Farnham Town Youth under-14 Reds caused a major upset in the final of the Surrey FA Youth County Cup, when they defeated hot favourites AFC Whyteleafe 2-0 in a pulsating clash at National League Dorking Wanderers’ Meadowbank Stadium.
Farnham took a quick and deserved lead after only three minutes when Josh Linton lashed the ball home from close range following a lightning start from the whole Town team.
The early dominance mounted and 15 minutes later Linton was again on hand as the West Surrey team’s ace marksman when he drove in his and Farnham’s second.
Shellshocked Croydon-based Whyteleafe – winners of this year’s Surrey Youth Elite Premier Division and two leagues above Farnham – upped the ante in the remainder of the first half, but battling Town’s resolve held firm and snuffed out several attacks with a rock-solid defensive performance led by team captain Mason Irwin.
Town’s midfield players collectively and metaphorically worked their socks off in support of their defence and attacking threat, and the balance of play never truly swung in Whyteleafe’s favour, to the joy of the Farnham fans in the partisan crowd of 164.
The game’s second-half pace inevitably slowed as the sun shone brightly, but Farnham were unlucky not to make the scoreline more convincing.
The underdogs never looked unduly troubled and celebrated in style at the full-time whistle following a well-earned and hard-fought giant killing.
Farnham Town’s road to the final saw them knock out teams from Woking, Cranleigh, Walton-on-Thames, Bagshot and Ewell, and net 24 times along the way and concede only three goals to collect coveted silverware for the club.
The cup rounds off a hugely successful season for the team, who also won their Surrey Youth League Championship division on Sundays and their Junior Premier League South Coast division on Saturdays.