Ebbsfleet United v Crawley Town | Matchday Programme | 03.08.2024
PROGRAMME AWARDS NATIONAL LEAGUE PROGRAMME OF THE YEAR
EBBSFLEET UNITED v CRAWLEY TOWN
Saturday 3 August 2024 – 3.00pm
Pre-Season Friendly #3
It’s all over bar the shouting as far as pre-season is concerned – and that bit of shouting comes this afternoon against our second League One opponents following last weekend’s visit of Cambridge United. Crawley, regular rivals in the Southern League and Conference over the years, earned promotion for a second time to the third tier and will embark on League One football next week.
Crawley have had a full schedule of friendlies prior to this afternoon’s meeting. Visits to Lewes, East Grinstead and (on Tuesday) Aldershot Town earned wins while Scott Lindsey’s side came off second-best at Wealdstone. Meanwhile, their one home friendly – against Crystal Palace – saw the Premier League side triumph 6-3.
It’s been an odd summer for Crawley – fresh from the joy of promotion via the play-offs after finishing seventh in League Two last season, they became something of a victim of their own success, losing a number of key players to other clubs. Lindsey has had to recruit more than a promotion-winning boss might normally expect and he has brought in 13 players to date, with the latest signing Cameron Bragg arriving on loan from Southampton on Wednesday.
One of those new faces Fleet fans know well – striker Mo Faal who has played against us for Enfield Town and Havant & Waterlooville, having turned out for Maidstone United last season.
And so it’s one final lesson for the respective managers before Danny Searle takes his side to Gateshead next weekend and Scott Lindsey welcomes Blackpool to Crawley. Until then...
IN THE MIDDLE...
Today’s referee ISAAC SEARLE
Canterbury-based referee (and no relation to Danny Searle!) who has taken charge of games v Maidstone and St Albans in the NLS in previous seasons and was in the middle against West Ham in last season’s friendly. He has also previously contested the Barcelona Ironman triathlon event!
CHAIRMAN AbdullaH AAAF Al-Humaidi
CEO Damian Irvine
DIRECTORS AbdullaH AAAF Al-Humaidi, Dherar Al-Humaidi, Abdulrahman Aaaf Alhamidi
CLUB SECRETARY / GENERAL MANAGER William Tan
FINANCIAL CONTROLLER NICOLA BORG-MYATT
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Ed Miller
EVENTS MANAGER Cheryl Wanless
BAR & CATERING MANAGER Debbie Ludlow
EVENT & RETAIL COORDINATOR Meghan Love
MEDIA MANAGER Katie Humphris
CLUB PHOTOGRAPHER Dave Plumb
MATCHDAY ANNOUNCER Steve East
ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS John Copus, Sue Copus
HONORARY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Jessica McQueen
HONORARY KIT MANAGER Maggie Danzey
FIRST-TEAM MANAGER DANNY SEARLE
ASSISTANT MANAGER ANWAR UDDIN
SPORTS THERAPISTS & REHABILITATORS
Katie Knowles, Tom Stephens
CLUB ANALYST MAC EGAN
ACADEMY MANAGER Danny Kedwell
WOMEN’S MANAGER QUINTON NAIDOO
EBBSFLEET UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB THE KUFLINK STADIUM, STONEBRIDGE ROAD
NORTHFLEET, KENT DA11 9GN 01474 533796
info@eufc.co.uk | www.eufc.co.uk
HONOURS
FA Trophy 2007/08
Southern League 1957/58
National League South 2022/23
Ryman League Premier 2001/02
Southern LEAgUe, Southern Division 1974/75, 1993/94
Southern LEAgUe Cup 1977/78
Southern LEAgUe C’ship Cup 1978/79
National LEAgUe South Promotion Final 2010/11, 2016/17
Full Members Cup 2000/01
Kent Senior Cup 1948/49, 1952/53, 1980/81, 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2007/08, 2013/14
Kent Floodlight Cup 1969/70
John Ullman Cup 1982/83
“
Cambridge United kept hold of the ball which was a different lesson for the players to experience –and they need that after the different dynamic in the other games
“
ONE MORE WARM-UP 90 MINUTES TO GO AND HERE IT IS WITH ANOTHER TESTING FRIENDLY AGAINST LEAGUE ONE VISITORS.
