Play-offs hope for Fleet after series of wins
CLUB’S SIXTH VICTORY IN SEVEN GAMES PLEASES MANAGER HUNT
THEY are currently five points outside the top five, but Fleet Town manager Elliott Hunt says his players are focused on bagging a spot in the Combined Counties League Premier South play-offs.
The club were relegated from the Southern League into the Wessex League at the end of the 2018-19 season, before being moved sideways into the Combined Counties League for the 2021-22 campaign.
They have so far finished 16th and 18th in the Premier South but, after a bright start to the current campaign despite losing manager Jermaine McGlashan to league rivals AFC Croydon Athletic in October, Fleet sit ninth with 34 points from 21 games.
The current campaign is the first season in which play-offs have been introduced at Step 5, and Hunt is looking to build on that good start which has seen them win their past six from seven in the second half of the season.
He said: “I’m not great at stats but I’m told we are second in the form table, just below Farnham Town, which shows you what we are able to achieve at the moment.
“The play-offs is the squad’s target and that’s down to the boys. I’ve always said what my targets are as a manager and how I expect them to perform, but the boys want play-offs – it’s as simple as that.
“We have built a good squad and that’s why you aren’t seeing us sign any players because what we have in the building is good enough to go and do the job.
“It’s a funny time of year because we know a lot of teams are looking to strengthen, especially with injuries, but I keep touching wood that we are actually okay at the moment.”
The north Hampshire-based club were able to keep pace with the division’s high-flyers thanks to a hardfought win in east Surrey on Saturday.
After a slow start at Horley Town’s the New Defence, Fleet capitalised on a mistake from home keeper George Hyde that saw his goal-kick cannon back off a retreating Horley player and fall to Fleet striker Dan Bone to fire home.
The home side equalised through an own goal just before half-time and then took the lead from the penalty spot after the break.
But a penalty of their own for Fleet, converted by Mihail Marinescu, was added to by a goal from Luke Phair ten minutes from time to give the visitors a 3-2 win.
As a former goalkeeper, Hunt admits he has sympathy for Horley stalwart Hyde’s mistake.
He said: “The boys said in the changing room after the game that they weren’t happy with their own standards but credit to Horley, they caused us a lot of problems. The boys fought hard and sometimes that’s all you can ask for as a manager; that when things aren’t going right, you play for the team and play for the badge and for me, that’s why we were able to get the result.
“I think we deserved the win in the end and I think work-rate came into it.
“In the end, the last 20 minutes we pushed and pushed and pushed, and that’s where we got our goal.
“The opening goal was a killer for Horley and as an ex-keeper I do feel
for George. I’ve never done it personally but Hyde-y has played at this level for quite a few years now and he’s tried to do the right thing, he’s played it early to try to start a counter-attack, and he’s been unlucky it’s hit a player. It’s still a great finish from Dan Bone, who has stuck it in the top corner.”
Bone has been one of the most consistent performers in Fleet’s rise up the Premier South.
Hunt said: “Boney knows this league well and was a key signing for me when I took over as manager.”