Match Reports

Match Reports

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15/04/2012

U14 Bookham Arrows 3 Fleet Town Colts 0 (SPL Premier League)

Another difficult report to write as we once again hit some common themes for the season in our final SPL U14 Premier Division match of this campaign. Hopes were high that we could get the win that would assure us of finishing out of the bottom two places. The match started brightly and Rob Colfer jinked his way in to the Bookham area in the opening minutes only to hit a tame shot at the keeper. Then came the first bit of deja vu as with just four minutes on the clock Bookham broke down the Fleet left, the winger rounded George Keeley and sent in a low cross. Kizza called, half collected and then fumbled the ball which was smashed in to the net by the grateful forward. It was a good finish but a cheap goal to concede and once again within the first 5 minutes of a match. Fleet rallied with Rob Colfer sending Kieran Thorpe clear but the slope taking the ball away from him. Then came the injury deja vu as Max Ottaway had to leave the pitch on 17 minutes with a nasty ankle injury after a heavy tackle. Max had been injured against Bookham in the corresponding home fixture. Steve Tait came on to replace him. The injury came just seconds after Fleet appeared to be denied a clearcut penalty as the Bookham defender handled whilst clearing the ball. Fleet continued to press forward but could not get the vital equaliser. Colfer, always a threat going forward, again broke in to the area but having shaped to curl the ball in sent his shot very high and very wide. Kieran Thorpe saw a fine low drive turned away for a corner by the excellent Bookham keeper and as the half drew to a close Colfer again went on a mazy run in to the area but saw his shot blocked. The half time talk was positive. A cheap goal had been conceded but despite some robust challenges in the midfield we had the better of the first period. The message was simple. Stick at it and the chances will come. Harry Webster replaced the jaded Tom Price and within two minutes he had a chance from the edge of the area sending a right footed shot just wide. With seven minutes of the half played Kieran Thorpe played a superb ball through the defence to Harry but there was just no finish and minutes later following a good run and shot from Rob Colfer the keeper saved well only for Webby to blaze the rebound high over the bar. Three good chances had come and gone. Kieran Thorpe saw a speculative long shot well gathered by the keeper before the referee effectively handed Bookham the game on 17 minutes by awarding a penalty as Rob Garden was adjudged to have barged the forward whilst contesting a high ball pumped in to the Fleet area. The penalty was smashed home to make it 2-0. Heads dropped and the lads lost a bit of focus for a few minutes but poured forward in an attempt to salvage the game. A number of corners were overhit or desperately defended by Bookham, Thorpey saw another fine shot well saved by the keeper and Josh Atkinson hit the top of the bar from 8 yards out after Rob Colfer made a great run and crossed the ball across the area. When Rob Garden was felled by a clumsy challenge just outside the area Steve Tait decided to take the freekick but scuffed his shot straight at the defensive wall. After George Keeley was clearly pushed in the back following another Fleet corner and the referee waved play on it was never going to be the Colts day. With players coming forward the defence was left exposed and Bookham added an undeserved third goal as time ran out as a counter attack down the Fleet right saw a good cross sent in and the forward burying his chance well as he was first to the loose ball. The final score of 3-0 was a little unfair and if we had pulled level then the result may well have been different. We had the chances but failed to take a single one and also came up against a very good goalkeeper who was by far busier then Kizza and also adept at wasting minutes off of the clock with some leisurely goal kicks and slow ambles to retrieve the ball. We now await the result of Beaulieus last two games as two defeats for them will see us keep out of the bottom two. But if we are honest we should not be depending on others to lose as we should have been safe by now.

25/03/2012

U14 Ash United 3 Fleet Town Colts 0 (SPL Premier League)

With several players declaring last minute injury and illness the Colts had to reshuffle their planned starting line-up on a lovely Spring day at the imposing Ash United ground. Despite having the bulk of possession in the opening fifteen minutes Ash were unable to break down a resolute Fleet defensive line and were restricted to shooting from distance. Getting few favorable decisions from the home referee in a physical game Fleet started to create chances as the game wore on and should have taken the lead when Steve Tait completely missed his kick inside the penalty area but recovered to cross the ball which Rob Garden headed narrowly over. Shortly after Kizza was called in to action making a fine stop at his near post after the Ash player appeared to have fouled Rob Garden and broke down the Fleet right flank. Fleet then spurned the best chance of the half as a superb corner from Kieran Thorpe went straight across the six yard box with no Fleet player attacking the ball when the slightest touch would have done. Having been let off Ash finished the half strongly forcing a string of corners, some conceded unnecessarily, heading against the bar from one and sending a superb shot just over after a weak headed clearance from another. The half finished goalless and the lads had put in a hard working shift. The opening five minutes of the second half effectively settled the game. A fine move between Steve Tait and Oli Copeland saw Oli cross for Josh Atkinson to hit a crisp first time shot from the edge of the area straight at the keeper and a minute late Steve Tait spurned another half chance to open the scoring. The misses proved costly as Ash broke upfield and won a soft penalty with George Keeley going to ground and adjudged to have tripped the winger. The penalty was scored well, low and hard to the corner with Kizza rooted to the spot. Suddenly Fleet started to look weary and on fifteen minutes Kizza made a fine save palming the ball over from a fierce shot. Nish freshened things up bringing on Tom Price and Max Ottaway for the tiring Oli Copeland and Steve Tait and shortly after replaced Josh Atkinson with Harry Webster. The defence started to have trouble clearing their lines and conceded a poor goal in the 22nd minute of the half. Sam Tookey was caught the wrong side of the defender and ball and the winger raced in to the box, avoided the challenge of James Martin and squared the ball for the unmarked forward to tap in from five yards. The previously assured looking defence started to wobble and a third goal duly came in the final five minutes as a gaping hole in the central defence saw the Ash forward sent clear on goal to score easily. This was a decent effort by the lads, none more so than the hard working performance from Man of the Match Rob Garden, but also a harsh lesson. The 3-0 scoreline flattered Ash but things would have been different if we had converted just one of the several good chances created. Everything now rests on the final game at Bookham where a win would guarantee is finishing out of the bottom two.