Last Saturday, of course, we met the same kind of challenge as a very slick Cambridge United side kept hold of the ball which was a different lesson for the players to experience – and they need that after the different dynamic in the other games.
We can expect much the same from League Two play-off winners Crawley Town as Scott Lindsey returns here to the club where he was skipper. Congratulations to him and everyone at Crawley for their promotion last season and, like us, this will be their final chance to fine-tune before the battle for points begins next Saturday.
Tuesday night threw up good and bad –it was really important to come through unscathed and with no further injuries,
DANNY SEARLE
EBBSFLEET UNITED MANAGER
and it was another opportunity for a full 90 minutes for players who needed that. On the other hand, our performance was not of the standard we demand and expect. We were a bit leggy, too, with the work we put in on training sessions but after Welling, we can move into a more usual phase with just one game before the match at Gateshead to come and we’ll be fresher. The players were disappointed with the performance even though it was ‘just’ a friendly and that’s a good thing – if they know that and they’re not happy with how a preseason game has turned out, then as a collective we all know what to work on.
It’s all about learning in pre-season; every year you’ll hear every manager say that you can’t get carried away with winning the majority of your games and equally you can’t read too much into the defeats either. We’re forming relationships between players and positions that are still developing at all clubs even into the first games of the season. And the friendlies also allow us to change it up and get a full look at everyone in a squad, which is effectively two teams’ worth of players to run the rule over.
Finally, thank you to everyone who turned up to our open training session on Thursday. I hope you gained a good insight into the work levels of the boys and made the most of the opportunity to get to know the new faces in the building that you’ll be cheering for this season.
WE
REACH OUR THIRD HOME SATURDAY IN A ROW HERE AT
THE KUFLINK
STADIUM
AND WITH IT THE END OF PRE-SEASON.
I very much doubt I’m alone in feeling the usual excitement for the start of another season after a very encouraging and hard-working month of friendly football.
If there’s one thing certain in pre-season it’s that everyone’s itching to get to the league opener by the end of it! But there’s still one more game to get through and it will serve as a beneficial exercise for the squad and management as much as any friendly during our summer programme.
We’ve welcomed trialist Elijah Anthony to the squad this week – a former QPR academy player like Franklin Domi before him, he is one we are investing in with an eye very much on the future.
DAMIAN IRVINE
EBBSFLEET UNITED CEO
Elijah’s a young player with great potential and to aid in his development, we’ll be looking for a suitable loan arrangement for him. He has played U18 and U21 for QPR and experienced senior football in both the Isthmian and Southern Leagues, so a loan at a level where he can progress makes perfect sense for us and for him.
Thursday’s Open Training Session was the first of its kind here at the Kuflink Stadium and you responded with huge enthusiasm. Danny and the boys very much enjoyed putting it on and I hope all of you who attended enjoyed seeing close-up and first-hand what goes into the type of session that the players undergo day in, day out. We didn’t water it down or change our patterns for the viewing public as we wanted you to experience the real thing and see the work that goes on behind the scenes. And while the players worked hard, I hope you enjoyed putting your feet up with a refreshment or two in hand!
The big day arrives next weekend as we undertake the long trip to Gateshead – and I know Fleet supporters will be there in numbers whatever the distance to support us. What a way to start the season as you mean to carry on, with a long journey! Safe travels to you all and see you back here for the visit of Barnet.
