A finish in the bottom two now looks certain for Fleet Town as they returned point-less on Saturday from their trip to eighth-place Banbury Utd.
The one-nil defeat leaves Fleet firmly anchored at the foot of the Eastern Division, two points adrift of next club, Erith and Belvedere, but with the next club, Rothwell a further 9 points ahead. With only five league matches remaining Mick Catlin’s side has now, more or less, run out of opportunities to avoid finishing out of the relegation zone.
But although the Dr Martens league has announced that there will be relegation to the feeder leagues from its Eastern and Western divisions this season, Fleet may yet avoid the drop and take its place in the new Southern Division of the re-formed Southern League for the start of the 04/05 season.
Fleet’s future hinges on the number of feeder league clubs that want higher league football and have grounds that meet the higher league requirements.
With the whole of the non-league pyramid – Northern, Southern and Isthmian leagues – changing in the next few months, the re-formed leagues have already indicated that 16 new clubs are required to sign up from the feeder leagues. With normal relegation out of the 3 leagues that number increases to 26 clubs.
But already it is clear that the three leagues are struggling to find the 16 new clubs required to start the new season, even before looking for clubs to replace those, like Fleet Town, currently in the relegation positions.
Several applicants have already withdrawn their applications to join the new league structure, including Wisbech Town and Soham Town of the Eastern Counties League. Elsewhere, high-flying Winchester City of the Wessex League have recently failed their ground grading inspection. Current Wessex League leaders, Wimborne Town have not applied for promotion. Top Eastern Counties side, AFC Sudbury, like Wimborne, haven’t applied to join the new set-up, saying that they are not willing to embrace the extra travelling involved in the higher grade football.
Other aspiring Wessex league clubs like Gosport Borough and AFC Newbury will not be considered unless they finish in the top two of their league, places likely to be filled by FA Vase finalists, Winchester City and Wimborne.
So despite their poor season, Fleet Town may yet retain their status as a Southern League club.
Saturday’s result at Banbury was another disappointment for Fleet’s beleaguered manager, Mick Catlin. With mid-fielder, Craig Anstey still suspended, the Fleet boss was also without Shea Saunders, out injured, skipper Ian Saunders unavailable and mid-fielder Brian Wood leaving with his regiment for war-torn Iraq.
But for the first 30 minutes the under-strength Fleet side played some attractive passing football with young Jamie Proctor going close on several occasions after some fine probing runs at the Banbury defence.
Fleet keeper Calvin Sparshatt looked comfortable at the other end, saving well from the Banbury strikers, Wayne Blossom and Mark Simms.
Banbury’s goal eventually came, on 39 minutes, when wingman, Chris Potter picked out Simms, with a fine cross. And the striker gave Sparshatt no chance, firing in from close range.
On the balance of play Fleet were unlucky to go in, a goal down at the break, but with the prospect of the strong wind behind them in the second half, were still firmly in the game.
But with the wind easing, it was the home side who took control after the break. And after wingman Shaun Hale picked up a nasty head injury five minutes into the half, Fleet’s game began to sag, despite the valiant efforts of stand-in skipper, Anthony Millerick.
Fleet Town: Sparshatt, Byfield, (sub, J.Wood, 87 minutes), Millerick, Leworthy, (Boyle, 80), Dalton, Blakely, Proctor, Hare, Mealey, Smith, Hale. Subs (not used): Barnes, MaHeady.