After a tough pre season (first time the A’s have trained ever!) Fleet Spurs A’s first game of the season took place on Saturday.  The opposition were local rivals Letef & after they beat us 3 times last season Spurs went into the match hoping for a win & a good performance.  With a squad bigger than the population of some small countries Spurs were able to name a squad of 16 for the game.  The squad included 6 new faces as well as some old ugly ones.  With new gaffer Matt ‘multi sports’ Thornett away on Cricket duty it was left to Wallace to balance the difficult task of player & manager.  Alex Nicolle, who is recovering from knee surgery, agreed to be the eyes in the stand & we went into the match with high hopes.  Fleet started well keeping the ball & on more than one occasion managed to string over 3 consecutive passes together (records are there to be broken!).  Fleet dominated the first 30 mins possession wise but struggled with that final ball and as a result did not create any clear cut chances.  Letef had a few half chances but some excellent last ditch tackles kept the score at 0 – 0.  Then up steps Tom Steiner….  A goal kick by the Letef keeper was powerfully headed forward by Alex Gammon & Tom Steiner was away…  He calmly rounded the keeper with minimal fuss & then had to negotiate an open goal.  Now in normal circumstances you would put a few quid on Tom hitting the back of the net but this time it was on his RIGHT foot.  Usually used for standing on this was the first time in a long time that it had been called into action. Thankfully it did not let him down and he stroked the ball into the open goal!  1 – 0 Spurs.  Spurs then rattled the bar after a good passing move and things were looking good.  Then we switched off.  A routine Letef throw on was not dealt with and was flicked on into the path of the Letef number 8 who ran in un marked to head pass Meako. Letef then got into the game & a long range effort gave Meako the chance to impress the crowd with a full stretch double handed save high to his left hand side.  Replays showed that the Aldershot born shot stopper took two steps to his right before flinging himself to his left.  Text book camera save.  Fleet then picked up again & a good move down the right saw Ben McMahon play Jimmy in & his low cross was stepped over by G leaving Wallace with a chance to make up for his mistake (Number 8 was his man) sadly the pressure of player manager was all to much and the ball was launched into the car park.  Half Time. 1 – 1.

The second half strangely enough belonged to one man.  That man was David ‘Goof’ Baker.  Before the game he was named as left back & was disgusted by this.  Cries of ‘I am not left footed’ & ‘I use to be a forward’ were heard and were only stopped when told ‘I want you to push on & get forward’ Suddenly that frown was turned upside down & we had ourselves a happy Goof!  Letef dominated the first 15 mins as Fleet worked hard to regain possession but struggled to get any efforts on goal.  Changes were made and Capon came on for Melv, Loz came on for Ankers & McGhie came on for Gammon.  With a quick reshuffle at the back Fleet began to take charge of the match.  Or should we say Goof began to take charge!  A free kick wide on the left saw Goof jog over with one thing in his mind.  The ref put his hand up to signal an indirect free kick but not even that could change Goof’s mind.  He was shooting & that was that.  The ball was whipped in under the cross bar & the Letef defender & Keeper helped the ball into the net! 2 – 1 Spurs!  Fleet then continued to keep the ball well & created chances.  Letef always looked good on the break so we had to be switched on.  Then the unthinkable happened….  A corner on the right hand side was whipped in by Capon & Goof cries ‘GOOOOOOF’S’ rises like a tin of tuna & heads the ball into the top left hand corner of the net!  Breathtaking.  What a player!!  3 – 1 Spurs! With the game won Fleet kept possession & looked for a fourth but some good saves from the Letef keeper kept the score at 3 – 1.  Then Graham steps up & earns himself the Tw@t of the match shirt.  After complaining of being fouled the ref warned Mr Friel on several occasions he should be quiet or will go in the book.  This did not stop G-Train as he continued to answer back.  A quick flash of yellow saw his name taken.  As the treasurer of the club G is well aware of the cost of a booking in financial terms as well as the effect in can have on team morale.  Saying that though G wore the shirt with pride in the pub after & was rumoured to be spotted wearing it out on the tiles later that evening with some beige chino’s and open toed sandals.
Overall a great result for the team.  It’s probably the first time we have won the first game of the season & the work rate, attitude of the whole squad as well as the football we played was excellent.  So far so good lads lets keep it up!

 MOM – Goof

Team: Meako, McMahon, Gammon (Mcghie), Ankers (Gibson), Baker, Friel, Jones (Capon), Steiner, Wallace, Selfe, Hammond.  Subs not used: Gardiner, Morton.

The Reserves campaign in the Hants intermediate cup was all over in 90 mins against a youthful Cove side. Spurs had by far the most of the ball in the first half and created many more goal scoring chances than Cove but failed to put the ball away and 2 quick breaks from Cove lead to 2 goals. The second half was much of the same with Alex Cash & Pat Webster controlling the middle of the park and Chapman & Blowers pushing on down the flanks with great support from full backs Hopper & Kirby. Pat Drague worked the ball well in his free role upfront and Scott Eaton worked endlessly along side but to no avail. Danny Harrison, always a threat from set pieces came close twice and the defender cleared another off the line. A disappointing result but a decent performance. The Reserves are back to league action on Saturday 11^th Sept at home to Hindhead Athletic.