MATCH CATCH-UP
05.08.2023 | VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE | CROWN OIL ARENA | REFEREE: XXXXX | ATTENDANCE: 2,691
30.07.2024 | PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY | PARK VIEW ROAD, WELLING
Xxxxxxx
Fleet fans ended pre-season travel with a short hop to Welling ahead of a mammoth trip to Gateshead next week when the season proper begins! The stat that mattered – the only goal of the game – came just four minutes in when Harrison Firth did well to stop an initial
shot from Oscar Borg but Elliot Long was able to pounce on the rebound.
Greg Cundle forced Rhys Lovett into a save from close range on the quarterhour mark before Firth made another important block before the break. Fleet went in search of the equaliser in the
ONLINE MAN OF THE MATCH
second-half, Dominic Samuel crashing a shot off the post and Franklin Domi claiming a handball for a shot on target, while Firth had to stand up to a late counterattack through the middle to prevent the Wings extending their slender lead.
GREAT SCOTT!
Crawley boss Scott Lindsey was a very timely signing for the Fleet –and particularly manager
Andy Ford – in September 1999.
Ford, with just one win in the Fleet’s first 11 games of the 1999-2000 season and with his side sitting second bottom in the Isthmian Premier, was under calls from various
quarters to quit his job. Desperately trying to sign a striker, he instead opted to bring in the 27-year-old midfielder – and then played him largely in defence!
Lindsey, originally from Walsall who played for a host of Midlands non-league clubs before spells with Gillingham, Dover and Sittingbourne, had already crossed our path in the first game
of the season against Canvey Island for whom he played then, tangling with hot-headed Fleet midfielder Luke Anderson that saw Anderson sent off. Ironically, little over a month later Lindsey was replacing Anderson in the Fleet team after the latter was suspended for a second red card!
Scott Lindsey lifts the Kent Senior Cup in 2000 – the first time a Fleet skipper had done so for 19 years
The Fleet picked up a second win of the season on Lindsey’s debut against St Albans Ciy and fortunes steadily improved for the team – with a climb from 21st to 7th by the end of January.
Installed as skipper midway through the season, Lindsey – a tough competitor – ended his first year in a Fleet shirt by lifting the Kent Senior Cup for the first time in 19 years –although he was sent off for two yellow cards in the final against Folkestone Invicta!
In his second season, he swapped the No.7 shirt for the 5 or 6 as Ford
deployed him more as a defender. Another solid campaign ensued, with the Fleet reaching Round One of the FA Cup and losing narrowly to Notts County. And this time Lindsey picked up two trophies – the Full Members Cup and a second successive Kent Senior Cup as Fleet turned Conference side Dover over on their own soil, winning 4-0 at Crabble.
That was to be Lindsey’s last action as a Fleet player. Across his two seasons he turned out 79 times for the club and won three trophies as skipper – not many captains of the club can boast that.
Alas, he departed just before the Fleet found ultimate success by winning the Isthmian title and promotion to the Conference. On his release in summer 2001, boss Ford said, “I wanted to play a new system and had to let Scott go to new pastures. He was a very popular guy at the club and his banter will be missed this season. I used him as a defender when he is really a midfield player but it would be difficult for him to get into the midfield I’ve got here now.”
Although he missed the title success, arguably without Lindsey it might never have happened as
Lindsey centre-stage in the 2000 celebrations
it was his signing in September 1999 that helped galvanise a Fleet side stuck in a rut and probably saved Andy Ford’s job, allowing the boss to go on and mastermind our promotion back to the Conference.
After leaving the Fleet, Lindsey stayed in Kent, going on to play for Welling United, Folkestone and Maidstone, rejoining Folkestone where his coaching career began that would lead him to being a Wembley winner and into League One.
Two more trophies in his second season – this one was the Full Members Cup, celebrated with his successor as Fleet skipper, Jimmy Jackson
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JUST THE EIGHT GOALS..!
