Report by Steve Cantle

The magic of the FA Cup came to Calthorpe Park on Tuesday night as Fleet Town came through a tough replay in dramatic style. A penalty save by Fleet keeper, Justin Gray in the dying minutes set the stage for team mate, Terry Davies to score the winner at the other end with a brilliant free-kick taking his side through to the next round of this prestigious competition.

In the end it was a deserved win for Andy Sinton’s side, against one of the better Kent League sides, Whitstable Town. The visitors had already shown their fighting qualities, pulling back a 3-0 deficit on the Saturday to earn Tuesday’s replay. So after Fleet went ahead in the first half, thanks to an own-goal from Whitstable defender, Marc Seager, under pressure from Fleet striker, Nathan Smart, it was no surprise when the visitors equalised 10 minutes into the second half to set up the thrilling finale.

Fleet started fluently and their opener came after only 4 minutes. An attack down the left created an opening for striker, James Rose, whose neat flick on to Smart had the Whitstable wrong-footed and a despairing tackle by defender, Seager, resulted in the ball lobbing over keeper, Mark Brown and into the net.

Fleet could have added more over the next 10 minutes, as wingman, Tinoi Christie caused problems with his pace and crossing. Fleet went close from several of these attacks, but the visitors kept the score at 1-0 by the interval, despite one very good chance themselves, when striker Andy Constable failed to hit the target from close in.

Fleet’s rhythm seemed to desert them after the break, and some poor passing created chances for the visitors, and from one of them Constable scored, after a mistake by Fleet defender, Jerome Hinds, playing his first match, after returning from injury.

Fleet rallied well, but some good running by youngster, Martin Girling set up good chances for Phil John and Rose, but they were both well saved by Brown in the Whitstable goal. With 15 minutes to go Fleet then had their best chance to re-take the lead when a great run by Christie down the left, set up John with an open goal. But the mid-fielder’s shot from 15 yards, went soaring over the bar.

Then with 5 minutes remaining it looked all over for Fleet, when Whitstable mid-fielder, Marcus Perona was brought down. Perona then watched in horror, as his own spot kick was stopped by Gray in fine style.

Keen to make amends for his poor finishing earlier on, John then made some powerful, scything runs at the Whitstable defence, each time resulting in a free-kick for his side. From the last of these in the 89th minute, Davies stepped up, and skilfully bent the ball round the wall to score past the stranded Brown.

The win earns Fleet a next round tie at home to Wessex League side, Thatcham Town, in two weeks time.