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Isthmian League leaders Farnham Town 'thrive off pressure' says manager
“Farnham Town thrive off pressure,” insisted manager Paul Johnson after watching his team cling onto top spot in the Isthmian League South Central Division on Saturday.
The south-west Surrey-based club are enjoying another season to remember after romping to the Combined Counties League Premier South title last term.
In front of large crowds at the Memorial Ground, Town, who make no secret of their healthy financial backing, are once again the club to beat in 2024-25 – and so far only Leatherhead have managed it.
The loss to the Tanners ended a 58-game unbeaten run in league football, but they have bounced back and are still top of the pile in the division – although they have Kingstonian breathing down their necks.
But while admitting playing Farnham is often a “free hit” for many of their Step 4 counterparts, Johnson has confidence in his team’s ability to handle the pressure that comes with being favourites.
“I suppose people call us favourites but in my opinion you have to look at Kingstonian with what and who they’ve got,” Johnson said.
“We are a good side and we are going to be up there, but so are Kingstonian and so are a couple of other teams.
“Pressure-wise, we’ve had it since we came to Farnham and we thrive on it. That’s why we play football, that’s why we are involved in it – because we want to be at the top and that’s what it brings.
“It’s going to be a big tussle [with Kingstonian] and Raynes Park Vale will still be there or thereabouts.
“I think we will drop down and Kingstonian will go top at some point and it will go down to the last few weeks of the season. We are only a third of the way through but you can see the season panning out.
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“We need to just keep doing what we are doing. We’ve had a few close games recently but we’ve come through the right side of them.
“We have had a lot of injuries, so to come through as we have with what we have got is a massive testament to the squad.”
He added: “Before we lost to Leatherhead and we were on that run, I think we were everyone’s cup final, but that’s died down a little bit now.
"For the teams near the bottom with lesser budgets, with no disrespect, we’re their free hit. They know they are coming to get beaten but on the day you never know if something could happen.”
It looked for much of Saturday’s game as if Farnham might be having one of those rare days, as they fell behind to promotion-rivals Raynes Park, the south Londoners leading at half-time thanks to Cam Black’s header.
However, two goals in the last half an hour for Farnham, the first from Joe Jackson and the second an own goal, turned the tide.
And Johnson believes the 987-strong crowd got their money’s worth from the top of the table encounter.
“It was a good game – competitive,” the manager said. “There weren’t too many clear cut chances but I felt we were in control for long periods.
“At half-time, we were confident we would go on and win the game. I told them to keep doing what we were doing; show a little bit more quality in the final third, be patient and don’t rush things.
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“The referee let a lot go and that made it a better game for both sides. We both moaned during the game, but when you look back at it we’re both moaning about the same thing.
“I thought their defender [Archie Harland-Goddard] was lucky to stay on the pitch after his tackle in the first half. It looked like a straight-legged leap off the floor but the referee classed it as ‘reckless’ rather than ‘out-of-control’ and so gave the yellow.”
Tomorrow (Saturday), Farnham travel to Met Police – a team they beat 2-1 in September.
“Met were good here when we played them a few weeks ago,” Johnson said. “We seem to be playing everyone twice early doors, which is unusual – Harrow twice, Raynes Park twice and now Met Police twice.”