A PREVIOUS MEETING: JANUARY 2009 WAS AN UNEXPECTED TREAT FOR THE 800 FANS WATCHING FLEET v CRAWLEY
Across 60 matches between the Fleet and Crawley, there have been some real stinkers (one such, in 2007, was screened live on TV and proved to be one of the most tedious games that season, enlivened only by a Raphael Nade winner for the Fleet).
But perhaps the most memorable game played between the two of us
was an eight-goal frenzy that took place only a season later. The evening kick-off in January 2009 at Stonebridge Road drew only 795 – but what a game they saw!
Crawley, with an outside chance of play-offs, were the happier of the two sides having got away with a point when all of them really should have stayed with the Fleet.
But the visitors were ahead first, Robbie Matthews unopposed at the far post to get on a header inside four minutes. Crawley hit the post before Fleet equalised on 13 minutes, Stacy Long rushing on to a Michael Gash pass
Fleet celebrate a 4-2 lead... which didn’t last!
Debutant Giuseppe Sole
and taking an age to pick his spot... but doing so successfully for 1-1.
Four minutes later, Fleet were in front. Jamie Hand’s hefty pass to Gash was at an awkward height but the striker swivelled and caught it on the half-volley from 20 yards. Now Fleet were rampant, hitting the woodwork twice as new loan signing Giuseppe Sole provided a masterclass in midfield. Crawley boss Steve Evans was sent to the stands for an expletive-ridden rant at the referee and then had to watch his side go 3-1 behind when Sole’s customary free-kick skills sent a ball soaring into
the goal off the underside of the bar. The visitors responded five minutes after the break, Adam Quinn reducing the arrears in a goalmouth scramble. Fleet were still the better side and any number of shots could have ended up in the net before Liam Daish’s men looked to have wrapped it up on 65 minutes.
It was another crowdpleaser of a goal, Hand playing a sublime defence-splitting pass into the box for Ricky Shakes to convert. By now Crawley were reeling and the Fleet looked in no danger whatsoever going into the final five minutes.
But then Jon-Paul Pittman hooked a fine shot from the left corner of the box which looped over the Fleet defence and into the top right of the net. 4-3.
As two minutes of stoppage time were added, the referee inexplicably gave Quinn the benefit of the doubt as he climbed all over Gash and won a freekick. That released Jake Wright wide on the left and he fired in a deep cross which outwitted the Fleet defence and fell to the furthest man forward, substitute Jon Shaw, to gratefully bundle the ball over the line.
As the Crawley players celebrated – and their bench provoked the home section behind the goal – the Fleet fans could scarcely believe their side had let slip a twogoal lead. But what a game to liven up what was usually fairly low-scoring affairs in the Conference between these two sides.
They are quality tierthree teams and there’s a reason we play these games, to test ourselves, to learn to compete and stand ourselves in good stead for 2024/25. We’ve not had much time to train together with people coming back from holiday etc, so I was pleased with the way everybody
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BRIEF ENCOUNTERS
GALLERY FROM FLEET’S SUCCESSFUL OPEN TRAINING SESSION LAST THURSDAY
CRAWLEY TOWN
FORMED 1896
NICKNAME THE RED DEVILS
STADIUM
Broadfield Stadium (6,134)
LAST SEASON
LEAGUE 7th FA
HONOURS
League Two promotions
2011/12, 2023/24
Conference 2010/11
Southern League 2003/04
Southern League Cup
2002/03, 2003/04
Sussex Senior Cup Four times (1990–2005)
SOCIALS
STOPPER. SKIPPER. STRIKER.
GoalKeeper: Joe Wollacott
Signed last month from Hibernian, the Ghana international started out with Bristol City, gaining a huge amount of experience with various loans at clubs including Truro City, Gloucester City and Forest Green Rovers. He featured for Swindon Town in 2021/22, moving on to Charlton before his move to Scotland last summer.
Captain: Dion Conroy
Graduating from the Fulham and Chelsea youth systems, the 28-year-old centre-back was on loan with Aldershot Town before spending five years at Swindon Town, where he won promotion. He repeated that feat with his old Swindon boss Lindsey for Crawley last season.