18/03/2012

U14 Fleet Town Colts 4 Hanworth Sports Clarets 2 (SPL Premier League)

The Colts recorded their first win of 2012 with another battling display against the pacey and physical side from Hanworth. The match started badly, as so many have this season, as the Colts conceded a soft goal from a corner after just two minutes as the unmarked Hanworth player was gifted a free header at the far post. The next few minutes were difficult as Hanworth threatened to cut loose but the lads kept their shape and played themselves back in to the game. The scores should have been level on twelve minutes when following a Fleet corner Harry Webster smashed the ball against the bar from six yards out. The equaliser came just two minutes later though as Kieran Thorpe chased down Max Ottaways long punt forward, taking the ball from the onrushing keeper and walking it in to the net. The goal stunned Hanworth and just a few minutes later the keeper spilled a Rob Colfer freekick and was fortunate that no-one from Fleet had followed in. Fleet were indebted to some fine saves from Kizza and some brave defending as their opponents pressed forward in search of a second goal but it was Fleet that ended the half ahead. With two minutes of the half to play Rob Colfer was fouled around twenty yards out and up stepped Kieran Thorpe to send an unstoppable shot in to the Hanworth goal. It was so nearly 3-1 just minutes later as another freekick, this time from Rob Colfer, rebounded off of the keeper with Harry Webster clearing the bar with his follow-up. Josh Atkinson replaced Tom Price at the start of the second half and immediately settled in to a chasing and battling role. With just three minutes of the half played Fleet pulled 3-1 ahead as Harry Webster was tripped in the penalty area and Rob Colfer smashed the penalty confidently in to the net. With Hanworth clearly rattled Fleet had the better of the next few minutes and the excellent Alex Timms sent Kieran Thorpe clear after winning a fine tackle which resulted in a corner. As Hanworth upped the pace Fleet battled hard to keep their shape and composure but with fifteen minutes to play conceded a second goal in bizarre fashion as a lofted cross-shot from an acute angle ended up in the Fleet goal. Steve Tait replaced Jamie Helyar and Fleet prepared for a tempestuous end to the game. Hanworth poured forward only to find the resolute Fleet defence holding firm and Kizza comfortable saving the speculative shots from distance. With just three minutes to play the points were secured when Josh Atkinson charged down a pass in midfield and released Max Ottaway on the left who in turn found the hard working Kieran Thorpe. Taking the ball to the goal line and jinking in to the area Thorpey drew the defence and unselfishly laid the ball back for Josh Atkinson to slot home from six yards to secure the 4-2 win. This was a well deserved and hard fought win. The defence again played well as a unit with joint Man of the Match Alex Timms outstanding. The joint honour went to Kieran Thorpe who worked tirelessly throughout, imposed himself on the game and scored two great goals with the freekick a thing of beauty. Well done lads. Two games to go. Today we saw what could (and maybe should) have been this season.

11/03/2012

U14 Fleet Town Colts 0 Staines Albion 0 (SPL Premier League)

If a team is only as good as the last performance then we can say that Fleet Town Colts are be a team to be reckoned with if they put in the effort, commitment and grit they displayed against high flying Staines Albion. Having been beaten twice by Staines this season (in league and cup) the lads put in a performance they can all be proud of to earn a deserved scoreless draw and, with a little luck, could have snatched an unlikely win. Starting with a 4-5-1 formation the Colts set out to defend and a combination of strong tackling, controlled clearances and hard chasing frustrated Staines. The first twenty minutes passed without any clear chances for either side with the first event of note being the replacement of the tiring Josh Atkinson with Rob Garden. With five minutes of the half to play Kizza produced a fantastic block save from a fierce shot following a corner to keep the scores level before a Fleet counter attack down the Staines left saw Kieran Thorpe denied by a last ditch tackle. There was still time for one more heart stopping moment in the half as Kizza juggled a wickedly bouncing ball and parried it out to a Staines forward who headed goalward only for Jamie Hawkins to clear off of the line with a superb header. At the start of the second half Steve Tait replaced Harry Webster who had taken a knock on the head and within 20 seconds he had played a superb ball through to Thorpey who scuffed his shot. Just two minutes later Fleet fashioned another chance but Max Ottaway saw his bobbled shot pushed away for a corner. A quick throw-in from Rob Garden to Kieran Thorpe saw him step inside the defender and hit a fierce shot over the Staines bar from 25 yards. With Kizza looking secure in goal and handling well and the midfield working hard Staines became frustrated and the game became littered with some fierce tackles and a series of freekicks to both sides. Harry Webster returned after Alex Timms was hurt in a crunching tackle and at times Fleet played some nice football with Tait, Webster and Garden combining well to create openings. The Colts defence worked tirelessly as a unit and Staines were unable to penetrate. With a little over 7 minutes to play Fleet nearly conceded as for the first time in the game Jamie Hawkins missed his kick, Kizza blocked the shot as the Staines forward burst through and all were thankful to see the rebound being sent just over the bar. Ironically it was Fleet that could have stolen the game with 3 minutes remaining as Harry found Kieran Thorpe and his defence splitting pass saw the exhausted Tom Price race clear but he was unable to control the ball and the chance went away. As time expired Fleet conceded a corner and all were relieved to see a shot flash past the post after the ball had bobbled around the area for what seemed an eternity. The relief and pride at the final whistle was evident to see. This was a great result. Everyone deserves a mention so here goes : Kizza kept his first cleansheet of the season and proved what a great keeper he can be with a display of safe handling, brave shot stopping and fine kicking. The back four of James Martin, Jamie Hawkins, George Keeley and Alex Timms were almost faultless and played as a unit. Some of the positioning, tackling and cover play was excellent. The midfield all contributed with everyone making crucial tackles at some point. Josh Atkinson, Steve Tait and Harry Webster did well, Tom Price was industrious as always and Max Ottaway and Rob Garden put in their best performances this season. Kieran Thorpe worked hard up front often with no support. Man of the Match went to Rob Colfer who also played his best match this season working hard up and down the pitch, putting his foot in where it hurts and not losing focus when things didn't go as he wanted. This was a great team performance. Three more like this and we have a chance of getting the points needed to pull away from the relegation places. Well done Colts - proud of you all this week.

