutely everything.
“Obviously, young Fergus is devastated and the boys have got round him, which is what we’re all about,” said Freeman.
“We always knew coming here was going to be difficult and it’s harder when you have people missing. Our club, though, was set up to give players on the Island a chance to showcase and test their abilities against top teams, and tonight this group has done that.
“Look, Farnham are an outstanding side and their dominance isn’t going to stop for some time. To win 24 games on the bounce is some effort, and I congratulate them on everything they are doing.
“Our season wasn’t going to be defined by tonight’s result. However, it shows that not only are we getting better in certain parts of our game, notably defensively tonight, but we are seeing new names step up, including Fergus.”
A largely even first half was brought to life by a smart save from home ‘keeper Pat Nash, the diminutive Farnham number one parrying a Jonny Le Quesne drive from distance just round the corner.
Johnson’s side always possessed a threat though, especially through Adam Liddle.
With professional experience at Reading and Derry City in Ireland, Liddle was always on the move just in front of the Jersey back four, Harry Curtis delivering a mature individual performance to, in the most part, negate Liddle’s strengths.
As expected, Farnham upped the tempo after the break and when Waters saw an effort come back off the crossbar, many in the visiting group of supporters sensed the inevitable.
The DNA of the game changed again, though, when Kai Tanner needlessly nudged Curtis into the advertising hoardings, leaving Hart with no option but to send him off.
Galvanised and led from the very front by the returning Lorne Bickley, it gave the Bulls a shot of adrenaline, with the carrot of being the first team to take a point off Farnham getting closer.
When Dean picked the ball up 25 yards out from goal, there was no inkling of danger.
As he meandered past a couple of tired challenges, it was left for Boyle to snuff him out and he was desperately unlucky to make contact with Dean, who needed no second invitation to go over.
To compound Boyle’s woes, he was sent off by Hart, having already picked up a yellow card and, despite Roche’s best efforts, Cooksley slammed home a goal that will be talked about for some time if Farnham can go on and complete the season not only unbeaten, but having won every game.
Freeman and his men will be licking their wounds this week, that’s for sure.
Saturday’s visit of Guildford City to Springfield can’t come soon enough and you suspect there will be the swiftest of responses.
“We’ll have a few boys coming back into the selection picture for the Guildford game, and that’s a nice place to be because I can’t fault anyone who has played tonight,” continued Freeman.
“What we’re looking for is, first and foremost, points from that game. We were superb against Knaphill, and then flattered to deceive a little bit against Camberley last week. So it’s really important we back it up now and build up that points bank.”
Jersey Bulls: Pierce Roche, JJ Lloyd, Fergus Boyle (67, 85), Harry Curtis, Ben Le Rougetel, Luke Watson, Fraser Barlow (Francis Lekimamati 68), Adam Trotter, Lorne Bickley, Jonny Le Quesne, Miguel Carvalho Unused: Joe Kilshaw, Ruben Mendes, Sam Sutcliffe.
CCFL Premier Division South (Top 5)
P W D L GD PTS
Farnham Town 24 24 0 0 76 72
Knaphill 28 18 6 4 38 60
Jersey Bulls 27 15 7 5 29 52
Redhill 26 16 3 7 31 51
Alton 28 15 5 8 17 50
