Match Report: Fleet Town 3 Abbey Rangers 1

Fleet Town collected Three points from a solid team performance in their first league game of 2025. This keeps them in fifth place, a play off position, eight points behind fourth place Cobham and eight points ahead of sixth place Tadley Calleva.

A quiet start to this game only produced a couple of half chances for Fleet Town, efforts from Dean Rule and Nick Medcraft being collected by keeper Shay Honey for the visitors. Fleet were given a free kick near the Abbey box, taken by Ryan Case his effort was too close to the keeper and the ball ended in the hands of Shay Honey. Fleet soon built another attack with Chike Kandi crossing the ball to Ryan Case, but his shot flew over. Abbey Rangers finally carved out a good chance when a long cross was played from the right wing to the left side of the box towards Jerry Antwi, who ran onto the ball and got his shot away, which was saved by Finley Purcell in the Fleet goal. Fleet Town took the lead after Twenty-Six minutes when the ball was played to Jack Dean in midfield, he ran forward twenty yards with the ball before curling his shot past Shay Honey into the net. Fleet continued to have most of the ball and created more good chances, Chike Kandi on the left played the ball in to Nick Medcraft, who knocked the ball on to Tane Caubo to shoot, but Shay Honey made the save. A good run up the left by Dean Rule, he took the ball up to the by-line before passing to Nick Medcraft, he knocked the ball back to Tane Caubo who returned it to Nick Medcraft to shoot, but again Shay Honey was there to make the save. Another opening went begging for Fleet when a quick break up the right by Tane Caubo, he fired a cross in and the ball ran all the way through, as other players had not been able to get far enough forward to meet his ball. After Forty-Three minutes Abbey Rangers were given a free kick just to the left of the box, this was hot towards the far post where Finley Warren rose to nod a powerful header through a couple of defenders into the net to draw the visitors level. The teams went into the half time interval at 1-1.

The second half started with a wasted opening for the visitors, when Jordan Ikala crossed from the right, the ball was played too far in front of any attacker and ran all the way across for a throw in on the far side. Fleet Town were given a free kick in an attacking position, taken by Josh Stepney, the ball in found the head of Dean Rule, but his effort was saved. Dean Rule was next provider, he crossed the ball to Tane Caubo, to shoot but again Shay Honey made the save. Fleet continued to press and thought they had got their second, only to be denied by an offside flag and then only being kept out by the post. Dean Rule collected the ball on the left, he cut in curled a shot past the far post. These slices of bad luck for Fleet, in front of goal, seemed to encourage Abbey Rangers, Jordan Ikala was waiting in the box, in space and the ball played to him, Finley Purcell was closing him down as he shot and was able to block the ball and then clear the loose ball before Abbey Rangers could reach it. Finley was soon in action again, having to stretch up to make a save from a shot by Alfie Burton. After Seventy-Two minutes Dean Rule had the ball on the left, he cut in and fired a shot across the goal, it was past the keeper and heading in when Dan Bone, who had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds ran forward to make sure, Bone and the ball ending up in the back of the net, to restore Fleet’s lead.

Whilst only a goal down Abbey Rangers kept looking for another equaliser, Finley Warren got his head on another cross and this time Finley Purcell was able to jump up and catch the ball under the bar. Fleet were looking for another goal to make sure of the points, Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb’s low cross needed quick action by the Abbey defence to clear it off the line, Kai Tanner’s shot was on target until it got deflected for a corner. Back at the other end it was Finley Warren again that had the chance but pushed his shot wide of the post. The decisive moment came in the Eighty-Eighth minute when a cross was deflected into the path of Dan Bone who fired the ball home to put Fleet Town 3-1 ahead. With this two goal cushion Fleet Town were able to see out the final moments of the game and collect the points.

Everyone’s thoughts now turn to next Saturday and our historic Vase game at Whitstable.