Farnham Royal were beaten by the narrowest of margins away at Windsor in the first game of the new year, despite enjoying long spells of possession and taking a deserved lead into the break.

Quick thinking inside the Windsor 22 saw captain Carl Corcoran dive over in the corner following a tap-and-go penalty. The score was extended by an excellent touchline conversion from Euan Shaw, who added two well-taken penalties later in the half to put us in a strong position at half-time.

Windsor stayed in touch through some effective work at the breakdown, slowing our momentum at key moments and making good use of turnover ball to stay in the contest.

The momentum shifted early in the second half as Windsor found a way back into the game with three tries in quick succession. We kept working hard and responded well, with Kyle Knight finishing a move he had started himself to bring us back into contention.

There were chances late on to edge back in front, but narrowly missed kicks proved decisive, leaving us to reflect on a short spell that ultimately swung the contest.

There were plenty of positives to take, and while results have been hard to come by, the control and work rate shown for large periods give the Penns something solid to build on as the season continues.