Recap

Report

A first half goal from Cameron Evans proved decisive as a gutsy performance from the Peacocks saw them end a run of nine National League games without a victory to claim their first double of the season. And what an absolutely vital three points it was to keep Town hot on the heels of relegation rivals Eastbourne Borough and Torquay United as the campaign enters its final week.

The visitors’ side showed two changes from the one that had been soundly beaten by Slough less than 48 hours earlier, with Nat Jarvis restored up front and Marcus Day adopting a more accustomed outfield role following his enforced goalkeeping appearance against Slough. The weather for once had chosen to behave itself for Town’s final away trip of 2023-34 as the sides kicked off in the welcome warm sunshine, with Farnborough first to show when Ricky Holmes’ shot deflected for a corner. Edon Pruti’s back header following a long throw was then punched clear by Town keeper Dan Lavercombe although the referee’s whistle curtailed any further threat.

Borough keeper Jack Turner claimed a high Lloyd James cross and then watched a half volley from James travel wide through a crowd of players while Guy Hollis’ header looped well wide of the target from Olly Pendlebury’s corner at the other end as both teams struggled to make headway during the opening half hour. However with 33 minutes gone the Peacocks broke the stalemate. Zac Bell hassled the defender into conceding a corner on the left and when James swung it in, Evans was there to glance it home from six yards.

Farnborough set about trying to restore parity but were left frustrated up until the break. When a corner was only partially cleared, the ball was fed back in by Holmes’ angled cross which Millar Matthews-Lewis just failed to connect with at the back post, with Hollis collecting to see his strike brilliantly blocked by Evans. Callum Dolman then headed Holmes’ cross clear off the line before a late Town raid culminated in some ping-pong in the box as the half ended with the Peacocks holding a narrow advantage.

The home side emerged on the front foot after the interval, Taylor Clark’s strike from 20 yards searing just past the post and then another effort from the same player going wide of the opposite stick before Town countered, Ollie Chamberlain breaking to find Ross Stearn who sidestepped Jordan Norville-Williams to see his well-struck drive from the right side of the box parried well by Turner. Another half chance just past the hour saw Jarvis get on the end of James’ low flighted free kick but his header went the wrong side of the post while the Peacocks’ defence were proving a brick wall to Borough attempts to get back on terms and when a sight of goal did materialise Lavercombe was up to the task, getting down well to turn a Holmes’ shot wide.

When Turner caught a James free kick, he quickly distributed upfield to find Connor Cullen on the right and when his pass set up Clark, Day was there to obstruct the shot, epitomising the dogged resistance of the Town team who put their bodies in the way on numerous occasions throughout the 90 minutes. Holmes dragged a tame effort wide while Lavercombe safely grasped a Maxwell Mullins’ cross at full stretch as the hosts continued to press forward without finding the key to unlock the Town unit.

Ben Acey took over from Day with just under ten minutes remaining before another home attack fell away and when the ball was cleared, Stearn got goalside of Edon Pruti but was frustratingly deemed to have committed handball as he went down under Pruti’s challenge. Back to the other end as the kitchen sink was added to the Farnborough artillery, but their finishing left a lot to be desired. Joe Haigh fired badly wide from a decent position and Clark set up Selim Saied to flash a strike wide of the target from the left as home irritations increased before the game entered six minutes of stoppage time, with the Peacocks having a golden chance to wrap the game up. Acey broke from a Borough corner to find Stearn inside and through on goal, but Turner won the battle to block Stearn’s effort for a corner.

If that had gone in, points done and dusted. However when Town tried to hold the ball from the ensuing corner they conceded a throw which Acey impeded at the expense of a yellow card. Barely 20 seconds later the Town substitute then tripped Haigh on the left touchline and a second yellow followed along with the obligatory red, leaving the visitors to see out the rest of time with ten men. This they did with few issues as any remaining threat dissipated when Norville-Williams and Pendlebury both sent strikes well wide to confirm Town’s fourth away success of the season. Not a pretty game to watch but that is of no consequence, the result was the all-important aspect to keep the Peacocks’ hopes alive of pulling off the great escape.

Line-Ups

Taunton: Dan Lavercombe, Zac Bell, Dan Ball, Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd James (captain), Nat Jarvis, Rabby Tabu Minzamba, Ross Stearn (Nick Grimes 90+5), Cameron Evans, Marcus Day (Ben Acey 81), Callum Dolman. Unused subs: Seb Bolton, Jaden Brown, Evander Grubb

Farnborough: Jack Turner, Jordan Norville-Williams, Ollie Robinson (captain) (Connor Cullen 69), Guy Hollis, Edon Pruti, Joe Haigh, Reggie Young, Olly Pendlebury, Taylor Clark, Ricky Holmes (Selim Saied 81), Millar Matthews-Lewis (Maxwell Mullins 69). Unused sub: Ronan Silva

Officials

Referee: Isaac Searle (Dover)
Referee’s Assistant 1: Dane Johnston (Coulsdon)
Referee’s Assistant 2: Tolu Sangowawa (Chingford)

Attendance

1246

Reaction

“Heart, spirit, togetherness, they’re the things that are going to keep us up and we showed those in absolute abundance today….” watch Rob Dray’s match reaction on Peacocks TV HERE

Highlights

Match highlights can be seen courtesy of Farnborough FC HERE

Photos

Match photos from club photographers Darren Harris can be viewed HERE and Debbie Gould HERE

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance MOM

Cameron Evans receives the Taunton Town Man Of The Match award from Club Director Derek Perry