26/02/2012

U14 Fleet Town Colts 0 Woking Cougars 3 (SPL Premier League)

A pride restoring display from Fleet as the lads finally stepped up and put in the effort required to compete at this level. Playing a 5-4-1 formation the game almost started disastrously as George Keeley's weak pass was intercepted and the Woking forward shot just wide with 7 seconds played. After that Fleet settled and gave an assured defensive display, playing as a unit and getting support from Rob Garden, Jamie Helyar and Max Ottaway in midfield. Harry Webster was substituted after 25 minutes following a knock to the head with Rob Colfer coming on in midfield. Oli Copeland, playing as a lone forward against much bigger and stronger defenders, put in a huge effort and as the half wore on Fleet started to create chances of their own particularly through Rob and Jamie Helyar down the left. The first half ended goalless. Fleet almost conceded straight from the restart as Woking attacked down the Fleet left and their forward sent his low cross-shot just wide.The next few minutes were end to end with Rob Colfer having a shot deflected and a possible handball decision not given before Woking broke and Kizza produced a good save to tip a shot over his bar after James Martin had come second best in a crunching tackle. With ten minutes played Josh Atkinson replaced Sam Tookey. The next period of the match saw Fleet have their best spell - a fierce goalbound drive from Rob Colfer was blocked following a great Jamie Helyar corner and shortly after Max Ottaway scuffed his shot from within the box after a searching Jamie Helyar freekick. A leg injury saw Rob Garden replaced by Sam Tookey and then with just 15 minutes to play the game turned. Firstly Jamie Hawkins attempted clearance went high rather than long and the unchallenged Woking forward sent a looping header over Kizza and in to the goal. The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of the lads, heads dropped and within two minutes the score was 2-0 as the ball was lost cheaply in the middle and the Woking player sent a low shot beyond Kizza. Almost immediately though Rob Colfer played the pass of the match splitting the Woking defence for Sam Tookey to race clear and hit a tame shot at the keeper. The Colts misery was completed when the keeper sent a long kick downfield which bounced beyond the defence finding the Woking forward clear to loft the ball over Kizza for 3-0. Woking were now dominant and Kizza showed good hands to save a low freekick after Jamie Hawkins conceded a foul right on the edge of the area. With five minutes to play the weary Oli Copeland was replaced by Harry Webster. Fleet had two chances to break through in the final period with both falling to Rob Colfer as a nice exchange of passes with Max Ottaway saw him one on one with the keeper only to scuff his shot and then sending a long range freekick bobbling along the ground. It was Woking that had the final say though as another freekick conceded by Harry Webster on the edge of the area was hit high over the bar. The game ended 3-0 to Woking but the lads take credit for putting in a hard working effort and playing like a team. We saw some really good workmanlike efforts from Oli, Max, Rob and Man of the Match Jamie Helyar. If we can put in effort like this in the remaining matches we may pick up the points to keep us safe.

29/01/2012

U14 Fleet Town Colts 2 Beaulieu Colts 4 (SPL Premier League)

These match reports are becoming harder to write. On reflection this is one of those games that left a nasty taste in the mouth for several reasons. The Colts inept display, some biased decisions from the Beaulieu assistant referee / linesman and the consequent ill feeling that permeated the match. In short this was a fifth consecutive defeat for the Colts, the third consecutive defeat against sides they should have beaten and another lacklustre, passionless display. Opponents Beaulieu had scored just ten goals in their previous eleven league matches. To concede four against them (and that could have been far worse) probably sums things up. Playing with no subs (although Rob Garden would have stepped in if needed) the game got off to the usual horror show as Fleet gifted their visitors the lead after just four minutes. A hopeful high ball in to the area following a poor clearance by the Colts was inexplicably left by Alex Timms and fell to a Beaulieu forward who stabbed the ball in unopposed. The defence looked in disarray as there was no communication between James Martin and Jamie Hawkins and no-one leading the line. George Keeley was sorely missed. Despite some scares Fleet didn't concede again and started to get in to the match pulling level on ten minutes. A fine ball from Kieran Thorpe split the defence for Josh Atkinson to burst through and finish at the second attempt after the keeper had blocked his first effort. The goal gave Fleet the impetus and the first pivotal point of the game followed after 15 minutes. Another strong run from Josh saw him break clear of the Beaulieu defence, draw the keeper and square the ball to Max Ottaway to tap the ball in. As Fleet celebrated and returned to the halfway line the Beaulieu linesman belatedly flagged for offside. After a consultation with the referee the goal was disallowed although who was offside was unclear. Disappointed Fleet carried on and had the better of the remainder of the first half without creating any clear chances. With two minutes of the half to play a session of pinball around the edge of the Beaulieu area saw Tom Price, Rob Colfer and Steven Tait all have shots blocked. The break came with the score level at 1-1 and with all to play for. However, within two minutes of the restart Fleet were behind again. A hopeful ball down the Fleet right was poorly defended and the cross bobbled to a forward who missed his kick but still had time to hit a soft shot in to the goal with the central defence onlookers. Two minutes later it was 1-3 as Jamie Hawkins miscontrolled the ball and was dispossessed allowing the Beaulieu forward to run in on goal and send in a shot that crept under Kizza and in to the net. From 1-1 to 1-3 within five minutes of the restart. Heads dropped, the team lost any shape and many of the lads seemed to give up despite there being a lot of time to play. That said Fleet managed to fashion some openings with Steve Tait setting up Rob Colfer in the area only for his shot to fly high over the goal. With sixteen minutes of the second period played the second controversy of the afternoon arrived. Fleet were awarded a freekick just inside the Beaulieu half. Kieran Patel came out of goal to take the kick and sent the ball in to the area where it evaded all of the players and crept over the line as the last Beaulieu defender missed his kick. The players reaction was instant and they celebrated the goal only to find the linesman had decided the ball had been kept out. On this occasion the referee correctly overruled him and gave the goal which started the Beaulieu coaches and players questioning the referees integrity. With the game at 2-3 and Beaulieu rattled Fleet should have come out fighting but instead contrived to leak a fourth and decisive goal within five minutes. A hopeful throughball through the absent central defence saw Kizza rush out, call for it and totally miss his kick allowing the Beaulieu forward to run on and roll the ball in to the empty net. Horrible. Kizza atoned for his error minutes later parrying away a good shot but with time running out it was Beaulieu who made all the running and hit the bar twice which could have made the scoreline even worse. The missing central defence again allowed the Beaulieu forward to get to a free ball first only to see his lob sail over Kizza and come back off of the face of the bar before a Beaulieu corner was headed against the bar with the Fleet defence static. With time running out the match managed to end on another sour note as Fleet threw players forward and looked to have scored a consolation goal as Max Ottaway controlled a cross from the right, which came through a crowded goalmouth, and stabbed the ball over the Beaulieu keeper from 6 yards out. Protecting his teams lead the Beaulieu linesman again flagged for an imaginary offside, the referee gave the decision and a few players started to voice their opinion. Fortunately there was little time left to play and the Colts were beaten again. Whilst the consistent poor decisions from the Beaulieu linesman didn't help at the end of the day there was no spirit or fight or pride in the Colts display. We battle need some battlers on the pitch. Relegation is now looming unless Walton and Horsley play as badly as us in their remaining games. With Bookham, Staines, Hanworth, Woking and Ash to come we have a pretty tough run in. Now is the time to stand up and be counted.

