Fleet’s new season got off to a stuttering start, as they went down by a clear margin in this difficult opener at Hastings.

During an even first-half, Mick Catlin’s new-look side showed plenty of promise and created chances, but conceded just before the break after several minutes of persistent pressure from the Hastings front-line.

Although levelling things just into the second-half, Fleet then struggled against a lively Hastings side, conceding three further goals.

Things were not helped for Catlin’s men when their coach was held up for hours by holiday traffic and didn’t arrive at the Hastings ground until 3pm, the scheduled kick-off time, four hours after leaving the clubhouse at Fleet.

Despite the match then starting only15 minutes later, Fleet started the more lively, and were soon moving the ball round well, with Andy Sinton providing a master class in holding up and passing the ball. From one such Sinton pass, striker Ed Smith was released up front, and with only the keeper to beat perhaps should have opened the scoring, but his shot went wide.

Smith had a further chance later on in the half, but his chip was just gathered in by Hastings keeper, Danny Knowles. Fleet continued to press, but promising moves all to often broke down without getting into a scoring position.

Disaster then struck for Fleet as the half was drawing to a close, when on 43 minutes, mid-fielder Steve Ringwood netted from 20 yards with a well- struck shot into the top left-hand corner of the net.

After the break, Fleet started strongly and were soon putting the home defence under pressure. The equaliser came just two minutes into the half, when wingman Shaun Hale managed to break free of his marker near the goal line and rather than shoot, flicked a pass back into the path of striker, Richard Mealey, who easily guided the ball into the net for his and his side’s first league goal of the season.

Six minutes later Hastings took advantage of a fortunate re-bound which left striker Chris Money clear to place his shot wide into the corner beyond the reach of Fleet keeper , Peter Houkes.

Fleet came back strongly but couldn’t break thought the solid Hastings defence. The home side then extended their lead on 70 minutes, when Ringwood netted his second after a great passing move.

With seconds of the match remaining Ringwood struck for his third goal, this time from a narrow angle, after a mistake in the Fleet defence.