IN THE DUGOUT SCOTT
LINDSEY
Appointed: 01.2023
Danger man: Gavan Holohan
Twice promoted from the National League with Grimsby and Hartlepool as well as an FAI Cup winner with Cork City, the Irish attacking midfielder gets amongst the goals regularly. The 32-yearold ex-Hull City junior was signed from Grimsby on a free transfer last month.
A former Fleet skipper who played for Gillingham and numerous non-league clubs including Dover, Canvey Island and Folkestone, Lindsey held numerous coaching roles at EFL clubs before becoming manager at Chatham Town in 2019. He was assistant and then manager at Swindon Town from 2021–23 before taking over at Crawley who he saved from relegation before achieving promotion last season.
RED DEVILS : WHO’S WHO?
CHARLIE
MICHAEL DACOSTA GONZALEZ
Ade Adeyamo
Attacking player who reemerged from non-league having come through Millwall’s youth system. He was with Fisher, Beckenham Town, Hayes & Yeading United and had two spells with Cray Valley Paper Mills before signing for Crawley on a two-year deal last summer.
Max Anderson
A Scottish U21 international signed in July from Dundee. The defensive midfielder came through the SPL club’s youth ranks and played more than 70 times, including alongside the Fleet’s Kwame Thomas. He spent last season on loan at Inverness Caledonian Thistle before a fee took him to Crawley this summer.
Charlie Barker
A Charlton Athletic graduate who played for Hemel Hempstead Town and Wealdstone on loan before joining the latter permanently at the beginning of last season. After a full campaign in the National League he signed for Crawley, formerly managed by his father Richie Barker.
Michael Dacosta Gonzalez
Spanish midfielder who signed on a season-long loan from AFC Bournemouth. The 19-year-old has also been called up to the Spanish U19 squad.
Ronan Darcy
Ex-Bolton Wanderers midfielder who won promotion from League Two while also loaned out to Skelmersdale United, Sogndal in Norway and Scottish club Queen’s Park. He played under Scott Lindsey at Swindon Town in 2022/23 before moving to Crawley this time last year, earning promotion.
Mo Faal
The big striker’s second chance at EFL football, having earned a move to Bolton in 2020, he has struck goals in non-league for the likes of Enfield Town in two spells, as well as Dulwich Hamlet, Kingstonian, Havant & Waterlooville and last season on loan at Maidstone United. Has scored 120 goals in 250 appearances.
Josh Flint Defender signed after four years in Dutch football in June, the Waterlooville-born player is a Portsmouth academy graduate whose first senior experience came at Bognor Regis Town.
Harry Forster
A Watford youth winger who played for St Albans City on loan before a permanent move to Bromley in 2020 where he spent three years and played in the side that won the FA Trophy at Wembley in 2022. He rejected a new contract to sign for Crawley in summer 2023.
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy
Former England youth international who won caps from U16-U20 level, he was Aston Villa’s second youngest player in the club’s history aged 16 when he made his Premier League debut in 2015. He played for Cambridge, Tranmere and Derby County before leaving Villa after 17 appearances to play for Pafos in Cyprus in 2020. He spent the past two years with Swindon Town before signing for Crawley in June.
Jeremy Kelly
Born in Prague and resident in France until the age of 10, the USA U20 international moved to North Carolina and has played for San Francisco City and Colorado Rapids. He joined Crawley in February after playing in Memphis.
Rafiq Khaleel
A former Cheshunt youth player who signed for Crawley in 2020, making his breakthrough in the 2022/23 season. The midfielder has also played on loan for Kings Langley and Gosport Borough.
Scott Malone
New signing, the experienced left-sided former Wolves youth played on loan in Hungary and for Southend and Burton. He was in the EFL for Bournemouth, Millwall, Cardiff, Fulham, Huddersfield, Derby, Millwall and Gillingham. Played 450+ games.
