Match Report – Fleet Town Draw Again
Fleet Town returned to league action on Tuesday night, playing Alton for the third time this season, although Fleet Town extended their unbeaten start to the season, they were unable to control the game in the way they had, when they played Alton earlier in the season.
Fleet Town started strongly as Danilo Cadete carved his way forward and played in a dangerous cross, just reached by an Alton defender, who could only knock the ball out to Dean Rule, who played the ball back into the middle to Danilo Cadete, keeping control of the ball he took it round a defender before unleashing a fierce shot which flew past the dive of Theo Rust in the Alton goal and into the roof of the net to give Fleet an eighth minute lead. Fleet soon had the chance to double their advantage, Luke Phair played a free kick deep into the box, where firstly Danilo Cadete had his shot blocked and collected by Dan Bone, but his shot was blocked as well before being cleared. It was nearly half an hour into the game before Alton had a clear chance but ex Fleet Town player Joe Wotton lifted his shot over the bar. From a Fleet corner when they had many players up in and around the box, Alton were able to construct a quick break out Adam Poynter out-paced the Fleet players trying to get back and cover, he took the ball down the left and crossed into the box where Owen Tanner was waiting to slide the ball in and give Alton an equaliser after 37 minutes. From their next attack, a Fleet shot struck an Alton player but all the handball shouts were ignored by the officials and Alton cleared the ball. The game went into half time still level at 1-1.
Alton kicked off the second half and within the first few seconds had the ball in the box, where Liam Marshall took aim and shot, Finlay Purcell threw himself across towards the ball and raising an arm, he got his fingertips to the ball and managed to deflect it against the bar, from where it came back into play and Fleet were able to clear the danger. Fleet Town managed to get a lot of possession in midfield, where they would spend several minutes knocking the ball sideways across the field and back, looking for a player in space ahead, but with Alton keeping all eleven players between the ball and the goal, every time Fleet tried to play the ball forward, Alton collected the ball and started an attack of their own, but clear chances were few and far between. When Alton were given a free kick near the box, the kick found the head of Darnell McDonald in the six yard box, as the ball flew goalward Finlay Purcell was in position to push the ball away so it could be cleared. Fleet were able to get through and create a couple of late chances, Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb got the ball into Dean Rule, who shot from the edge of the area, but his effort was saved. Deep into added time Tom Smith ran down the left and got a cross into the box where Matt Surmon got his head to the ball and it flew wide. As the seconds were running out Alton’s Darnell McDonald got a shot away and it needed a sliding interception by Liam Pestle to deflect the ball away for a corner. The game ended in a disappointing draw with both sides thinking it was two points dropped.
