Injury stops play in crucial points match

A BUSY week for Fleet Town ended in their away match against Epsom & Ewell being abandoned after 55 minutes due to a severe player injury.

Last Tuesday, Fleet lost 5-0 at Combined Counties League Premier South champions Farnham Town, and then were knocked out of the Aldershot Senior Cup on Thursday night, losing 3-0 at home to Westfield.

On Saturday, it was back to the Combined Counties League Premier South for Fleet and it had started with promise.

Fleet had opened the scoring after eight minutes through Dan Bone before Epsom & Ewell levelled four minutes later when Karl Oblitey turned a William Kendall cross into the net.

Fleet retook the lead just before half-time when Ed Scott headed a corner home. The second half saw Bone net again before the game was abandoned at 3-1.

With only a couple of weeks of the season left, The Combined Counties League will have to decide if the match has to be replayed in full, the remaining time played, let score stand as result, or leave the game unplayed. Epsom and Ewell may need points from a rematch to avoid potential relegation.

It comes after Fleet Town played their Aldershot Senior Cup semifinal on Thursday night against Westfield, who play in the Isthmian League.

Fleet Town fell behind after only twelve minutes when Westfield defender Archie Taylor had made his way forward and crossed the ball into the box to Jamarie Brissett, hitting the cross bar and rebounded back for an easy tap in.

Ten minutes later Fleet Town keeper Filip Chalupniczak produced a fine save to tip away an effort from Lewis Jackson.

Fleet held Westfield out until the final minutes of the first half when Brissett brought the ball down the left and drove into the box and fired the ball home from a very tight angle, for Westfield to go into the interval two goals ahead.

For the second half Westfield made five substitutions at the break, taking off their most dangerous players to rest them to try and secure a promotion play-off position in the Isthmian South Central Division.

Westfield were able to add a third goal after 69 minutes when Manolis Gogonas scored from the penalty spot. Westfield go through to the final, played at Aldershot Town’s EBB Stadium in May.

Fleet face their longest trip of the season on Saturday, when they play Jersey Bulls, before a home to Redhill on Tuesday, April 23.