Joy Mukena
Former Spurs and Watford youth who played against the Fleet in the NLS for St Albans City. He moved to Bracknell Town after leaving Watford in 2019 and then spent three years at St Albans from 2020. He signed for Crawley last summer and won promotion with them last season.
Toby Mullarkey
New arrival from Grimsby Town, the big defender was with Everton and Crewe Alexandra as a youngster who spent four years with Altrincham, winning promotion to the National League in his first season. He had a spell with Rochdale before moving to Grimsby last summer.
Anthony Papadopoulos
Another new signing this summer, from Fleet’s near neighbours Welling United, the midfielder is a former Leyton Orient youth who has played for Harlow Town and Bowers & Pitsea on loan. He made 75 appearances in two seasons with the Wings.
Junior Quitirna
Crawley’s newest signing, having spent last season with Fleetwood Town, the Guinea-Bissau-born goalscoring midfielder played under Danny Searle at Waterford after spells with Hornchurch and Charlton’s U23 squad.
RED DEVILS : WHO’S WHO?
MIDFIELDER
JACK ROLES
GOALKEEPER
JASPER SHEIK
Jack Roles
A Cyprus U21 international, the ex-Tottenham youth played in the EFL on loan with Cambridge United, Burton and Stevenage. He had a season with Crystal Palace’s U23s before spending 2022/23 at Woking. Crawley signed him for a fee in January 2023.
Ryan Sandford
Goalkeeper who came through Millwall’s ranks and played on loan in non-league for the likes of Maidstone, Dorking Wanderers, Dover and Weymouth. He also had a spell at Dartford last season.
Jasper Sheik
Newly-signed young goalkeeper who was with Aldershot Town last season, making his National League debut at Kidderminster, and he has also played on loan for Three Bridges, Winchester City and Broadbridge Heath.
Jay Williams
Experienced defensive midfielder or centre-back who made his senior debut for Northampton Town in 2018. He has since had spells with Kettering Town, Harrogate Town, AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Banbury United.
IF YOU KNOW THEIR HISTORY...
Crawley celebrate promotion with 105 points to the Football League in 2011 with Fleet’s old Whitehawk nemesis Sergio Torres pictured far left. It was quite the season for the Sussex club who beat Swindon, Derby County and Torquay United to land an FA Cup Fifth Round tie at Old Trafford. That season’s Premier League champions needed a Wes Brown goal to win it 1-0.
HEAD TO HEAD
WON 21 DRAWN 14 LOST 25
60
MATCHES PLAYED
Our best victory: 5-1, October 1993
Worst defeat: 0-6, Dec. 1963 / Dec. 1985
Last time out: 1-2, March 2010
FLEET v THE RED DEVILS
Until victory in their last meeting against us in 2010, Crawley hadn’t won a game against the Fleet for 14 matches from 1997 to 2009. Eleven of those 14 games came in the Conference.
OUR LAST MEETING
CRAWLEY TOWN 2-1 FLEET / 13-03-2010 / Attendance: 983
Fleet had picked up some form in the relegation battle and this was the first defeat on the road in 2010, giving Crawley their first win over us in the Conference.
Dean Pooley was stretchered off with knee ligament damage in a lifeless first-half and Michael Malcolm put Steve Evans’ side ahead with a header with 25 minutes to go. And the home side made the game safe on 86 minutes when Charles Ademeno nicked the ball from under the feet of Leon Crooks, spun to face goal and fired home. Moses Ashikodi powered a last-minute free-kick to make it six goals in six games for him but it wasn’t enough for a precious point for the Fleet.
New month, new (interim) manager and a new start for the Fleet who had three months left to save our National League status. And the first test came under the microscope of the TV cameras as TNT Sports returned to the Kuflink Stadium for the visit of
Oldham Athletic. With Danny Searle and Anwar Uddin in temporary charge, a more than creditable goalless draw added another point to the total.
