Farnham Town beat Badshot Lea 2-1 in the eagerly-anticipated Coxbridge derby on Saturday to claim the local bragging rights – but it was also a hugely successful day for the club off the pitch.

Farnham had urged supporters of both clubs to turn up in their numbers for the derby, and they were well rewarded for their efforts as a crowd of 1,070 watched the Combined Counties Premier Division South clash.

The Memorial Ground outfit have ambitious plans on and off the pitch, and Saturday’s crowd shows the potential of the club.

On the pitch Farnham were quick out of the blocks and took the lead in the third minute through Shamal Edwards’ fine left-foot finish. Edwards doubled Farnham’s advantage on 13 minute, but Badshot Lea got themselves back in the game when Tane Caubo neatly headed home Kane Fitzgerald’s cross at the near post in the 23rd minute.

Both sides had chances to add to the scoreline, but Farnham held on to claim the win and dent Badshot Lea’s promotion hopes.

Farnham boss Paul Johnson was delighted with his team’s display, and the grit they showed.

“We wanted to get at them at the start, so we changed it and put Sham up top – we knew his pace would cause their two centre-halves problems and from the get-go it paid off,” said Johnson.

“We knew they would struggle with his pace – so it was something we targeted.

“It’s always good when you win, but it’s a little bit better when it’s a derby, so the changing room is a good place to be.

“You always look for these games – I think it was a good platform for where we want to be. We want to be in Badshot Lea’s shoes – that’s what we’ve said to the boys, we want this reversed next season, we want the pressure. This is what you play football for, so it’s a good starting point.

“It’s bragging rights for us. I think coming into the run-in you can see they’ve buckled a little bit. I don’t think they were themselves, and that’s the pressure when you’re at the top. You’ve got to manage it, and I don’t think they’re managing it very well.

“I didn’t think it was a great game of football. They had a lot of possession, which we set up and allowed them to do. They caused us some problems with diagonal balls, but I think in the second half we got to grips with that really well.

“Performance-wise it was okay, but we showed what you need in a derby to grind it out. When you want to win things you need those sort of performances at times, so it’s a good way to win.

“The goal we conceded was a little bit frustrating, but sometimes you’ve got to put your hands up when it’s a good goal.”