A sloppy performance by Spurs led to a disappointing defeat, though it was only in the dying minutes that the home side scored the winner.
The game started uneventfully, with only the delightful view over the old town to interest the crowd.  The ball spent far too much time in the air, as Town were seemingly happy to play a long-ball game and Spurs were unable to get the ball down and play.  However the game sprang to life just before the half-hour mark.  First, Simon Reaney tripped Fleet striker Adam Crittenden in the box – an indisputable penalty – and Sam Knowles made no mistake from the spot, giving keeper Adam Collington no chance with a hard low shot past his right hand into the corner.  This was the big striker’s seventh league goal of the season.  A minute later, Tom Welch equalised for Warminster when he hit a thunderous shot into the top corner from outside the area, giving Mark Appleby no chance.  A magnificent goal.  Spurs then got on top for a few minutes, but were foiled by a mixture of poor finishing and good goalkeeping by Collington.
The second half continued in the same vein with Spurs having most of the possession, but skipper Dave Watkins and Mark Bailey were very solid at the back for Town and snuffed out most of the danger.  Spurs were leaving gaps at the back as they pressed forward making them vulnerable to quick breaks from Warminster, and Appleby had to make a fine save to turn a goalbound shot from defender Mark Breffit round the post.  Then with quarter of an hour to go Welch, a constant danger to Spurs on the left, rounded Jon Tanfield, who had moved to right back following an injury to Ben Clisby, and crossed for 17-year-old sub Derek Wheeler to score from close range.  Three minutes later, Fleet went down the other end and player-manager Neil Baker scored with a headed flick from a Tanfield throw-in, Ian Groves‘ desperate attempt at a goal-line clearance only succeeding in helping the ball into his own net.  Both sides went all out for a winner, and five minutes from the end Warminster succeeded when Tanfield left a back-pass short and Wheeler nipped in to round the keeper and slide the ball home from a narrow angle for his second in ten minutes.
The reaction of the players at the final whistle told the story of the game.  Spurs trooped off morosely to a silent dressing room while the Town players celebrated as if they’d won the Champions’ League.

Fleet Spurs manager Neil Baker takes his team on the long journey down the A303 to Warminster for their next league game  Saturday with the hope of adding to their 10 points.
Missing for definate will be skipper Ben Edwards who will be sunning himself in Mauritus, also playmaker Tom Chillery will be missing for 2-3 weeks after sustaining an ankle injury in the 2-2 draw against Stockbridge on Tuesday night, add in the long term casualties of Dan Sleet and Jack Chambers,  plus Adam Kennedy also unavailable, and the Spurs squad will be fully stretched.
If last season’s games are anything to go by we know we’re  in for a tough game, as although we were victorious by the odd goal in both games last year, they were very tight affairs.
Added to the squad will be new signings Matt Humphrey and Adam Paris, and Baker is hopeful that the Spurs can come back with an important 3 points.
The attention will then shift to Bank Holiday Monday where we entertain Petersfield at 12 noon, although Petersfield have not started well this year, they are always a team that finishes around the top 6, so will not be underestimated in the slightest.
6 points from the weekend will be asked for by Baker, but to achieve this the Spurs will have to work incredibly hard.

Spurs started off badly in their Tuesday night game, perhaps suffering a hangover from their splendid win at Verwood, and it was completely against the run of the play when with ten minutes gone skipper Ben Edwards burst through the Stockbridge defence, rounded keeper Alex Thompson and slipped the ball into an empty net.  Fleet had a number of good chances to increase their lead but profligate finishing by Sam Knowles in particular and Adam Crittenden meant that the score remained 1-0, when the home side should probably have put the result beyond doubt before the half-hour mark.  Spurs reaped the inevitable consequences when ten minutes before the break Aaron Black equalised for Stockbridge with a curling left-foot shot following a free kick that evaded the Spurs defence and Appleby.
The visitors started strongly and only a combination of a good save from Mark Appleby and the post stopped them going ahead immediately after the break.  Stockbridge were now coming into the game more and Casson Spencer shot wastefully over when clean through on goal.  However, Spurs thought they’d scored with a powerful goalbound header by player-manager Neil Baker from a corner by Ben Edwards, but it was spectacularly headed off his own line by Nick Coates .
Quarter of an hour from the end, Simon Nelson gave the visitors the lead with a fine drive into the top corner that left Appleby helpless.  The last few minutes were very hard fought with Fleet straining every muscle to score and Stockbridge closing them down quickly and defending resolutely, but as the game entered injury time, top scorer Knowles headed an inswinging Luke Thorn corner home to give Spurs a deserved point.  There was still time for Spurs to miss another opportunity as a left-wing cross from Phil Boddy bounced agonisingly across the open goal with neither Knowles nor Edwards able to make contact.
Both sides were disappointed with the result: Spurs because they felt they should have made their first-half advantage tell and Stockbridge because they had managed to hold out almost until the end.
Manager Neil Baker felt that although this was a point gained, in reality it was 2 points lost, as defensive errors and poor finishing cost us.

