Fleet cruise past Chipstead
On yet another searingly hot August Day at Calthorpe Park, Fleet Town eased to a reasonably comfortable victory over Chipstead.
Fleet were forced into several changes due to injuries and unavailability, with the reshuffle even prompting a change of shape from the start. That saw Billy Oram playing unusually as part of a back three, but he adapted superbly and went on to have a very good game in an unfamiliar role.
The first half hour was a fairly quiet affair, with Fleet mainly in the ascendancy without creating too many clear-cut opportunities. The Blues looked the more likely side, though, and on 33 minutes the game suddenly burst into life when George Wallace scored a spectacular first goal for the club. Picking the ball up around 25 yards out, Wallace unleashed a rocket of a shot into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance and putting Fleet deservedly in front.
That goal opened the floodgates and sparked an amazing ten-minute spell which effectively put Fleet in control of the game. On 37 minutes, Danylo Hubynets was on hand to crash home James Beauchamp’s excellent cross to double the advantage.
Fleet weren’t finished there and, with half-time approaching, they struck again. On 43 minutes, some excellent work from Sam Bartlett saw him cut the ball back into the danger area, where Alex MacAllister showed a lovely touch to deftly turn it home and send The Blues into the break with a commanding 3-0 lead.
Having gone in three goals to the good, Fleet looked to be in total control, but a little complacency at the start of the second half allowed Chipstead a route back into the game. On 50 minutes, the hosts were awarded what looked a soft penalty and Reece Deakin made no mistake from the spot, sending Henry Grad the wrong way to reduce the deficit.
That setback seemed to wake Fleet up again and, rather than allowing Chipstead to build any momentum, The Blues quickly regained control. The final 30 minutes were played almost entirely in the Chipstead half, with Fleet enjoying long spells of possession and applying almost constant pressure.
There were opportunities to add a fourth, and on another night the winning margin could easily have been greater, but the final ball or finish just wouldn’t quite fall for Fleet. At the other end, the reshaped defence remained composed and ensured Chipstead were never able to seriously threaten a comeback.
The final whistle confirmed another impressive three points for Fleet and, perhaps most pleasingly, a strong performance despite the enforced changes to both personnel and shape.
The win consolidated Fleet’s position at the top of the table, which is hugely encouraging. Of course, it’s still very early days, but the performances and results are giving The Blues plenty to build on.