A more unlikely point came a week later as Fleet travelled to champions elect Chesterfield, took
an early lead in front of 8,000 people and then scored an equaliser after the home side seemed to have the edge at 2-1. That got Danny Searle the job on a permanent basis and he paid that off in February to steer the Fleet to three successive victories over relegation rivals – after not having
front of the TV cameras for Danny Searle
enjoyed back-to-back wins all season. Eastleigh (with a goal by debutant Bryant Bilongo) were brushed aside 3-1, Woking beaten 1-0 and a truly memorable afternoon at Dorking where Fleet fell behind but then smashed home four goals without replay to achieve a first-ever win over Marc White’s side. Little surprise that Danny bagged the manager of the month award in his first four weeks in charge.
MARCH 2024
Out of the relegation zone and two points clear,
Fleet added a further win by achieving the double over Rochdale in a dramatic last kick-of-thegame moment courtesy of Dominic Samuel that sparked jubilation in the stands.
Away from the league, Fleet progressed to the final of the Kent Senior
Cup with high-scoring wins over Beckenham Town and Chatham Town but all eyes remained on the survival bid. It took a knock at Aldershot where, despite Toby Edser firing the Fleet into the lead on his old stomping ground, the Shots took full control to win 4-1.
‘Scenes!’ is the usual phrase to describe the climax to the Rochdale match!
Dorking away - what a feeling!
But four more points from a hard-fought win over Gateshead and a draw against Southend United – who brought the biggest away crowd for many a year in a 4,019 attendance – kept the battle for survival in our own hands. By the end of March, we had dropped two places to 19th but improved the gap to the bottom four to four points.
APRIL 2024
Things were looking as healthy as they could be heading into the final month with Oxford City relegated and Dorking
A full house – and a valuable point – for the first ever visit of Southend United
It seemed almost over and done with after the win v AFC
pretty much done. Wealdstone, Boreham Wood and Maidenhead looked in freefall, while Kidderminster, Woking, York and AFC Fylde were all mounting something of a revival.
Another memorable lastminute goal at Dagenham secured another point and when Fleet beat AFC Fylde 2-1, it seemed a pretty comfortable state of affairs – Fleet were five points clear with a game in hand on most teams and there was effectively only one relegation place left to worry about.
Inevitably, however, other teams picked up form – Wealdstone, York, Woking, Maidenhead and Boreham Wood scrambled a few points together just as Fleet came unstuck against some tough opposition. Successive defeats to play-off-chasing Solihull Moors and Altrincham were buoyed by another gritty point against FC Halifax Town in midweek, who had to switch the game to Accrington Stanley due to the state of their pitch.
Having to play the Kent Senior Cup Final less
than 24 hours later always meant that game wasn’t going to matter and a weakened Fleet side including academy players lost to Maidstone in a poorly attended and under-the-radar final.
It all came down to D-Day at Boreham Wood – a relegation battle that couldn’t be closer. There were a few scenarios whereby both clubs might stay up but it was effectively a win for Boreham Wood would relegate the Fleet, and a point for the Fleet would relegate Boreham Wood.
Fylde
More last-minute fun – this time at Dagenham!
Naturally, the TV cameras were despatched to such a climax and a noisy 3,011 crowd at Meadow Park watched the ‘relegation play-off ’ unfold.
It had all the hallmarks for a classic – Wood manager Luke Garrard was standing down after the game so emotions were running high in the home camp; there were five former Fleet faces in the Wood squad; and the home side pulled out all the stops to get their biggest league crowd through the turnstiles.
To say it was nervous watching for everyone concerned would be an understatement. A cagey first-half might have gone against the Fleet when Declan Skura had to leave the pitch with an injury but Luke O’Neill returned to the fray after a twomonth absence to put in a fantastic shift with young loanee Tommy Fogarty also superb at the back.
