(Wessex League Division 1)

Fleet opened the league campaign for the 2009/10 in disappointing fashion, with a 3-1 defeat at last season’s premier side Hamble ASSC. With almost a full squad to choose from with the exception of Michael Watson, Ben Edwards and Tom Chillery, the Spurs would have been confident on starting the season with a win, and following on from their excellent pre season campaign.

The day itself proved to be a bit of a scorcher, with the temperature in its mid 20’s, and this looked like it had more of an effect on the Fleet team. The game started off quite evenly, with both teams having a couple of chances, and Ben Meakings in the Fleet goal making an excellent stop.

First blood went to Hamble, where their winger “westie” got round the full back too easily, and arrowed one in to the top corner with no chance for Ben, the hosts got back on level terms 20 minutes later, when a free kick from Stuart Tanfield lofted over the Hamble keeper. Hamble had a couple of other chances with their shoot on sight policy, which cannoned off the crossbar and the foot of the post, but Fleet went into the break a fortuitous 1-1.

Fleet had not been doing the simple things that they had done in pre season, and were not winning enough second balls, or getting the ball down to play.

Hamble restored their lead shortly after the break, when slack defending from a corner resulted in Hamble having a free shot on goal, and they capitalised on yet more poor defending by getting the 3rd  15 minutes later.

Fleet did have a couple of other opportunities to get back into the game, when Adam Crittenden rounded the keeper only to be tackled by the last defender, and Sam Knowles who had a free header go wide of the post.

But in all honesty Hamble deserved the 3 points, and were the much better side on the day, afterwards Spurs manager Neil Baker commented “we just were not at the races all day today, too many players went missing, and there were only a few players to come off with any credit, we played the game a little like a friendly and did not have that bite all over the park, which I will be working hard on this week, to put right in the game against Verwood”.

Fleet Spurs :
Meakings, Bickley (sub 45min Tolley, Arscott, J Tanfield, Baker (Sub 25 mins Voyce) Mackenzie, Clisby, Woozley, Crittenden, Knowles, S Tanfield (Sub 65 mins Walsh)