Fleet Spurs made the long trip to Verwood hoping to exact revenge on a team that had beaten the Spurs twice last year, and the day did not start well, with heavy traffic all the way down the M3, meaning most of the players and management did not arrive until 2.35pm.
With vice captain Phill Boddy and Adam Kennedy unavailable, Neil Baker made a few changes from the team that beat Shaftesbury, bringing himself and Chris Payne into the starting line up.
Playing a new formation it took a while for the Spurs to get into the game, and Verwood took an early lead when their winger got in behind the defence and squared the ball for the Verwood striker to pass the ball into an open goal.
Verwood had another similar chance 15 minutes later, but Mark Appleby managed to smother the ball as the Verwood winger tried to take it round him.
Fleet were starting to play good football, and got back in the game, when Adam Crittenden went on a astonishing run, resulting in him beating around 6 players, and calmly slotting the ball over the Verwood keeper.
This soon became 2-1 when a long searching ball from George Short enabled Sam Knowles to get a jump on the Verwood keeper, to head home his 5th goal in 3 matches.
The second half started well for Spurs who were playing the better football, and had a good shout for a penalty turned down, when Ben Edwards was bundled over in the box.
Verwood got themselves back in the game, and had a 10 minute spell where they were on top, and only 2 fantastic saves from Mark Appleby kept the score at 2-1, the second one being a low one handed save from the Verwood skipper, where it looked a goal the moment it left his foot.
From the resulting corner, Appleby claimed the ball, and launched it up the field for Adam Crittenden to get in, and score another outrageous goal.
Three soon became four when good work rate by Sam Knowles who was excellent all day, enabled him to pass the ball to Chris Payne, who put in an excellent cross that Ben Edwards headed in to the top left hand corner.
Fleet Spurs managed to play the rest of the game out without being caused too many problems, although Mark Appleby was still called in to make another 2 good stops.
All in all it was a good 3 points for the Spurs who seem to have found their stride after losing the first game of the season.

Please be aware that the annual event has been scheduled for this Sunday the 22nd of August with a 12pm kick off at Hartley Wintney F.C.
For those who are not aware, Mike was a player at the club for many years, who regularly won top goalscorer awards, but tragically lost his life in a car accident.
A fund was set up in his memory, and every year money is raised to help local schools etc.
As a club we would like as many people to make the effort to get down and support a great cause, and i know it will please Brian and Jenny who are always at our home games to see as many faces as possible from the club.
I am aware that a few players throughout the club are due to be playing, but i would urge everyone to make the effort to get down and show the support that Mike deserves.

Spurs began strongly, keeping possession well, but were thwarted by a determined Shaftesbury side and created little threat in front of goal.  Indeed Shaftesbury came nearest to scoring when after quarter of an hour Luke Thorn had to clear off the Fleet goal line after what looked like a game of pinball off the Spurs defence following a Shaftesbury corner.  Five minutes later Sam Knowles had the ball in the Shaftesbury net but the goal was ruled out for offside.   The impressive Jason Beal then burst through Spurs’ defence but his shot was bravely smothered by keeper Tom Walker, who impressed on his Spurs debut.  The score line at half-time was fair as although Spurs had shaded possession, Shaftesbury had created the better goal chances.
After the break, Shaftesbury began to get on top, and it was no surprise when they took the lead after the Fleet defence had failed to clear the ball following another good save by Walker, and skipper Lee Hale blasted the ball in from close range.  Midway through the half, Spurs were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the visitors’ box and Sam Knowles fired a superb shot into the far corner to equalise, much to the relief of the home support, who were beginning to despair of ever seeing a Spurs goal.  This encouraged Fleet and they established a dominance that was to last for the end off the game.  Quarter of an hour from the end, sub Chris Payne gave Spurs the lead with a powerful drive after a weak clearance from the Shaftesbury defence.  Three minutes later, Knowles doubled his tally heading in an inswinging Luke Thorn corner from close range.

After their dreadful start against East Cowes Vics on Saturday, Spurs came back to form on Thursday night with a comprehensive victory at Andover.
The first quarter of the game was uneventful with both sides giving the ball away far too easily, but after 20 minutes, Luke Walsh outpaced the home defence following a fine through ball from George Short and slipped the ball past Dave Tasker in the New Street goal for the opener.  Ten minutes later, Tom Chillery crossed from the right and Andover’s Antony Waters unfortunately doubled Fleet’s score, leaving Tasker helpless with a powerful attempted clearance.  Shaken by this, the home side conceded again within half a minute as Tanfield crossed for Adam Crittenden to hammer the ball home.  When the fates are against a team, they generally stay that way.  First of all, Phil Boddy spectacularly cleared a goal-bound shot from skipper Danny Sullivan off the line, and then just before the break, Ben Clisby hit a cross-cum-shot from the right hand-touchline almost on the half-way line and it flew into the net inside the near post, just as intended (says Clisby).
Five minutes after the restart, Crittenden doubled his personal tally with a fine individual goal from a narrow angle.  To make matters worse, New Street then had defender Gary Stockwell dismissed for what the officials deemed to be denying Ben Edwards a clear goal-scoring opportunity.  As often happens, going down to 10 men spurred the home side into producing their best football of the match and Danny Sullivan reduced the arrears after hesitancy in the Spurs defence.  Indeed a few minutes later only a fine save by Mark Appleby prevented a second.  However, as Andover tired Spurs again stamped their authority on the game, and sub Sam Knowles celebrated his return from honeymoon with a couple of goals.  The first came when he broke through and coolly beat the advancing keeper.  The second was from another fine cross from Stuart Tanfield, who was back to something like his best form.  There was still time for the evening to get even worse for New Street as Sullivan was sent of for his second bookable offence.

