Fleet Town 2 Horley Town 1
Fleet Town collected another three points at the Easy as HGV Stadium on Saturday to maintain their play off position against a resolute Horley Town side that finished the game with only nine players on the pitch.
A quick start from Fleet Town saw them go ahead after only Three minutes at The Easy As HGV Stadium, Dean Rule brought the ball down the right, cut in and fired his shot in, this got blocked by George Hyde in the Horley goal, but he could not hold it and the ball ran loose to the waiting Tane Caubo to stab home from close range to make the score 1-0. Fleet had the chance to double this advantage soon after when Josh Stepney played the ball to Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb on the left, Fareed cut inside and got a good shot off but this was saved by George Hyde. After Eight minutes Horley found themselves level when they were given a Penalty, for something only the referee saw, Lewis Pearch despatched the spot kick to the opposite side from Finley Purcell’s dive. As Fleet were getting more possession and looking dangerous, Horley seemed happy to commit fouls and give Fleet free kicks, they got away without picking up cards for these early indiscretions, something that would change later, when the referee woke up to their tactics.
After Twenty-three minutes Fleet were given a Penalty of their own when Jack Dean was brought down, taken by Dean Rule, keeper George Hyde guessed correctly and got across to make the save. After Thirty-Eight minutes Horley were reduced to Ten players when Jake Roberts was shown a second Yellow card for continued fouls and he was shown the Red and sent from the pitch. Three minutes into added time at the end of the First half another run from Dean Rule down the right, he cut into the box and playing a one-two he got the ball back in more space and fired the ball home to restore Fleet Town’s lead. The half time whistle soon blew and Fleet went into the break 2-1 ahead.
Horley, who had come into the game on the back of four successive wins, made another change for the second half to have a more defensive set up. Even these plans took a knock after Fifty-six minutes when Matthew Rapson got a straight Red card for a scything tackle on Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb, the young Fleet player needed several minutes of treatment on the pitch before being able to be carried off on a stretcher, so that the game could carry on while the medical staff continued to deal with Fareed off the pitch.
Fleet seemed to find it more difficult to play against nine, than they had against ten, there were some good team moves where they knocked the ball around between themselves, without the vital final penetration or runs down the wings that halted when players found there were no players waiting in the middle to receive, as even with the numerical advantage Fleet had four or five players kept back when Horley only had two up around halfway waiting for a break out. Samuel Ilesanmi had some good touches when he came on for his Fleet Town debut, he won a free kick, this was taken by Ryan case and played back to Dean Rule, who shot over. Kwasi Ntim and Ryan Case combined on a couple of occasions but the best result was a deflection giving Fleet a corner. At the end George Hyde made a last save for Horley coming out to make a save at the feet of Samuel Ilesanmi as he looked to walk the ball into the net.
In front of another healthy crowd of 249, Fleet Town had held on for the three points that keep them safely in fifth place and on track for a play off finish.
Fleet return to action on Tuesday night away to Abbey Rangers.
