Beavers on the Road #

Author: Casey Jones

Farnborough vs Hampton & Richmond Borough

Thursday 26th December 2024 | Kick off: 3pm

As the Christmas lights twinkle and the festive spirit fills the air, there’s no better way for fans to get together than with a thrilling match between Hampton & Richmond Borough and Farnborough. The Beavers last faced Farnborough back in February which ended in a 1-1 draw at Beveree Stadium.

Boxing Day football is a cherished tradition in English football and with both sides entering this game with similar form it sure will be one to look out for! This will be an important game for the Beavers as they push for a solid finish in the league. They have been working hard to stay competitive in the National League South, and with the season heading into the crucial winter months, securing points in games like these could be the difference between a mid-table finish and a shot at promotion. A win on Boxing Day would provide a massive boost not only to our league standing but also to the confidence of the team as we look ahead to the rest of the season.

Recap: Slough Town (H) #

In the end, two points were unfortunately lost in a very even game. Slough were able to catch us out in just the second minute of the game when after a short corner Gilbert drove a fine shot into the far corner. It took the Beavers a while to get the pace of the game but we managed to have a similar shot to equalise in the 26th minute, which also came from a corner, whipped in by Williams, to which Campbell flicks it across Horlock and into the far corner. One of the top moments of the game came just before half-time when another brilliant team passing manoeuvre was finished off by Roberts to make it 2-1 to Hampton. Slough continued to apply the pressure for much of the second half and were on top with us making the occasional counter attack. The Beavers had the chance to cushion a win out of the game when we were awarded a penalty, however Vilhete took a risk and tried a panenka which was easily caught by Horlock. Naturally, Slough went up the other end minutes later won a penalty after a foul by Atkinson. Spasov sent Curd the wrong way to equalise which made it 2-2.

Recent Form #

Going into this game, Hampton have won one, lost one, and drawn three times in the last five league games; our most recent result coming from our home game against Slough Town which ended in a 2-2 draw. On the other hand, Farnborough have won two and lost three in their last five league games. This will be an exciting match up, both sides looking to end the year on a high and climbing the table some more. Farnborough currently sit in 9th place whereas Hampton are in 12th.

Info about Farnborough #

Founded: 2007
Nickname: Boro
Stadium: Cherrywood Road
Capacity: 6,500
Last result vs Hampton: 1-1

Travel #

There are no South Western Railway services at all on Boxing Day so you will need to drive for this one. It’s an easy journey down the M3, exiting from Junction 4 onto the A331 southbound into Farnborough. The ground is on Cherrywood Road, postcode GU14 8TW. Farnborough has a reasonably sized car park however, they do charge £2 in cash to park. Also, due to it being Boxing Day, there will not be a supporter meet up being organised by the Beavers Trust this time; we may possibly do a meet up for Boreham Wood, 11th January 2025.

Where’s the local? #

If you’re planning to go for a drink in the town centre, head to Victoria Road where you can find the Tilly Shilling which is the local Wetherspoon pub (GU14 7PG). A short walk along Victoria Road will take you to the Alexandra (GU14 7PH), a free house which serves good food. Heading towards the ground walk up Prospect Road and the Thatched Cottage (GU14 8NU) is well worth a visit. A quirky family run pub in a very nice old cottage, serving craft beer, local ale and a large selection of gins. Be aware you are still a good 20-minute walk from the ground at this point though!

Walk along Prospect Road which becomes Cherrywood Road where the football club is based. The nearest pub to the ground as the crow flies is the Hawley Arms on Churchill Crescent (GU14 8EL), this one is a modern sports bar type venue with a pool table and fruit machines, nothing special but it does the job as a handy pre-match meeting point. The clubhouse inside the ground is located under the main stand and is spacious with very friendly and efficient staff.

Fun Facts #

Before they reformed as Farnborough in 2007 the club were known as Farnborough Town and originally played in red and black. Hampton visited Cherrywood Road to play the old Farnborough Town on the last day of the 2000/01 season. Farnborough Town had already won the Isthmian (Ryman) League Premier Division, earning themselves automatic promotion back to the (Nationwide) Conference… there were no playoffs back then, just the league winner went up! The two sides played out an eventful 1-1 draw, Hampton’s goal was scored by centre-back (and local postman!) Matt Flitter. Farnborough’s goalkeeper Jack Turner will be a familiar face to Hampton fans, he was Staines Town’s goalkeeper between 2012 and 2017 and played against us many times for Staines as well as for Slough Town. Having Jack Turner in goal, fans will look forward to the usual back-and-forth banter that we enjoy with him!

Historical Meetings #

Hampton’s first ever league victory over Farnborough Town took place on 9th April 1983. The Hampton squad that day was: Paul Riley; Peter Bartlett, Gary Maynard (Brian Lake), Richard Smith, Steve Smith, Derek Casey, Perry Tunesi, Steve Cordery, Mick Heselden, Stewart Mitchell, Tim Hollands. The visit on Boxing Day will be the 32nd competitive meeting between the two sides. Our last meeting with them was at Beveree back in February 2024 which concluded in a 1-1 draw with Jake Gray scoring for the Beavers. Out of our last 17 meetings, both sides have won the six games each leaving five which ended in draws.

See you all in Farnborough!