Fleetšs losing run showed no signs of coming to an end on Saturday, as they were brushed aside by fellow strugglers, Burnham.
Unable to deal with their lively, physical opponents, Mick
Catlinšs under-strength side crashed to their 8th league defeat on the spin and
dropped to 21st out of 22 sides in the Eastern Division table, only two
points above bottom side, Rothwell.
With three senior players out with suspensions, and one other unavailable, Catlin was forced to call up less experienced players for this important six-pointer, against a side that hadnšt won a league game since mid-October.
Out were influential skipper, Ian Saunders, and leading scorer, Shaun Hale, both having amassed five yellow cards so far this season. Joining them on the sidelines were former skipper, Craig Anstey, also suspended. To add further selection problems, Catlin was also without striker, Steve Whitcher, who was unavailable and had to call up Assistant Manager, Bruce Kendall on to the subs bench.
Honours were even for the first 15 minutes as both sides tested defences with some good attacking football. But without Saunders and Anstey at the back, there were worrying signs for Fleet as Burnham wing-men, Arron Lennon and Adam Logie began to test out keeper, Calvin Sparshatt with some accurate crosses into the box.
On 18 minutes Burnham went ahead from a corner when striker, Michael Bartley made good contact for Logie to tap in the re-bound from a Fleet defender. The home side kept up the pressure and scored again ten minutes later, when a shot from mid-fielder, Chris Ferdinand was delicately nudged home by Bartley.
Four minutes later, Burnham made it 3-0 when a cross from Lennon was headed on to the post by Terry Davies and, following up Alex Toley fired home the re-bound from close range.
There was further misery for Fleet just before the break, when wing-man Brian Wood was stretchered off after a bad tackle, and had to go off to hospital with a suspected broken leg.
With Kendall replacing Wood, and youngster, Cameron Scammell coming on for the injured Smith up front, Fleet started the second-half brightly and were soon creating chances. Two strong shots from striker Craig Leworthy needed good saves from Burnham keeper, Matt Nash, and defender Nicky Clark also went close.
But gradually Burnham regained control and should have scored another late on, after Kendall brought Bartley down in the box. But the spot-kick from Ferdinand was well wide of the upright.
Fleet Town: Sparshatt, Buckland, Millerick, Clark, Jeffery, Proctor, (sub, Tiller, 50 minutes), Black, Hare, Smith, (Scammell, 49), Leworthy, Wood,(Kendall, 45).