Match Report – Fleet Town v Sheerwater
Fleet Town returned to league action for the first time in over three weeks, on Saturday, picking up another three points and maintain their unbeaten start to the league campaign.
Sheerwater started this game the stronger, having most of the possession and chances, Elliott York shot from distance hit the inside of the post with the ball bouncing back into the hands of Callum Backhurst in the Fleet goal. Sheerwater broke down the left through George Sellick, his cross to the far post was met by Elliott York, but his weak header fell to the foot of a Fleet defender to clear. One of Sheerwater’s ex-Fleet players George Mackie had a chance but headed the ball over the bar. Elliott York had another opening but his shot from distance flew over. Sheerwater were given a free kick in midfield, played into the box, for Elliott York, but he could only head the ball over the bar. It was forty minutes into the game before Fleet threatened the Sheerwater goal, from a corner the ball was played into the middle of the box and knocked back out to Matt Surmon waiting just outside the box, he was able to shoot but the ball flew high and wide of the target. From the restart Sheerwater were straight back on the attack, Luke Dunn ran through with only Callum Backhurst to beat in the Fleet goal, he only slid the ball well wide of the goal. Fleet soon built from the back, Andy Matthews played the ball forward to Luke Phair on halfway, he drove up to the box but Luke saw his shot go wide of the goal. Right at the end of the half, Fleet had another corner, played in this found Andy Matthews at the far post he headed the ball, it hit the bar and bounced up and over, so the game remained goalless at the break.
Some wise words at half time and Fleet Town started the second half full of confidence, on the front foot and took control of the game, within a minute Nick Medcraft made his way forward taking the ball down the right he cut inside and fired the ball into the net to give Fleet the lead. Three minutes later Tom Smith crossed from the left, the ball passed all the way through the box but Chike Kandi collected the ball to pass it to Nick Medcraft to run back into the box and fire the ball into the roof of the net to double Fleet’s lead. Fleet had to wait until the sixty-second minute to add their third goal when Dan Bone took the ball out to the right and knocked it forward to Nick Medcraft, who turned provider when he crossed to Dean Rule to steer the ball in from six yards. Fleet almost capitalised on a poor back pass by Jack Tomlinson, the ball intercepted by Dan Bone who advanced to the box before shooting, but his effort was blocked by Sheerwater keeper Chris Adams. Fleet created openings from probing runs by subs Danilo Cadete and Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb but were unable to set up goal scoring chances from these openings. Late on Sheerwater had a couple of chances, Elliott York again only shooting wide. Fleet kept looking for another goal and their closest effort came from another Nick Medcraft cross, which picked out Aaron Petch, only seconds after he had come on, but his shot went wide of the goal. From a Sheerwater corner in final moments they forced Callum Backhurst into making three fine stops in quick succession to keep his clean sheet and Fleet held out to complete the win which lifted them up to 12th in the table but with games in hand on every other team in the division.
Starting XI: 1 Callum Backhurst, 2 Nick Medcraft, 3 Tom Smith, 4 Luke Phair, 5 Liam Pestle, 8 Matt Surmon, 9 Dan Bone, 10 Dean Rule, 15 Kai Tanner, 18 Andy Matthews, 19 Chike Kandi
Subs: 7 Danilo Cadete (on for Tanner 72 mins), 11 Mal Thomas (on for Rule 72 mins), 12 Aaron Petch (on for Kandi 85 mins), 14 Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb (on for Smith 77 mins), 16 Argjend Ahmetaj (on for Surmon 70 mins)
