The visitors were 3-0 up after 40 minutes, but goals either side of the break for Dale, from Annie Taylor and Alicia Barnett, closed the gap.
Despite chances for either side, that’s the way it ended, in front of a healthy crowd at the Crown Oil Arena.
After a quiet opening spell, the first chance of the game fell Dale’s way, when Sophie Coates headed Barnett’s free-kick onto the roof of the net.
Taylor then attempted to catch Farnham goalkeeper Beth Bye off her line from distance, but the stopper got back to collect the ambitious effort.
Dale goalkeeper Leah Jackson saved Emily Foss’ shot, but there was nothing she could do to prevent the opener, when Rachel Manley curled an effort into the far top corner from inside the area.
Jackson held further efforts from Foss and Manley, before the latter curled a shot just wide of the upright.
At the other end, Barnett’s free-kick was well held by Bye, before a quickfire double put Farnham firmly in control.
Ashlee Hincks scored both, with the first coming direct from a corner and the second being a well-struck effort that found the inside of the upright.
Dale hit back before the break though, when Taylor intercepted a loose pass and kept her cool to slot home.
Lee Atkinson’s side halved the deficit just minutes after the break, when Barnett cut inside into the area and curled a shot into the far top corner.
Libby Doyle and Kelly Whelan fired off target for the visitors, as did substitute Katie King for Dale, after a cross from the left had fell kindly for her in the area.
In the closing stages, Sophie Coates saw a curling shot well saved, as Dale pushed for an equaliser.
However, it wasn’t to be, and despite a strong comeback from Atkinson’s side, it was Farnham who took the victory on the day.
Dale XI | Jackson, Trialist A (46’ Mason), Jones, Malpus ©, Singleton (46’ King), Barnett, Moran, Coates, Taylor (46’ Trialist C), White (84’ Trialist B), Smith.
Unused subs | Mason, Trialist B, King, Trialist C.
