Match Report: FA Cup Exit at First Hurdle for Blues

For the second successive season, Fleet Town’s FA Cup journey came to a frustratingly early end at the hands of AFC Stoneham—this time in the Extra Preliminary Round. A familiar opponent and a similar outcome, though this year’s cup campaign ended at the very first hurdle.

Match Report: AFC Stoneham 2 Fleet Town FC 0

The match started tentatively, with both sides showing a cautious approach as they looked to settle into the game. Early exchanges were evenly balanced, with neither team giving much away. Fleet looked composed in possession, moving the ball well across the back and into midfield, while Stoneham grew into the game with a series of probing balls into the channels.

The first clear opportunity of the game fell to the home side just before the 15-minute mark. From a throw-in on the left, Lewis Nagle managed to find space to deliver a dangerous cross into the box. It found Duarte Martins in a good position, but his left-footed volley flew harmlessly over the crossbar—a warning sign for the Blues.

Stoneham’s attacking persistence paid off in the 29th minute. Oliver Jenkins collected the ball inside the penalty area and held it up well under pressure before laying it off to Mat Bainbridge. Bainbridge made no mistake, firing a crisp, low strike into the bottom corner beyond the outstretched arm of Sam Gray to give the hosts the lead.

Despite the setback, Fleet responded well and enjoyed a promising spell of possession. Eoin Fraser worked tirelessly to regain control in midfield, while George Sellick and Theo White looked to create from wide areas. However, the final ball was lacking, and clear-cut chances were few and far between.

Just as it looked like Fleet would head into the break trailing by a single goal, disaster struck. In the final minute of the first half, a long hopeful ball from deep inside the Stoneham half floated over the Fleet backline. Liam Callaghan did well to bring it under control in the area, and although closely marked, he managed to roll it across the face of goal to Jenkins, who had time to tap into the empty net. A clinical sucker punch—and a mountain for Fleet to climb in the second half.

During the interval, Fleet were forced into a change as Andy Matthews was unable to continue due to injury. Liam Avery was introduced, and the Blues came out with renewed energy and intent. Their best chance of the afternoon arrived five minutes after the restart—a speculative long-range strike crashed against the underside of the crossbar, bouncing just in front of the line before being cleared to safety. It was a cruel moment that summed up Fleet’s fortunes on the day.

Fleet enjoyed the lion’s share of possession as the second half progressed. They pressed higher up the pitch, forced corners, and put together some neat passages of play in midfield. However, the final product continued to evade them. Stoneham, to their credit, defended well as a unit and were rarely drawn out of shape.

The home side offered little going forward after the break, but nearly added a third in the 85th minute when substitute Kelvin Robinson burst down the right and crossed into the path of Lewis Nagle. His half-volley was blocked bravely by a retreating defender, deflecting the ball behind for a corner.

In the closing moments, Stoneham made tactical substitutions to shore up their defence, withdrawing Jenkins and Callaghan. With five minutes of added time played, the referee brought the tie to a close, confirming Fleet Town’s early exit from this season’s FA Cup and booking Stoneham’s place in the next round, where they will host Paulton Rovers.

Fleet must now regroup quickly as attention turns to Tuesday night’s Hampshire Senior Cup fixture at home to Blackfield & Langley – a chance to bounce back and get the season properly up and running.

Fleet Town Line-Up:

1. Sam Gray

2. Tom Drinkwater

3. Joe Dyett

4. Eoin Fraser

5. Sean Swift

6. Charlie Postance

7. Theo White

8. George Sellick

9. Lewis Hillary

10. Andy Matthews

11. Ollie Burke

Substitutes Used:
7. Reyon Dillon (for Burke)
12. Brad Manning (for Sellick)
14. Liam Avery (for Matthews)
15. Finlay Warren (for Hillary)
20. TJ Taylor (for Drinkwater)
13. Louis Knight (unused)