Match Report: Fleet Town March On In FA Vase

Fleet Town were spot on in the shootout required to settle this FA Vase tie and advance to the Second Round Proper for the first time in 45 years, when they were beaten at that stage, 3-1 by Newbury Town in 1979.

Fleet Town travelled round the M25 into Kent and through Swanley, on Saturday for their first ever meeting with Southern Counties East Premier side Sutton Athletic. By the time the game started the Sun was shining down from a clear Blue sky to leave a pleasant Autumn afternoon for the large band of travelling fans to enjoy this much anticipated Vase game. Fleet started the game strongly with probing runs up the right by Danilo Cadete, his early crosses being cleared by the Sutton Athletic defence.

After Thirteen minutes Danilo Cadete collected the ball in the centre circle, he passed forward to Chike Kandi and made a run over to the left wing to receive a return pass from Chike Kandi, Danilo ran down towards the corner and lifted a cross into the box, towards Dan Bone, the ball took a flick off the hair of a Sutton defender which started to take it away from Dan Bone, he had to stretch back behind himself to get a powerful head to the ball and direct it past Jack Glassborrow and into the net to give Fleet Town the early lead.

After falling behind, the home side started to get more of the possession and create some chances, with Elias Ahmed giving Fleet keeper Finlay Purcell and easy stop, before Conor Evans took the ball from a crowded central area out to the right before firing a shot well over the bar. Sutton realising the danger that Dan Bone could pose, he became closely marked and balls in from Dean Rule and Nick Medcraft were getting picked off by some solid defending, which they often launched deep down field to try and set up another attack, from which the best they could do was force a couple of corners. One of these led indirectly to a good chance for Sutton, when the corner only found a Fleet head and cleared well out of the box, but fell to Oliver Farmer who fired the ball back, but he was unable to keep the ball down and it flew harmlessly ten feet over the bar.

Into the final minute of the first half Conor Evans got a cross in from the left and the ball reached Emmanuel Oduguwa and the far post who was able to tap the ball in before Finlay Purcell could make the ground across, to equalise for Sutton Athletic.

The second half started with Fleet Town looking to get back into the lead and won an early corner, taken by Tom Smith, he played the ball into the six yard box, where the Sutton keeper Jack Glassborrow flapped at the ball and lucky for him he got enough on it for it to go past the post for another corner. This time Sutton were able to get the ball and a quick break up field led to them forcing a corner of their own, which was easily dealt with.

Around the hour mark, Fleet Town were first to make some changes bringing on Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb for Danilo Cadete and Tane Caubo for Dan Bone. Fareed was quickly in action on the right wing and his crosses were turned behind for more corners to Fleet, but Fleet were unable to make any of them count. Further Fleet attacks followed and balls in from Dean Rule, Tom Smith and Nick Medcraft all were cleared away for more corners, but the Sutton defence held firm and cleared the danger from there. More direct shots came through Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb when he brought the ball into the box from the right himself and shot, which passed across the face of the goal and past the post, Tane Caubi ran up the inside channel from deep to the box to shoot, but his effort passed the wrong side of the post.

Into the final ten minutes the game opened up more, as both sides were pushing for a winning goal, Sutton sub Matty Macarthur was in space in front of goal in the middle of the box when he received a cross and could only fire his shot over. Fleet brought on Matt Surmon for Luke Phair and immediately got on the ball and interplay between him and Dean Rule before Matt Surmon had a shot, which was saved by the home keeper. Almost immediately Matt Surmon got another chance and this time he shot over the bar.

Into added time, Sutton could have won the game, another Sutton sub Caolite Deakin received a cross in the middle of the box and like Macarthur earlier also shot wildly over. Sutton kept pressing Jacob Kalonda played the ball in to Matty Macarthur and this time he controlled his shot better but Finlay Purcell was there to make the save.

A late chance for Fleet in the sixth minute of added time, a long throw delivered into the box and as it looked as if Sutton would clear, a blast of the referee’s whistle and he pointed to the spot for a handball call against Sutton and a penalty for Fleet Town. Following all the usual complaints and discussions by the defending side, they failed to change the referee’s mind and also had Ryan Mahal sent into the sin bin. While all this was going on Dean Rule kept himself away from the action, calmly waiting to take the kick, so it was ten minutes into added time before the referee was ready for the Penalty to be taken, Dean struck the penalty well but the ball struck the post and came back into play and Sutton got there first to clear and moments later the final whistle blew and the game finished 1-1 and was to be decided on penalties.

After the toss the penalties were to be taken at the bottom end of the ground in front of the massed travelling Fleet Town fans and Fleet Town were to go first. Dean Rule made his way up to the area to take Fleet’s first kick and this time he made no mistake this time and scored, for Sutton Athletic it was Matty Macarthur up first and Finlay Purcell made a wonderful save, in what turned out to be the decisive moment of the shootout, to deny him.

Josh Stepney, Chike Kandi and Tom Smith all scored for Fleet Town as did Arlie Desanges, Harry Smart and Caolite Deakin for Sutton Athletic, so after four kicks each Fleet Town led 4-3 and if they could score the next kick they would win, before Sutton get to take their last kick, it fell to Tane Caubo to step up and face Jack Glassborrow, Tane scored to spark wild celebrations om and off the pitch as Fleet Town FC are through to the next round of the FA Vase, winning 5-3 on penalties.

The draw for the next round is released by the FA on Monday 21st, but with several postponements on other matches on Saturday, Fleet may know their opponents or have to wait for a winner of an unplayed match to be known, most of these postponed games will be rescheduled for Saturday 26th, causing those sides league games that day being called off.

This may leave Fleet Town without a match on Saturday 26th as their scheduled opponents Tadley Calleva are one of the sides that had their Vase match postponed on the 19th. Fleet Town’s progress in the Vase will in turn mean that the league game v Camberley Town on November 9th will have to be rescheduled to a new date later in the season.

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