Harold Wilson famously said that a week is along time in politics and this game proved that the saying can apply to football as well.  Following their deserved league defeat by Petersfield on Monday, Spurs more than turned the tables with a comfortable victory in their first-ever game in the FA Vase.
The game was relatively uneventful for the first half hour, with both sides showing some neat touches but squandering a number of decent chances.  However midway through the half, a Jon Tanfield shot was deflected to the unmarked Luke Walsh, who hammered the ball home from close range.  Quarter of an hour later, Adam Crittenden doubled the lead after a shot by Sam Knowles had been charged down, and three minutes later Walsh scored the goal of the match with a powerful left-foot drive from the edge of the box that gave stand-in keeper Phil Braithwaite no chance.
After the break, Fleet appeared to descend into complacency, but with young keeper Tom Walker making a number of good saves Town were unable to take advantage until striker Callum Coker reduced the deficit, scoring for the second time in two games when he was first to the loose ball after Walker had lost the ball in an aerial challenge. Spurs retaliated with a close-range header from Sam Knowles after a bout of head tennis in the Petersfield goalmouth.  Crittenden, whose finishing had up till then been uncharacteristically profligate, scored two close-range goals in stoppage time to give a final score line that somewhat flattered Spurs.
Player-manager Neil Baker enjoyed celebrating his thirty-first birthday with a victory.  Spurs entertain Rye United of the Sussex County League in the next round of the Vase on 18 September, whilst they return to league action on Saturday when they play host to Whitchurch United (kick-off 3.00).

 Team: Tom Walker, Ben Clisby, Jon Tanfield, Neil Baker, Adam Kennedy, Luke Walsh, George Short, Luke Thorn (sub Adam Paris 75), Stuart Tanfield, Adam Crittenden, Sam Knowles (sub Jamil Olweny 85)

This was another lacklustre performance by Spurs, who got exactly what they deserved from the game – nothing.
Both sides started brightly in this noon kick-off game, trying to play attractive football and mostly keeping the ball on the ground, though Spurs were often too reliant on the long ball to big striker Sam Knowles, who lacked support from his midfield colleagues.  Petersfield looked the better side with their neat passing game, and it was no surprise when midway through the half Callum Coker gave them the lead, poking the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble.  Ben Clisby hit the post following a corner, and winger Matt Humphrey, making his first start for the club, looked menacing but half-time arrived with Town’s one-goal lead a fair reflection of the play.
After the break, Spurs came out more brightly but rarely threatened Lloyd Patilla’s goal, and the visitors continued to look the more dangerous side.  On the hour mark, Mark Appleby made an excellent save, diving to his left to turn away a goalbound drive from Sam Maidens, and the visitors soon doubled their lead when Tony Bichard netted after the ball again went loose in front of goal.  Fleet brought on Jack Chambers, back from injury, and Jamil Olweny, and looked more threatening.  Twenty minutes from the end, Neil Baker got on the end of a Luke Thorn cross and headed in to reduce the arrears.  The lively Olweny made a good run down the left, but his shot beat both the keeper and the far post.  Spurs had a brief spell of dominance, but were unable to break through the Town rearguard again, but Petersfield soon re-asserted themselves and only a spectacular goal-line clearance from Adam Paris, another player making his first start for Fleet, kept the arrears to one goal.  The game ended with Petersfield worthy winners.
Spurs have now dropped to eighth in the table.  On Saturday, they hope to turn the tables when they meet Petersfield again, this time in the FA Vase – Spurs’ first ever game in a national competition game (kick-off 3 pm).
Team: Mark Appleby, Ben Clisby, Neil Baker, Adam Paris, Phil Boddy (c), Matt Humphrey, George Short, Chris Payne (sub Jack Chambers 70), Luke Thorn, Adam Kennedy (sub Jamil Olweny 70), Sam Knowles

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 are still a respectable fifth in the table.  They face two home games in six days against old rivals Petersfield Town.  On Bank Holiday Monday they entertain them in the league (kick-off noon) and on Saturday they have an FA Vase match – Spurs’ first ever national competition game (kick-off 3 pm).
Team: Mark Appleby, Ben Clisby (sub Adam Paris 70), Jon Tanfield, Neil Baker, Phil Boddy (c), Luke Walsh, George Short (sub Matt Humphrey 60), Chris Payne, Luke Thorn, Adam Crittenden, Sam Knowles

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 face a long trip to Warminster on Saturday (kick-off 3.00) and then entertain Petersfield Town on Bank Holiday Monday with a noon kick-off.

 Team: Mark Appleby, Ben Clisby, Jon Tanfield (sub Amartey Armar 85), Neil Baker, Phil Boddy, George Short (sub Tom Chillery 60; Adam Paris 65), Ben Edwards (c), Luke Thorn, Chris Payne, Adam Crittenden, Sam Knowles

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.

Appleby, Clisby, Thorn (Paris 80mins), Baker, J Tanfield, Short, Payne, Edwards (C), Crittenden (Walsh 70 mins) , Knowles, Chillery, Sub Not Used Chambers

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.

 In the end, this was a fair result, though the two-goal margin may have flattered Spurs.  Manager Neil Baker was relieved to gain another three points, which puts his side into fourth place in the league.
Team: Tom Walker, Ben Clisby, Jonathan Tanfield, Phil Boddy, Adam Kennedy, Tom Chillery (sub Chris Payne 55), Ben Edwards (c), George Short, Luke Thorn, Adam Crittenden, Sam Knowles

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.

 Overall this was an encouraging performance by a young Spurs side that was missing several important players. 

 Team: Mark Appleby, Ben Clisby, Ben Edwards (c), Phil Boddy, Adam Kennedy, Tom Chillery, George Short, Luke Thorn (sub Chris Payne 60), Stuart Tanfield, Adam Crittenden (sub Amartey Armar  62), Luke Walsh (sub Amartey Armar 60).

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.