22/01/2012

U14 AFC Westend 4 Fleet Town Colts 1 (Cup)

There is a song by Paloma Faith called 'Do you want the truth or something beautiful ?'. If you want the latter then look away now. Already without the injured Harry Webster, the ill Rob Colfer and the deserted Tom Burrell the squad were further depleted when Steve Tait decided he wasn't fit to play just before kick off. The game was played in windy conditions and the opening exchanges were pretty even until the Fleet offside trap was blown just 8 minutes in. Having come back to help defend Kieran Thorpe was slow pushing out as the rest of the back four stepped up leaving the Westend forward in acres of space to plant the ball past Kizza. With just over ten minutes gone Oli Copeland pulled a muscle and could take no further part leaving the Colts with no subs and few options as Jamie Hawkins came on to play as a forward. Kizza was called upon to make a sharp save as Westend counter attacked before Fleet started to get in to the game. A fine move saw Thorpe find Max Ottaway on the right who sent in an excellent low cross which Josh Atkinson hit over the bar. On 21 minutes the game was level as, having had a couple of efforts sail wide, Kieran Thorpe hit a superb drive (a little wind assisted) from over 25 yards which flew in to the net. The momentum was with Fleet and they dominated the next few minutes but failed to take some good chances. Jamie Hawkins cross was parried by the keeper only for Thorpes follow up shot to hit Josh Atkinsons backside rather than the net and minutes later Jamie Hawkins squandered a one on one chance having been sent clear by Josh. Fleet were then made to pay for the misses as Westend retook the lead. Having given the ball away cheaply up front the midfield went missing and an attack down the Fleet right saw the winger cut inside and disappointingly beat Kizza inside his near post with a low shot. Fleet rallied and finished the half strongly with Kieran Thorpe again trying from distance and Josh Atkinson twice coming close to levelling first with a curling freekick and then with a fine shot from the edge of the area which went narrowly wide. The half finished and the lads were still in the game at 2-1 but the second half was not one to remember. Within 6 minutes of the restart Westend showed they were going to make better use of the conditions sending in a high cross which Kizza fumbled, the Westend forward managing only to hit the bar before the ball was scrambled clear. Another twenty minutes passed with an unimaginative Fleet unable to keep the ball on the ground nor open up the Westend defence. The decisive moment came with ten minutes to play as Westend always threatening on the break attacked down their left forcing Kizza in to a splendid save only to see the rebound lifted across the goal to an unmarked forward to make the score 3-1. Minutes later Kizza again had to make a fine save before the Westend forward blazed a shot badly wide. When Fleet did get in to the Westend area they were devoid of ideas and although Max Ottaway clipped the bar with an effort after taking ages to get the ball in to the open it was Westend that showed how to finish. With time running out and the defence pushing up a breakaway attack made great use of the space and with the central defence missing a cross found a player on the edge of the area who placed a shot in to the bottom corner to seal victory by 4-1. Josh Atkinson was awarded Man of the Match for a gutsy effort but once again Fleet failed to play as a team, did not battle for the loose ball nor work as hard as they need to to compete in matches. AFC Westend deserved the win on the day but with due respect they are a side which we should have beaten comfortably. There is another song, 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going'. Sadly when the going gets tough many of the the Colts go in to hiding.

15/01/2012

U14 Fleet Town Colts 0 Walton Casuals Vikings 1 (SPL Premier League)

This was a fixture that Fleet should have won but on the day came up short again against an enthusiastic Walton Casuals team. In a game of few chances Fleet had the better of the opening period though in fairness rarely looked like scoring. Their best chance came on 10 minutes when a cross from Kieran Thorpe found Steve Tait on the 6 yard line only to see his scuffed shot easily saved by the Walton keeper. Other than a mention for the energetic display from the industrious Tom Price this was an uninspiring first half with the game looking like a banker for a goalless draw. Even that was not to be as the pivotal moment of the match came within 3 minutes of the restart as Walton were awarded a freekick on the edge of the penalty area after their forward appeared to trip himself up running towards goal with Alex Timms in close attention. The wall failed to do its job as the well struck shot from Walton's star player avoided everyone and nestled in the bottom corner of the goal. Kizza was called to make a decent save from a snapshot a minute later as Walton made better use of the slope. A poor defensive clearance from a corner on 18 minutes saw Walton threaten the goal with a shot which passed just over the bar. There was little imagination from the Colts as they failed to create a single clear cut scoring chance with the only threat coming from two corners both of which were easily cleared. Walton ran down the final minutes comfortably to secure what could be a significant result for both sides. The Walton keeper won't have many quieter games this season. Man of the Match went to Steve Tait for the first half performance which was his best so far.

