A moment’s ill-discipline again blighted Fleet’s chances as they crashed to another heavy defeat at Stamford on Saturday.
After Craig Anstey’s sending off at Hastings in midweek, this time it was the turn of keeper, Steve May to see red, when at the stroke of half-time, he lashed out at Stamford’s, Robbie Maddox, after an earlier challenge.
Up to this point Fleet had held their own in a tight, but goal-less first half. But reduced to 10 men and without a recognised stand-in keeper, Fleet’s fortunes immediately faded away, conceding five goals.
Yet another heavy defeat, albeit away to a top-eight side, will give no comfort to boss, Mick Catlin, on a Saturday when all of the other bottom Eastern Division sides lost. Now with nine league matches remaining, Catlin is fast running out of time to get his side away from the drop zone out of the Dr Martens League.
One crumb of comfort for Catlin though, was the much-awaited return to the Fleet line-up of former Saints Academy youngster, Shea Saunders. The 19 year-old, Irish Youth International last played for Fleet back in December, against high-flying Histon, a game in which Saunders scored one, but then missed a penalty with the match in the balance at 2-2. But since then, work commitments have prevented the talented mid-fielder from playing.
One of Fleet’s two current contract players, Saunders was introduced early in the second half and impressed, despite his long lay-off.
Fleet created several good chances to take the lead in the first half, the best falling to wingman, Shaun Hale, after a fine individual run. But everything changed after May’s departure. From the resulting penalty, Maddox opened the scoring, netting past stand-in keeper, Ian Saunders, who had replaced May.
After the break, it was largely one-way traffic as the Lincolnshire side added four more goals, three of them in a six-minute spell, 6 minutes into the second half.
Leading scorer, Kevin Byrne tapped in on 51 minutes after Saunders had saved well from Gareth Pritchard. Pritchard then added a third 5 minutes later, and Byrne then netted his second, straight from the re-start.
Ten minutes from time, sub striker, Malcolm Ndekwe added a fifth. Ndekwe was then felled in the box, but Byrne failed to take advantage from the spot, firing well over the bar.
Fleet Town: May, Byfield, (sub, Dalton, 50 minutes), Millerick, Leworthy, Hare, Ian Saunders, Black, (Shea Saunders, 55), Anstey, Mealey, (Boyle, 71), Smith, Hale.