Farnham Town slipped to a 1-0 defeat against South Park (Reigate) in an evenly-contested Surrey Senior Cup final at the Meadowbank Football Ground in Dorking.
Sam King’s second-half goal was enough to win the cup for Isthmian League South Central Division outfit South Park in front of a crowd of 549.
Town were first to threaten in the third minute when Owen Dean wriggled into the box, but his low shot was blocked. South Park went close on six minutes when Craig McGee’s shot was comfortably saved by Farnham keeper Pat Nash. Town created their second chance three minutes later when Lewis Flatman’s long throw was headed over the bar by Ryan Kinnane.
Nash was called into action ten minutes later when he did well to hold Brendan Murphy-McVee’s powerful shot. Town went straight down the other end of the pitch and Flatman slipped a ball through to Charlie Postance, whose effort from a tight angle went just wide.
Farnham were matching their Step 4 opponents and went close to taking the lead in the 24th minute when Dean Rule’s shot whistled just over the bar.
South Park went close a minute later when Deondre Date cut in from the right on to his left foot and curled his shot just over the bar. Aiden Brown was next to try his luck for South Park, but his 20-yard right-foot shot went just over.
Farnham continued to post a threat and Flatman whipped a dangerous ball in from the right which South Park keeper Danny Bracken did well to claim. On 34 minutes Lamar Koroma’s shot was blocked by South Park captain Ryan Healy, and three minutes later Dean’s near-post shot was well saved by the advancing Bracken. South Park had the last chance of the half when Brown headed wide from the penalty spot.
South Park went close soon after the break when Kelvin Massango’s cross was headed wide by Brown from close range. Farnham then won a free kick in a dangerous position on 50 minutes, but Harry Cooksley’s effort was well blocked by the South Park wall.
Farnham went close again in the 57th minute when Postance’s header was well blocked on the line, but South Park went straight down the other end and took the lead when King was through one-on-one with Nash and calmly slotted the ball past the Farnham keeper.
Town responded well to the setback and nearly equalised on 67 minutes when a free kick led to pinball in the box before Flatman poked his close-range effort just wide. Farnham continued to push and Kai Tanner’s shot forced a save from Bracken, before Koroma’s effort was well blocked.
Farnham nearly equalised in stoppage time when Cooksley’s free kick picked out Jack Dean, but his header was well tipped over the bar by Bracken. There was still time for one more chance, but Postance headed Flatman’s cross just wide. The equaliser failed to arrive, but Farnham could still celebrate an excellent season having won the Combined Counties Premier Division South title without losing a game.