08/01/2012

U14 Staines Albion 7 Fleet Town Colts 0 (SPL Premier League)

The goals against column took a hammering as Fleet conceded a flurry of late goals after putting up a decent second half performance against Staines Albion. The match started brightly for Fleet as a Tom Burrell corner in the first minute fell to George Keeley who was unable to convert but the customary early goal then put the Colts on the backfoot. With just five minutes played a poor clearance was returned in to the centre of the goalmouth where the Staines forward hooked the ball in to the net almost unchallenged. To their credit Fleet rallied and should have levelled scores after 12 minutes following a freekick as Tom Burrell's superb delivery in to the six yard box wasn't attacked by the forwards and still fell to Rob Garden who was unable to put the chance away. Staines were in no mood to sit back and two goals from set plays effectively settled the match before the break. On 22 minutes a corner resulted in the Staines player having a free header and less than ten minutes later another corner saw the loose ball stabbed in from inside the six yard box as the defence were slow to react. 3-0 at the break was a little harsh on the lads but our attack rarely threatened the Staines defence. The side was reshuffled for the second period as Jamie Hawkins replaced the injured George Keeley (who performed well in the first half) and Oli Copeland and Josh Atkinson replaced Steve Tait and Rob Garden. The opening period of the second half was pretty even with the Fleet defence holding firm and the midfield starting to hassle the Staines players. In an effort to give the side some impetus and presence Nish decided to put Kizza on to the pitch with Rob Colfer getting a lot of respect for taking the green keepers jersey. It wasn't long before he was called into action and made a fine save with the dependable James Martin adding a brave block as the ball rolled clear. Having kept the score at 3-0 for twenty minutes of the half and with Kizza putting in some energetic and tough tackling effort Fleet were punished by a quick break after Alex Timms had brought the ball out of defence and the forwards were unable to retain possession. The winger taking advantage of Timmsy being up the pitch raced clear and sent in an excellent cross which was met by the supporting forward. Fleets best effort came from a speculative long range effort by Kieran Thorpe which sailed over before another change saw Steve Tait replaced the injured Tom Burrell. With less than ten minutes to play Fleet conceded three late goals, the final one deep in to injury time as some sloppy defending and poor passing made it easy for Staines. A lofted shot from the edge of the area after Jamie Hawkins had lost possession gave Rob Colfer no chance, having lost their shape a close range effort made it 6-0 (although there was a hint of offside) and having failed to clear the ball up the park a hopeful long range shot sailed over Rob Colfer to rub salt in to the wound and end the game at 7-0. Sam Tookey was awarded Man of the Match for a gutsy display throughout. Kudos to Rob Colfer for going in goal when asked and for looking the part with some good keeping. Although the final score flattered Staines our attack never threatened their keeper and we didn't look like scoring. The uneven pitch was one of the worst we have played on this season. The referee was one of the best - unintrusive, assertive and using commonsense throughout. Well done ref.

04/12/2011

U14 Fleet Town Colts 2 Meadow Sports 3 (SPL Premier League)

A good display from the Colts who will be disappointed not to have come away with at least a draw against the division leaders Meadow Sports. The game started badly as Fleet conceded a cheap opening goal. With 4 minutes played the defence backed off the advancing forward failing to get a challenge in and his drive from 25 yards beat the flat footed Kizza who wasn't anticipating the shot. To their credit the lads rallied and within minutes a speculative effort from Tom Price sailed high and wide. On 13 minutes Kieran Thorpe smashed the ball in to the side netting from a tight angle before producing a fine run down the right wing on 18 minutes where his low pass saw Rob Colfer completely miss his kick from 6 yards out with the goal at his mercy. Max Ottaway also saw an effort blocked with 20 minutes played. Meadow looked the more threatening on the break and switched the point of attack well as they started to dominate the midfield. With no further scoring or major incident the half ended with Meadow leading 1-0. Nish shuffled the team for the second half taking Ottaway off and pushing Thorpe up front to play alongside Colfer and bringing Harry Webster in to midfield to support Tom Price. The team also saw Tom Burrell and Jamie Helyar replaced by Sam Tookey and Rob Garden. The changes seemed to work as straight from the restart Fleet pressed forward and 2 minutes in Kieran Thorpes fine cross fell to Sam Tookey 8 yards out only to see his effort deflected for a corner. From the resulting corner Fleet equalised as Harry Webster headed home Thorpe's excellent corner kick. For the next 5 minutes Fleet dominated the play and squandered two great chances to take the lead. Rob Garden won the ball well on the left and set Colfer racing in to the area where he rounded the keeper but could only hit the side netting from a tight angle. A minute later Thorpe won a tackle and took the ball in towards goal but inexplicably pushed his shot well wide from within the penalty area. The misses once again proved costly as Fleet conceded two poor goals in the space of 3 minutes. A corner from the left was headed in unchallenged at the far post and minutes later a breakaway resulted in the winger putting in a good cross where the unmarked forward nodded in to make it 1-3. The Meadow celebrations were short lived as the Colts rallied and Kieran Thorpe smashed the ball home from the edge of the area to make it 2-3. With 20 minutes still to play the next goal was crucial. Meadow threatened on the break with some strong running and decent shooting but the best chances fell to Fleet as they started to win more in midfield. Sam Tookey won a corner which resulted in another fine delivery by Thorpe being stabbed at first by Tookey and then by Webster but not getting across the line. Another fine corner from Tom Burrell on 30 minutes was scrambled clear and Meadow hung on for the win. The game finished on a sour note as Harry Webster was hacked down from behind and had to leave the pitch injured with the Meadow player receiving a yellow card that he can have no complaint about. This was a spirited effort from the team. Jamie Hawkins was awarded Man of the Match with Kieran Thorpe pushing him close. It was also another reminder not to concede cheap goals early on and to take our chances when they arise. If we could have taken the lead at some stage the result may well have been different.

