HIGHLIGHTS: Last-gasp Thomas try seals thrilling win for Maidenhead over Farnham at Braywick

Scott Prince makes a break for Maids against Farnham. Photo: Paul Morgan

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Maidenhead 26, Farnham 24

Maidenhead have given themselves real hope of finishing outside the Regional 1 South Central Division automatic relegation places after battling back from 12-0 down in the first half to get the better of Farnham 26-24 in a nail-biting clash at Braywick Park.

With matches to come against three of the division’s promotion chasing heavyweights, Maids simply had to claim victory in this home game against mid-table rivals, and they did so in thrilling fashion, with favourable results elsewhere also lifting them out of the bottom two for the first time in several weeks.

As it stands, Maidenhead are 10th, on 29 points, now two points above Camberley on 27 points with Hammersmith still bottom despite improved recent form on 24 points.

When players needed to show their strength of character, it came through in abundance for head coach David Mobbs-Smith, the coaching team and supporters at Braywick Park.

A big crowd at Braywick Park were there to shout themselves hoarse in a bid to get them over the line in this one and - for once in the past few weeks - they managed it, claiming a bonus point win to lift themselves above Camberley and out of the automatic relegation spots.

It also ended a run of five straight league defeats which threatened to see their relegation scrap fizzle out with a bit of a whimper.

It looked like the occasion had got them once again - as it did at Worthing the previous week - as Farnham raced into a 12-0 lead at Braywick. They worked an opening well in the first five minutes, going over from close range through Ollie Kirkpatrick as Maidenhead’s defence got a little more ragged.

Ollie Brown got their second score, finishing off a move to the right of the posts after a surging break through Maids’ defensive line was held up on the tryline.

The conversion though, was missed by Toby Salmons and it proved a costly error.

Maids gave themselves a foothold on the half-hour mark, when Tom Marland broke through and passed to Scott Prince - returning to the side as captain for this one. He didn’t quite have the legs to get over the line, but he was canny enough to offload to Greg Smith as he was tackled, and Smith dived over in the corner. Smith then swept over an amazing conversion from the right touchline to make it 12-7.

Maids now had the wind in their sails and capitalised on it when Harman came racing into the backline, bounced off a tackle and carried the ball over the try line. Smith converted to make it 14-12 at the interval and the win was now up for grabs. The hosts then stretched their lead early in the second half, working the ball well to the right from a scrum with Drew Prince picking up a clever pass from Marsh to score under the posts. Smith kicked the conversion to make it 21-12. That advantage was held for only five minutes though, Farnham claiming the ball well from the lineout and Kirkpatrick diving over after the visitors rumbled towards the line.

Again, the conversion was missed, making this a four-point game in Maids’ favour.

It looked like Maids would be denied victory once again when Farnham went over from a rolling maul in the 73rd minute, and the conversion put the visitors 24-21 ahead.

With five minutes to play, Maids had to go for victory. And as the clock ticked past the 80-minute mark - they managed to force their way over, vice-captain Max Thomas stepping back inside a tackle to touch down close to the right touchline. Smith missed the conversion, but crucially Maids had a 26-24 lead.

The game was able to restart, but Maidenhead quickly regained possession and Will Hibberdine gleefully kicked the ball out to seal victory.

They’ll return to Braywick Park in a couple of weeks to take on third placed Tunbridge Wells (March 21) before visiting fourth placed Old Alleynians on March 28 and finishing the season at home to fifth placed CS Stags on Saturday, April 11.