Match Report by Steve Cantle
A late injury-time winner from close range by Fleet's wingman Shaun Hale got Fleet through this testing tie at Crawley-based, Three Bridges.
With 90 minutes on the clock, the tie looked to be returning to Fleet for a replay Tuesday, after Andy Alexander had equalised for the Sussex League side just after half-time.
But with Fleet piling on the pressure in the final minutes, Hale was on hand to tap home after shots by Craig Anstey and Steve Black were not cleared by the Bridges' defence.
The late winner came after Fleet had failed to build on their first half lead, and gave away too much possession to the lower league side, which had reached the 2nd Qualifying round of this competition last season. But in the end it will be Mick Catlin's side that go into Monday¹s draw.
Fleet had taken the lead in the first half when in the 38th minute, striker Mark Frampton was at full stretch to flick home into the corner, after a pin-point pass from Black. But Frampton's strike turned out to be Fleet's only chance of the half.
At the other end, Bridges' leading striker, Simon Funnell went close after his side had started strongly. But despite creating further chances, the home supporters had to wait until the 53rd minute for their side's deserved equaliser Alexander rising high above the Fleet defence to head in powerfully from a corner.
While supporters wait to hear the draw for the next round of the FA Cup competition, Catlin will be busy building up his side as they go into a run of three crucial league matches in 7 days against sides that, like Fleet, have made a poor start to their league campaigns. First up on Saturday is Banbury Utd, at home, followed by a mid-week trip to Erith & Belvedere, with former Premier Division outfit, Hastings Utd visiting Fleet on the following Saturday.
"Clearly I am looking to strengthen the squad ahead of these key league matches. A lot of our younger players have struggled to adjust to Southern League football. For them its been a steep learning curve and with only four or five of the squad with solid Southern League experience, the results have gone against us."
One new signing expected to be available for the Banbury game is former Fleet player, 18 year-old and Irish Youth International, Shea Saunders, who has been signed from Eastleigh. Saunders impressed at Calthorpe Park last season and ended the season as leading scorer, before following his Manager, Mark Dennis and skipper, Rob Marshall, to the Eastleigh club.
Fleet:May, Buckland, Millerick, Murphy, Blakely, Jeffrey, Black, Anstey, Parker, (sub E.Smith, 80 mins), Frampton, Hale. Subs not used: Proctor, Martin, Hare