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FAWLEY AFC

With a new manager at the helm, Fawley fans are optimistic about the season ahead. Going into today’s game fifth in the division, Oiler’s fans are eyeing a return to the Wessex Premier. KEVIN PIPKIN looks at the Fawley squad on show this afternoon.

Fawley arrive at Foxcotte Park after their opening day defeat at Folland Sports and look to kick start their campaign that they hope will see them improve on last season’s 16th position.

The 2022/23 campaign will represent Manager Andy Samuels first season in charge of the Oilers, and he will hope that Fawley will improve on their results this season, especially against the top half of the division, as they only picked up three points against those sides, with a draw at Downton and an impressive 1-0 win over Folland Sports at the Aliport Arena. Declan Hartigan scoring the allimportant goal that day. going into seven warm-up games with just 1 defeat, a 6-1 loss to Blackfield & Langley, including a creditable 2-1 win at home to AFC Stoneham and, more importantly these results were achieved without any major injury worries, meaning the Fawley boss should have a full-strength squad to choose from for this afternoon’s match.

The Oilers started their preseason with a 1-1 draw at Hythe & Dibden in early July, with dual registered Sam Clark scoring for Fawley.

Stockbridge were the visitors for the next game and a 2-2 draw was the outcome with Clark again on target along with Indrit Elezi, scoring his first goal for the club.

QK Southampton were then soundly beaten 5-1 with Roche getting a brace and other goals from Clifton, Elezi and Bowman.

The 2-1 win over Wessex Premier AFC Stoneham was followed with a 3-2 win over Sway. A 3-3 draw with FC Harvest came before their defeat to Blackfield & Langley.

The OIlers season started last Tuesday with a home game with Folland Sports with the Planemakers winning 3-0 courtsey of goals from former Street striker Luke Hooper and a brace from Aleksandr Sipilovas.

THE GOALKEEPER: LEE BURCH

A versatile player, who can play up-front as well as in goal. Burch has had an illustrious non-league career with clubs as Blackfield & Langley, Hythe & Dibden, Romsey Town, Verwood Town, Bemerton Heath Harlequins and Whitchurch United listed as previously played for. Joined Fawley in the 2016-17 season and despite moving to Amesbury Town last season, he quickly returned and made 34 appearances last season, mainly in goal.

THE DEFENDER: REECE MACEY

Started with the Oilers in the 2014-15 season were he made 8 appearances. Macey stayed with Fawley for 5 seasons and made 54 appearances during that time.

He then joined Blackfield & Langley for the 2021-22 season and made 15 appearances before rejoining the Oilers in the summer.

THE MANAGER: ANDY SAMUELS

Andy Samuels stepped back into the management hotseat when he was announces as the new Fawley manager back in May as he replaced Lee Shepherd.

Samuels previous managerial role was at Romsey Town FC where he spent four and a half years, turning them from a bottom of the table side to promotion contenders. They narrowly missed out on automatic promotion twice, before Andy stepped away from football to focus on his young family.

This change in the management team has seen Shepherd move into a committee role, continuing the outstanding work he does building up the club.