Match report: Fleet Town 0-2 Balham

Balham picked up their first points of the season at the expense of Fleet Town, scoring one goal in each half, both times straight after periods of pressure from Fleet had given the hosts several chances to score.

Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb, Connor Young and Sam Marks all could have put Fleet ahead before Balham opened the scoring on 32 minutes, Anderson collected the ball in space in the
middle of the box before picking his spot to fire the ball wide of William Lacey, making his debut in the Fleet goal, the third different keeper used in four games this season. Anderson could have added another goal before half time, his shot hitting the bar and dropping down in a dangerous position, but Fleet had a defender there to clear the ball off the line.

Within five minutes of coming on as sub, Chris Zebroski had a headed effort saved by the visitors keeper. After 82 minutes Balham thought they had scored, when sub Onu, a matter of seconds after he came on, tapped in a loose rebound after Lacey had blocked a shot, but he was flagged offside.

After 87 minutes Balham brought on Cruz Rosa for goal scorer Anderson, before he could play his part in the result, Fleet should have levelled efforts from Connor Young and Chris Zebroski were both blocked by the Balham keeper, with Fleet pressing for the equaliser, Balham broke upfield and found Cruz Rosa in the box to slot the ball past Lacey in the first of the many added minutes.

There was still time for Fleet to get something from the game but the ball was not falling for them in front of goal, the best of the late chances saw George Mackie’s shot deflected to go wide for a corner.

FLEET TOWN

1 William Lacey, 2 Rayon Atkinson, 3 Mohamed Konte, 4 Alvin Walters, 5 James Gorman, 6 Luke Trice, 7 Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb, 8 Naz Miah, 9 Michael Colfer, 10 Connor Young, 11 Samuel Marks.

SUBS

12 Callum Mackie (on for Konte 80 mins), 14 George Mackie (on for Hakeem-Habeeb 80 mins), 15 Chris Zebroski (on for Colfer 52 mins), 16 Joshua Nunes (on for Walters 74 mins), 17 Ayub Kadiri (on for Miah 57 mins).