27/11/2011

U14 Fleet Town Colts 4 Horsley A 2 (SPL Premier League)

A good second half performance and a battling display from the Colts as they overturned a 0-2 deficit to secure a valuable 3 points at home to Horsley. Fleet had the better of the opening exchanges with early chances falling to Steve Tait and Oli Copeland before some horrible defending gifted Horsley the lead. With 12 minutes played an attack down the Fleet left went unchallenged and the low cross in to the 6 yard box was missed by the defenders and stabbed home by the Horsley striker with Kizza rooted to the spot. The lads tried to rally and were awarded a freekick near the corner flag when Tom Burrell was impeded but his fine ball in went unchallenged. A well organised Horsley team looked to exploit Fleet on the break and gave further warning when they were allowed another chance to shoot unchallenged which saw Kizza make a decent save and drop on the rebound. With 20 minutes gone a huge dropkick from Kizza bounced nicely for Steve Tait who saw his speculative half volley tipped over the bar by the Horsley keeper at full stretch. Minutes later Kieran Thorpe tried his luck from 30 yards but placed the ball wide and Tom Burrell also came close with a left footed effort before disaster struck. Horsley were awarded a freekick and from the high clearance George Keeley only succeeded in heading the ball backwards straight to the waiting Horsley forward who lifted the ball expertly over Kizza and in to the net. It was just like the earlier game at Horsley - two cheap goals, not playing well and heading towards the break at 0-2 down. With 31 minutes on the clock a great piece of play by Kieran Thorpe gave Fleet a lifeline as he took the ball to the goal line and chipped in a pinpoint cross for Oli Copeland to nod in from close range. The half ended with the Colts trailing 1-2. For the second half Nish made a double substitution bringing on Rob Colfer and Jamie Helyar for Steve Tait and Max Ottaway. Within 5 minutes of the restart Fleet were level. Shortly after Kieran Thorpe had been sent free and pulled his shot wide of the mark Kizza sent a huge free kick from his own half in to the Horsley area where it was swept home by Rob Colfer to make it 2-2. Fleet the started to dominate the play with the influential Thorpe linking up well with Jamie Helyar to provide a chance for Oli Copeland and then releasing Helyar for a chance of his own. With 15 minutes played Rob Colfer produced a piece of sublime skill as he jinked inside two defenders and curled a great shot against the bar from the edge of the area. With the defence holding their line well and Josh Atkinson and Rob Garden having their best games so far Horsley rarely threatened but the goal wouldn't come. As the game hit the 25 minute mark Rob Garden released Helyar down the left with an excellent pass but his cross shot was comfortably saved before a Route One clearance by Kizza saw Colfer shoot wide from distance. The decisive moment came on 28 minutes as a Harry Webster through ball saw Kieran Thorpe battle his way in to the Horsley area and round the keeper before gleefully smashing the ball in to the gaping net. With 5 minutes to play the game was made safe as an excellent dribble by Rob Colfer saw him pull the ball back for Jamie Helyar. His shot was well saved by the Horsley keeper who could not hold the ball and the alert Oli Copeland put his foot in where it hurts to score his second of the match and secure the 4-2 win. This was a welcome result for the lads who did well to fight back after a disappointing first half. Good performances from Josh Atkinson, Rob Garden and Man of the Match Oli Copeland and a battling second half display from Harry Webster who became more involved after he had been clattered a couple of times. Must remember to kick him in the changing rooms before the next game.

20/11/2011

U14 Meadow Sports 5 Fleet Town Colts 2 (SPL Premier League)

Once again the Colts failed to get a result from a match that they deserved something from as for the third week some dubious officiating swung the game their opponents way. It was also another harsh lesson in taking chances and putting the game away. Fleet started the game brightly and took the lead after five minutes when Kieran Thorpe scored with a lofted shot from the edge of the area. Minutes later he sent another long range effort just over the bar and when Harry Webster hit the woodwork with a header from a good Tom Burrell corner on 10 minutes the lads had Meadow Sports rattled. Some debatable offside decisions prevented other promising attacks as Fleet attempted to play in Rob Colfer and Harry Webster through the channels. It was against the run of play that Meadow equalised on 25 minutes as their powerful centre forward eluded the Fleet offside line and lofted the ball over the advancing Kizza and in to the goal. Fleet regrouped and lifted their game with Harry Webster being sent clear after 32 minutes only to be knocked off the ball before seconds later Kieran Thorpe picked up the ball and unleashed a spectacular left footed effort from distance to restore the lead. The second half also started brightly with Oli Copeland getting free but failing to find Kieran with his pass and then lifting the ball over from 6 yards after Kieran had broken down the right and putting in an excellent cross. The missed chances proved costly as Meadow drew level on 10 minutes as a player was allowed to carry the ball almost the length of the field unchallenged before threading a ball through to the centre forward who poked the ball passed Kizza. It was a poor goal to concede. With a lot of decisions starting to go against the lads (poor offside flags, heavy challenges missed) Meadow started to get on top and took the lead from a blatant penalty after 19 minutes after Jamie Hawkins had scythed down their forward in the area. Then followed the decisive passage of play as Kieran Thorpe twice broke free seeing his shot blocked on the first effort and being clearly pulled back as he was about to shoot on the second with the referee choosing to ignore the foul. An equalising goal would have put the momentum back with Fleet but it was Meadow that got the next goal on 28 minutes when another high through ball saw their centre forward burst past George Keeley and challenge Kizza for the ball with his foot raised high. With both players hurt in the collision and the ball rolling in to the net the referee gave the goal deciding that the challenge was fair. There was still time for Kieran Thorpe to be denied his hat-trick as he skillfully rolled the defender and sent a shot against the post with the keeper beaten and for some poor defending to allow Meadow to grab an undeserved fifth goal right on the final whistle when Fleet should have cleared the ball away. This was another case of what could have been had decisions gone our way and chances been taken.

