Farm delivered a magnificent home performance on Saturday, completing the double over Malvern in emphatic style writes Jack Davies
Despite losing a real talent in Tom Blake to Basingstoke earlier in the week, his replacement Bailey Croome produced a debut to remember — and it all began with the opener. Sharp work from Ryan Cainey down the left created the space for a cutback, and his delivery was inch-perfect for Croome, whose deft flick beat the onrushing Bishop.
Farm continued to rise above the worsening conditions, and their second before the half-hour was a move of real quality. Mal Nicholls’ knockdown was flicked wide by Aysa Corrick, and once Josh Salmon released Croome on the overlap, the debutant’s cross was put on a plate for Corrick to tap home at the far post.
The hosts showed no signs of slowing after the break and added a third before the hour. A low corner was initially cleared, but substitute Tom Symons refused to let the ball run out, keeping it alive and creating half a yard to deliver for Cainey — who finally got the goal his performance deserved.
Malvern hadn’t tasted defeat at home for almost a year until Farm put five past them in the reverse fixture — and in the 85th minute here, they’d conceded a remarkable ninth across the two meetings. Symons again provided the cross, this time met by a superb volleyed finish from Nicholls.
The only blemish on an otherwise flawless afternoon came in stoppage time, when a goalmouth scramble allowed Harry Clarke to slide in a late consolation for the visitors.