An out of sort Fleet Spurs team but in a poor display in their opening league game against a side they managed to beat twice last season.
With players still away it was a weakened suqad available to manager Neil Baker, but the players that started the game should have been more than good enough to pick up 3 points.
Fleet started the better of teh 2 teams for the first 5 minutes, but then allowed East Cowes into the game, and they punished slack tracking by taking the lead after 10 minutes.
This was quickly followed up by a second when Pete Hibbert was adjudged to have brought down the Cowes striker, when in fact he did take a large part of the ball, but the East Cowes player converted the resulting penalty.
2 became 3 not long after, as the East Cowes team took control of the game, by winning their battles all over the pitch, just from working harder than their Fleet Spurs counterparts.
Having been booked for the earlier penalty, Hibbert gave away his second penalty when he handled in the box, with the referee consulting the linesman, he brought out his book, but player manager Neil Baker somehow managed to take the booking, and save Hibbert from an early bath.
Again the striker sent Mark Appleby the wrong way, and Fleet Spurs were going in at half time 4-0 down!!!
With the managers words ringing in the players ears, Fleet came out much more determined in the second half, and could have got back in the game straight away when Adam Crittenden went through on goal, only to hit the ball straight at the keeper.
They did manage to reduce the arrears with about 25 minutes remaining when George Short finished off substitute Adam Kennedy’s cross for his first goal in senior football.
The score was 4-2 with 18 minutes remaining when good work from Luke Walsh on the right saw him put in a great cross, and Adam Kennedy finished off coming in at the back post.
There was to be no great comeback today, and East Cowes held off for a vital 3 points for them, and left manager Neil Baker to reflect on another opening day defeat.

Central defender Dan Sleet has torn his ankle ligaments the week before the league campaign starts, and although doctors fear it may be 2 months before he is back in contention, with teh right rest and exercise we should see him back earlier than that.
This puts a real strain on the squad for the opening game against East Cowes Vics, when first team manager has no less than 8 first team players unavailable.

Fleet Spurs welcomed their local neighbours from Calthorpe Park for what was the first meeting between the two teams in a number of years.
With the Spurs very light on numbers due to holiday’s sickness work and injury, the side had quite a youthful look to it.
With senior players such as Ben Edwards, Adam Crittenden and Stuart Tanfield, plus the youth of Ben Clisby, Luke Walsh, Sam Knowles and Jack Chambers unavailable it was always going to be a stern test.
Fleet Town started with a very strong eleven, that included many seasoned non league players.
On a surface that was possibly still a little long, both teams spent the first half trying to get the ball down and play, with half chances coming for both teams.
Spurs were more than matching their senior opponents, and at times were causing Town real problems.
The  Spurs breakthrough came in the 43rd minute when George Short played in Jon Tanfield who got to the ball before his marker, he cut inside past two players and placed it into the bottom left hand corner past Lyall Beazley in the Town goal.
Fleet Town were to get back on level terms two minutes later, when Spurs gave away posession, and Jamie McClurg turned Neil Baker to make the box, and he cut the ball back for Paul Harkness to bury the ball past Phil Boddy on the Spurs line.
With the scores level at half time, Town came out much the stronger in the second half, and with a number of changes made they just looked sharper all over the pitch.
They were quick to take the lead for the first time in the game, when a throughball put in Johnnie Dyer, and despite what seemed valid calls for offside, Dyer placed the ball past Mark Appleby in the Spurs goal.
This quickly turned to 3 -1 when a run down the right wing and excellent ball into the box found Dyer again to head into the bottom corner.
With the Spurs team tiring, the floodgates could have opened, but to the Spurs credit, they reorganized themselves, and started to keep the ball better.
They should have had a penalty with about 20 minutes to go when Tom Chillery was brought down in the box, and despite the protests nothing was given, this led to an early bath for Chillery who the referee asked to be substitued.
Spurs did pull the score back to 3-2 with five minutes to go, when Matt Moore seemed to be tripped in the box, but in hindsight this was less of a penalty than the first claim.
Anyway Moore stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way, and gave Spurs hope of an equaliser.
In all honesty Town deserved their win over the course of 90 minutes, and they made sure of the result with the last kick of the game when a powerful header from Mark Kleboe put in Dyer who duly dispatched his 3rd and his teams 4th goal.
This was to be the last bit of action in the game, and both teams will be pleased with a competitive friendly played in the right spirit.