13/11/2011

U14 Hanworth Sports Clarets 2 Fleet Town Colts 2 (SPL Premier League)

A pride restoring performance from the Colts who will be a little disappointed not to have come away with the three points especially after a superb team performance in the first half. Hanworth signalled their intentions early with their fast forwards latching on to through balls and running direct at the Fleet defence. However this week the defence played as a unit and managed to snuff out the early threats with the increase in effort and determination symbolised by Tom Price's brave block of a freekick on eight minutes. Fleet then started to threaten the Hanworth goal but a flurry of corners failed to produce a clear scoring chance with George Keeley coming closest with a snap shot just wide after twenty minutes. The opening goal came on twenty six minutes. Kizza assertively claimed the ball from a Hanworth corner and cleared down the left channel where Max Ottaway collected the ball and was clattered in the back. From the resultant freekick Tom Burrell, returning from injury, curled a superb shot in to the top corner of the goal. Things got even better five minutes later when Timmsy won the ball in defence and played the ball wide for Harry Webster. An exchange of passes with Rob Colfer saw the ball played back to Kieran Thorpe who smashed the ball in from the edge of the area. The home side looked stunned and the lads came off with a 2-0 lead having given a really good account of themselves. For the second half Steve Tait replaced Max Ottaway who was injured by the challenge that earned the freekick for the first goal and he had a chance within two minutes of the restart after Kieran Thorpe had been fouled. On this occassion though his freekick was lofted gently over the wall and in to the arms of the waiting keeper. Fleet were still looking firm until Hanworth were given a lifeline from a harshly awarded penalty after ten minutes. Having delayed the attacker and stood his ground George Keeley was adjudged to have handled the ball which was lifted in to his arm. The penalty was smashed home and Hanworth were visibly lifted by the goal. However it was Fleet that had the chance to put the game away as they spurned a number of openings. Rob Colfer then Harry Webster lashed shots wide and then Kieran Thorpe having worked an opening for himself somehow pushed the ball wide of the target. The misses were to prove crucial as the lads tired and started to pick up knocks and Hanworth grew in confidence. Tom Burrell was replaced by Oli Copeland after getting cramp and Jamie Hawkins was left carrying a leg injury after making a crunching tackle. The equaliser came on thirty minutes as Fleet for almost the first time in the game failed to clear their lines and allowed the Hanworth forward to get in to the area and lash the ball home. With the fatigued Steve Tait replaced by Rob Garden the Colts managed to see out the final minutes to gain a deserved point. The first half performance was one to be proud of - battling for the ball, strong in the challenge and organised in defence. There were many contenders for Man of the Match which was awarded to Tom Price who epitomised the spirit in the team with a gutsy display. Jamie Hawkins having his best game for a while, Alex Timms and Harry Webster ran him close and Max Ottaway gave his best effort so far before coming off at the break.

06/11/2011

U14 Woking Cougars 9 Fleet Town Colts 1 (SPL Premier League)

Whilst it would be easy to focus on the biased, incompetent and downright disgraceful performance of the 'referee' the Colts have to look closely at themselves after what was another lacklustre performance with some woeful defending. Having been asked to focus and put in a strong start after conceding early goals Fleet conceded within two minutes as some half-hearted tackles allowed the Woking forward to walk through the defence and smash the ball home. A decent piece of football on five minutes saw Rob Colfer set up Kieran Thorpe but his tame effort was cleared. Three goals in four minutes then finished the game as feeble defending and ignored offside flags gave the game to Woking. On eight minutes the left hand side of the defence was absent as the unmarked forward saw his shot palmed in to the net by Kizza, some more weak tackles allowed a third goal two minutes later after an offside was over-ruled and Jamie Hawkins missed tackle contributed to the fourth. The Colts tried to rally but a flurry of offside decisions, where the enthusiastic flagging of the Woking linesman was seen by the referee, prevented a number of promising attacks. On 25 minutes Fleet did score after some fine play by Harry Webster down the left wing saw his cross tapped in by Rob Colfer. The recovery was short-lived as another offside decision against Woking was ignored allowing the unmarked forward to make it 5-1 at the break. The team formation and personnel was changed for the second half and within a minute of the restart Harry Webster went close with a header from a corner. A minute later though Woking went further ahead when the normally reliable James Martin sliced his clearance high back over his head for the forward to run through and score with ease. With 14 minutes of the half gone it was 7-1 as the defence failed to clear the ball any distance and the Woking forward broke through and lobbed the ball over Kizza. The game then took a farcical twist. With the linesman flagging for a blatant offside the Woking forward played on, raced towards goal and was bundled off the ball by Kizza. The referee awarded a penalty despite the linesman calling his attention to the offside and being totally ignored. An inappropriate comment by a disappointed and bemused Colts player saw him shown the red card. The penalty was scored uncontested and with their concentration completely gone Fleet conceded another soft goal with still 15 minutes to play. The final action of the match - and in itself a significant one - saw Max Ottaway rattle the Woking crossbar from the edge of the area with a fierce shot. There were three minutes of the game left. This was the first shot on target except for the tap-in goal. And therein lies a lot of the Colts problems.

30/10/2011

U14 Fleet Town Colts 0 Staines Albion 4 (Cup)

After last weeks capitulation Fleet restored some pride with a battling and gutsy display against Staines Albion in the cup. Adopting a new formation of 4-2-3-1 the Colts made a horrid start as with only seconds gone the Staines star player broke through only to see his shot come back off the inside of the post and roll along the goal line before being cleared. A succession of corners followed which the lads defended quite well but it was all one way traffic as Fleet could not seem to break out of their half and retain the ball. With just over ten minutes gone Staines took the lead when a long clearance saw their forward outpace the defence and beat Kizza in a 1 on 1. To their credit the lads battled back and George Keeley, Jamie Hawkins, James Martin and Alex Timms seemed to grow in stature as a defensive unit against an often overtly physical opponent. Despite getting more possession Fleet failed to create any clear chances other than a tempting cross from the lively Jamie Helyar after he made a good run down the left flank. Staines scored the decisive goal shortly before the interval when a nice corner routine saw the cross headed powerfully in to the goal. Nish decided not to change the team during the break and the lads came out battling in the second period. In the first minute Steve Tait got in a decent cross from the right and with five minutes played Rob Colfer won a freekick a few yards outside the area but saw his shot sail high over the bar. With twenty five minutes left Fleet shuffled the pack - Sam Tookey and Rob Colfer were replaced by Oli Copeland and Rob Garden and the team reorganised. The changes worked well and Fleet started to dominate play and with the defensive line holding firm and cutting out any breakaways Staines were on the back foot. However the Colts failed to create any clearcut chances and their shooting from distance was poor with Kieran Thorpe, Jamie Helyar and Steve Tait failing to trouble the keeper with wayward efforts. With less than ten minutes to go and very much against the run of play Staines scored a third. Fleet twice failed to clear the ball allowing the Staines star player, who had moved to a more defensive role in the second half, to hit a long shot high over Kizza and in to the net. It was a cruel blow and a fourth goal with only a couple of minutes left rubbed salt in the wounds as the Staines forward ran the ball from distance avoiding challenges before placing the ball in at the near post. The final score flattered Staines who were under pressure for much of the second half with the Colts defence outstanding. George Keeley was named Man of the Match for a battling display although all of the back four were excellent. Steve Tait and Jamie Helyar also put in a decent shift today. We just need to start scoring goals.

