Cranleigh RFC 13’s (10) v Farnham RFC 13’s (20)

On a day that could only be described as a mud wrestler’s dream, the young warriors of Cranleigh RFC 13’s and Farnham 13’s clashed at Wildwood Lane. The pitch, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the battlefields of the Somme, set the stage for a game that was less about finesse and more about sheer grit and determination.

Cranleigh, still nursing the wounds of their recent defeat to Guildford, were eager to make amends. They drew first blood with Levi bulldozing his way through the opposition to score. The team’s defence, led by the likes of Arlo, Finley, Levi, Arthur and Ben, was as unyielding as a brick wall. However, the game took a somber turn when Arlo suffered an ankle injury. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the field soon.

Farnham, not ones to be deterred by a bit of mud (or a lot of it), rallied back to level the score at 5-5 by half time. Their pack, which could easily be mistaken for their 1st XV, began to dominate in the loose. Despite Cranleigh’s valiant defence, Farnham managed to breach their line and score.

In the past, this might have been enough to dampen Cranleigh’s spirits. But this is a team that’s learning fast and Finn’s arrival from Ireland added some much-needed speed on the flanks. Then Johnny decided he’d had enough of playing nice. He charged through half the Farnham team like a hot knife through butter and scored a spectacular try from 50m out.

The game ended with another try from Farnham in the corner. But Cranleigh’s improvement from last week was nothing short of remarkable. They can hold their heads high as they prepare for next week’s away game against Haslemere. It promises to be a tough one, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned today, it’s that Cranleigh isn’t afraid of a little mud… or a lot of it.