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Football: Harkness seals Fleet victory
January 28, 2010
Ryman One South
Met Police 0 Fleet Town 2
FLEET Town continued their winning start to 2010 with this emphatic victory at Met Police.
Goals from Dan Read and substitute Paul Harkness sealed the points from what was another impressive performance by Andy Sinton’s men. The win sees Fleet move back into the play-off positions, in fifth place, with every chance of moving further up the table when they visit 19th-placed Chipstead on Saturday.
Sinton made just the one change from the midweek win against Walton Casuals, Nathan Smart returning from suspension to replace an unwell Mark Anderson up front. Goalkeeper Dave Smalley kept his place in the side after his impressive performance against the Casuals.
Fleet made a strong start and were soon bossing the midfield exchanges, with both Ty Smith and Leigh Rumbold distributing the ball well.
That said, Smalley had to make a good early save from Laurent Hamici.
Early chances followed, with Smart twice able to break through on the right side. From the second of these in the 17th minute, the frontman was only inches wide with his finish, after rounding keeper Luke Garrard.
Met Police were gifted a half chance after a quarter of an hour when Smalley scuffed a clearance straight to Blues winger Craig Brown.
Brown teed up Hamici for a shot, but his wild slash from 30 yards was wide of the target.
Garrard, on loan from Kingstonian, was in action again a few minutes later, just getting his finger tips to a superbly struck free-kick from James Field.
The chances continued to flow for Fleet, Steve Hemmings making good contact with a header from a corner, only to be denied again by Garrard.
The closest the home team went to scoring in the first half was when fullback Lee Gledhill sliced a cross from the right wing and had Smalley back peddling to prevent the mishit pass dropping over his head and into the net.
With the interval approaching the opener finally came, following another move down the right flank by Smart. Garrard got down well to palm the ball away but, following up, Read picked up the rebound and drove the ball home.
Competing strongly, the home side immediately took charge in the second half, denying Fleet any meaningful possession.
At the back both Steve Noakes and Hemmings were kept busy as the Met side tried hard to force an equaliser. An injury to Noakes in the 65th minute forced the Fleet skipper to come off, being replaced by Luke Evans.
Met centre back Nicky Humphrey nodded wide at the back post and the home team produced further attempts to find an equaliser — Hamici shot wide after being played in by Nathan Simpson.
But despite their domination of the game the home side were unable to create any clear cut scoring chances.
In the fourth added on minute, a great pass from Smith picked out Harkness, who’d only come on a few minutes before. Shielding the ball well, Harkness let fly with a left-footed drive from 10 yards, which was too good for Garrard.
Fleet Town: Smalley, Griffin, Bird, Rumbold, Noakes, (sub, Evans, 65 mins), Hemmings, Field, Ty Smith, Smart, Read, Wheeler, (Harkness, 86).
Hampshire Senior Cup
Fleet Town 2 VTFC 1
FLEET continued their winning streak on Tuesday evening, reaching the last four of the County Cup, with a 2-1 win over Southern league side, VTFC, at Calthorpe Park.
In a re-run of last season’s final at St Mary’s, holders Fleet again emerged triumphant from an exciting game.
The visitors took the lead in the 40th minute, Warren Hunt finishing off a superb attacking move. Four minutes later it was 1-1 after James Field fired home superbly, following a run by Darren Wheeler.
Fleet’s winner came half-way through the second half, Steve Hemmings hitting the target from close range after Luke Evans rose above the VTFC defence to head down.
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