Match Report: Another home win against Chipstead FC keeps us in the mix

Fleet Town maintained their unbeaten status in the League on Saturday afternoon at the Easy As HGV Stadium collecting another three points against Chipstead to keep them just below the play off positions, with games in hand on all their rivals, several of which dropped points on the day.

FIRST HALF

Fleet Town started the game strongly, some good interplay from the back up the left as they made their way forward before Dean Rule played the ball to Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb to advance to the box and a pinpoint cross to Chike Kandi, who fired the ball home to give Fleet the lead after only three minutes.

Chipstead had the chance for a quick reply when Enrique Tiamuna played in Elijah Hopwood, but his shot flew over the bar. Fleet built their next attack up the middle and Argjend Ahmetaj played in Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb but his shot was easily blocked by Chipstead keeper Jack West-Astuti and the ball was cleared. Fareed was soon on the ball again passing it on to Nick Medcraft in the box who found Tane Caubo, but his shot went wide.

Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb was again in the thick of the action as he and Chike Kandi and Tane Caubo passed the ball around between themselves as they looked for that inch of clear space to get an opening for a shot before the ball was played back out past the edge of the box where Josh Stepney was waiting to strike the ball past the dive of Jack West-Astuti into the roof of the net to give Fleet a two goal lead after 37 minutes.

Chipstead were forced into their first change before the break when Rory Da Costa had to be helped off and limped away with an ankle knock. Chipstead were able to put some late pressure on and won themselves a couple of corners, from the second of these the ball was headed out by the Fleet defence but picked up by Chipstead and lifted back into the box where Tijani Eshilokun rose at the near post and headed the ball home to pull a goal back for the visitors on 44 minutes.

With a couple of injury stoppages there were some extra minutes for Fleet to press forward to look for a third goal, the Chipstead defense were able to get the ball away to give Fleet a couple of corners of their own, when the chance of a shot came it fell to Liam Pestle but he shot over and Fleet went into the break 2-1 ahead.

second HALF

Early in the second half Chipstead had to make another two changes, their substitutes created more problems for Fleet than the players that had left the action.

After an hour Fleet Town made two changes of their own bringing on Luke Phair and Mal Thomas and within a minute of coming on Mal Thomas got his head to a cross from Tom Smith, but this just went over the bar. In a more even second half, Chipstead had their share of the chances, a shot from one of their subs Michael Dixon forced Liam Pestle into making a block and the ball ran away for a corner, but they were unable to make that count for anything.

Fleet Town got their third goal of the afternoon on 68 minutes when Chike Kandi played the ball out to Mal Thomas, who crossed the ball in to Dean Rule, who calmly slid the ball into the net. Michael Dixon had a late chane for Chipstead but he shot wide. Fleet had a good chance for another goal, Tom Smith crossed to Mal Thomas, he took his time to make some space but his shot passed wide of the target.

Fleet Town completed this 3-1 victory which lifted them back up to 7th in the table, having dropped down mid-week after their game at Abbey Rangers was postponed, while other teams played and picked up points.

1 Finlay Purcell, 2 Nick Medcraft, 3 Tom Smith, 4 Josh Stepney, 5 Liam Pestle, 6 Ross Stepney, 14 Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb, 16 Arjend Ahmetaj, 9 Tane Caubo, 10 Dean Rule, 19 Chike Kandi.

Subs ; 12 Luke Phair (on for Ahmetaj 61 mins), 11 Mal Thomas (on for Hakeem-Habeeb 61 mins). Not used 7 Danilo Cadete, 8 Matt Surmon, 15 Matthew Kellett-Smith