The Farnham Town Flares walking football team paid a heartfelt tribute to a fallen player with stellar performances in matches held at Weydon School and the Xcel Centre in Walton-on-Thames.
At Weydon, the Flares hosted Cranleigh for six friendly games, split between the over-50s and over-60s age groups.
The evening began with a minute's silence in honour of a player from Walton & Hersham who passed away at a Surrey FA Walking Football League tournament the week before.
The over-50s showed good form with a draw and two victories, largely thanks to Sam Harmess, who netted four goals across the games. Ben Chippett and Gary Humphrey scored twice.
The over-60s matches were more balanced, ending with a 1-1 draw and separate victories for Farnham and Cranleigh. Chris Allen scored twice, with additional goals from Andrew Barber, Mark Clark and George Zadrozny.
Farnham Town Flares chairman Andy Cundy said: “It was great to see so many players get involved. We had a competitive series of matches with Martin Cummings playing a major role, commanding the midfield and marshalling the troops like a battle-hardened general.
“The minute's silence was a poignant reminder of how much this sport and camaraderie means to all of us.”
Two days later, the Flares continued their strong form at the Surrey FA Multi-Age Cup, held at Walton & Hersham's ground at the Xcel Centre.
The multi-age team topped their group, starting with a scoreless draw against AFC Wimbledon. They then clinched a 2-1 win over Dorking, a 3-1 victory against Woking, and a 4-0 triumph over Teddington. Key goals came from Mark Berezicki, Mark Clark and Gary Humphrey.
Their campaign ended in the semi-finals with a 2-0 defeat to Godalming, who went on to win the tournament.
![Action from Farnham Town Flares' 2-0 defeat against Godalming](https://www.farnhamherald.com/tindle-static/image/2024/07/25/13/57/Action-from-Farnham-Town-Flares-2-0-defeat-against-Godalming.jpg?trim=175,0,177,0&width=669&height=445&crop=669:445)
Manager Ashley Jones said: “The squad wore their shirts with pride and played their hearts out. Topping our group was no small feat, and the whole team should be very proud of their efforts. Our midfield and defence were particularly strong, showing great discipline throughout. We also had some excellent goalkeeping from Malcolm Ward, making a fantastic return from injury.”