Report by Steve Cantle

Fleet’s recent vein of good form continued on Tuesday night with another 1-0 home win, this time against 7th place Hastings. With only one defeat in its last 8 league games, Andy Sinton’s side are now well established in the top half of the Division One table; Tuesday’s win having catapaulted them to 7th place ahead of their defeated south coast visitors. It’s Fleet’s highest league position at this level for many a season.

The defensive strength of the side was on display again on Tuesday against a lively Hastings side, enabling keeper Justin Gray to record yet another clean sheet.

Ahead of the match, Sinton was forced to make changes to the side that had held Dover Athletic to a 1-1 draw on Saturday. Out was defender, Paul George with illness, in was new signing, Guy Roberts, from AFC Newbury, who played at left-back, with Will Salmon moving across to his natural right wing-back position.

After Fleet almost scored from their first attack – wingman Aaron Lennon shooting wide – the game then settled into a mid-field battle for possession, with Hastings coming out on top. The visitors gave Fleet little time on the ball, and as the half progressed looked the side most likely to score. The visitors though squandered their chances like confetti, wingman Jimmy Elford missing their best chance on 39 minutes. There were a few fine runs by Fleet wingman James Field, but without any further chances.

But Fleet finished the first-half strongly and striker Eddie Smith thought he had scored with the last attack of the half. But his neat finish was somehow parried away by Hastings keeper, Chris May for a corner.

The second half was barely underway when Fleet took the lead. Through again on the keeper, Smith was brought down by defender Danny Spice and scored from the resulting penalty with a fine strike into the far right of the net.

Fleet were then on top for the next 10 minutes but despite most of the possession failed to add to their score.

Gradually the visitors re-took command of mid-field. On 55 minutes striker, Shaun Loft went close and five minutes later saw his shot beat Gray, only for it to be disallowed for off-side. For the final 20 minutes it was all Hastings, but with skipper, Steve Noakes again leading the Fleet defence with great skill and tactical awareness his side held on to record their 7th win of the season.

On Saturday Fleet are home again at Calthorpe Park, when the opponents will be 11th place Croydon Athletic, beaten 0-3 at home on Tuesday by Ramsgate. The match kick-offs at 3pm.