Into the second-half and both sides had huge moments – Ben Chapman fired over for the Fleet and Nathan Ashmore
had to save from Dominic Samuel late on. There was drama at the other end too with a Wood goal ruled out for a foul on Mark Cousins and another for offside, while Cousins pulled off two excellent saves from Tyrone Marsh and Angelo Balanta.
The all-or-nothing nature of the game maintained the fine balance into the final moments and the whistle sparked huge jubilations in the packed away end as the curtain came down on 2023/24 –with the Fleet staying up!
A tough end to the season against play-off sides Solihull Moors and...
welling united v sutton united woking v gillingham
UP NEXT FOR EUFC
GATESHEAD (A)
Saturday 10 August
This is it! The big kick-off, 2024/25. Getting the longest journey out of the way early, the Fleet travel to Gateshead for a second August running after last season’s harsh lesson where the Heed were clinical in a 4-1 win for the home side. Are the FA Trophy champions as good this time around?
A FRIENDLY FROM THE PAST
2010
FLEET 1-2 GILLINGHAM | Attendance:
1,044
Newly relegated from the top division, Fleet were planning an immediate return and welcomed Gillingham to Stonebridge Road as a final preseason workout. With a couple of trialists still hoping for a deal, Fleet fell to an early volley from distance by Chris Palmer. Scott Ginty set up Calum Willock for the equaliser after halftime but Mark Bentley supplied Stefan Payne for a header to win it for the Gills on 78 minutes.
Goalkeeper Lance Cronin bid a fond farewell to Fleet fans as he came on for the visitors in the final 10 minutes, having enjoyed a successful trial at Priestfield following his Stonebridge Road exit earlier that summer.
Subs not used: Henry, Sherlock, Simpson, Williams, Dion, Banim
▲ MOOR INCOMINGS... Notts County promotion winner, midfielder John Bostock, has joined Solihull on a two-year deal. Blyth Spartans player of the season Ben Fell will be standing in Fleet’s way next weekend after stepping up to join Gateshead. And Oldham striker Kurt Willoughby has been allowed to return to former club Chester on a season-long loan.
▼ A SAD FAREWELL... Former Bath City striker Alex Fletcher, who suffered terrible injury after colliding with a wall behind the goal at Twerton Park in 2022, has called time on his career after attempting to make a comeback with Weston-super-Mare.
FLEET REVIEW
Editor, Design and Layout Ed Miller
Photography Dave Plumb, Simon Lapwood, Ed Miller, Tom Harris
ultimately owned by KEHC (UK) Limited under Rule 2.13 of the FA Rules.
Lance Cronin left the Fleet in May 2010 but was back in July in a Gillingham shirt
Phil Spencer Propertymark Ambassador
MANAGER • DANNY SEARLE
MARK COUSINS |GK|
WRIGHT
CORDNER
KELLERMANN
BINGHAM
GREG CUNDLE
FRANKLIN DOMI
TOBY EDSER
JEPHTE TANGA
GILES PHILLIPS
NATHAN ODOKONYERO
CHAPMAN TOM DALLISON
CRAIG TANNER
ELIJAH ANTHONY
KWAME THOMAS
CRAWLEY TOWN
MANAGER • SCOTT LINDSEY
ade adeyemo
MAX ANDERSON
charlie barker
CAMERON BRAGG
DION CONROY
Michael Dacosta GonzáleZ
RONAN DARCY
MO FAAL
JOSH FLINT
HARRY FORSTER
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy
GAVAN HOLOHAN
jeremy kelly
rafiq khaleel
SCOTT MALONE
joy mukena
TOBY MULLARKEY
Antony Papadopoulos
Armando Junior Quitirna
JACK ROLES
RYAN SANDFORD |GK|
JASPER SHEIK |GK|
jay williams
JOE WOLLACOTT |GK|
REFEREE ISAAC SEARLE ASSISTANTS DAN DOYLE, STEVE BROWN