23/10/2011

U14 Fleet Town Colts 1 Bookham Arrows 5 (SPL Premier League)

With Jamie Hawkins and George Keeley, the centre of the defence, missing through injury and the late withdrawal of the injured Rob Garden and Rob Colfer the Colts were down to the bare bones as they entertained Bookham Arrows. A reshuffled team saw Tom Price and Josh Atkinson at central defence, a four man midfield of Tom Burrell, Max Ottaway, Harry Webster and Jamie Helyar with Kieran Thorpe and Oli Copeland up front. Almost straight from the kick off the Colts conceded easy possession and a flat footed defence were lucky not to fall behind as the unmarked forward blazed over from just yards out. It didn't take long for Bookham to take the lead as just minutes later Fleet lost the ball cheaply in midfield and a good pass sent the Bookham forward through on goal where he lobbed the ball over Kizza and in to the goal - with Kizza clattering and winding the chasing Josh Atkinson as he came rushing out. After a short break Josh was back on his feet and Fleet tried to settle in to the game. A great chance to equalise was spurned on ten minutes as Max Ottaway broke down the right and pulled the ball back to the unmarked Kieran Thorpe on the penalty spot who dragged his shot badly wide. Bookham were the more assertive team, first to the loose ball and out battling a weak Colts midfield and could have scored on several occasions but for some poor finishing. However it was Fleet that levelled on twenty five minutes as Kieran Thorpe slotted home a penalty kick after he had been felled by the Bookham keeper. What should have been the spark to get the lads going was proven to be just a false hope as they conceded two poor goals before the break. On thirty minutes Bookham were awarded a free kick just outside the area. As Fleet tried to organise their defensive line with Bookham sending their tall defenders forward the striker calmly passed the ball wide of a two man wall in to the corner of the goal with Kizza caught flat footed and unable to get near it. Oli Copeland then spurned the chance to equalise when heading over from close range. Worse was to come as two minutes later Kizza brought down the Bookham winger outside of the penalty area after he had been sent clear. After a short delay as the player recovered a Bookham forward placed the ball high in to the top corner of the goal totally catching the defence and Kizza unawares as they tried to set themselves. These two sucker punch goals just before the break effectively ended the game and worse news was to follow as Tom Burrell limped off at half time to take no further part being replaced by Steve Tait. The first action of the second period saw Thorpey break through but hit a tame shot at the keeper. From a Fleet corner Bookham won the ball cheaply and broke the length of the pitch with the lads failing to get a single tackle in before the ball was crossed for the waiting player to score easily. With twenty minutes left Fleet were down to ten men as Max Ottaway had to leave the pitch after a strong tackle left him with a gashed shin. With Josh Atkinson moving to midfield and Fleet going with a three man defence the team started to show more fight but it was only a superb save from Kizza pushing a shot on to the bar that kept the score at 1-4. He also had the best attempt of the second half as his freekick from halfway was palmed over by the Bookham keeper. Josh Atkinson also had a good shot comfortably saved before deep in to almost ten minutes of injury time Bookham rubbed salt in to the wounds by scoring a fifth goal as the tired defence were outpaced and the cross found an unmarked player waiting to tap in. This was a poor, almost spineless, display by the team. There was no fight in midfield and we conceded possession too cheaply. Bookham were a physical team not afraid to nudge players off the ball and make strong tackles but we just did not compete. Josh Atkinson had a decent game as did Tom Price (in the second half) and Timmsy. James Martin was named Man of the Match. This was a harsh lesson against a team that we were capable of beating. The injuries played a large part in the result but the inept performance can't be blamed on the missing players. We will need to be 100% better next week else our cup run will be aborted at the first hurdle.

09/10/2011

U14 Horsley Athletic 2 Fleet Town Colts 2 (SPL Premier League)

Hugely disappointing performance from the lads against a team they should have beaten comfortably. Conceding a soft goal after three minutes set the tone as Kizza decided not to come for a through ball, Sam Tookey and Jamie Hawkins failed to clear and the Horsley forward took the chance to punish the mistakes. Fleets best effort of the half came on the 8th minute when Steve Tait saw his goalbound effort well saved by the Horsley keeper after a good through pass from George Keeley. After that it was a case of some wayward shooting with Steve Tait, Max Ottaway and Kieran Thorpe blazing efforts high and wide. Whilst Fleet had a lot of the ball they did little with it and Horsley always looked as if they could break through as they were first to the loose ball and sharper in the tackle. That said Oli Copeland came close to levelling following a good move on the half hour and the half finished with Max Ottaway shooting just over the bar. The half time hair drier treatment, playing with the stiff breeze and the substitution of Harry Webster for Tom Price looked to have worked as Kieran Thorpe shot high and wide within a minute of the restart. After that the poor play returned, passes were misplaced, challenges conceded and the team lost their shape and it was no surprise, if disappointing, that Horsley went further ahead after 12 minutes of the half. A ball to the heart of the defence saw Jamie Hawkins miss his kick and the diminutive forward raced through to lob the ball over Kizza in to the back of the net. With under 15 minutes to play Nish rang the changes as Harry Webster replaced the tiring Max Ottaway, Alex Timms came on for Rob Garden and the Colts moved to playing three at the back. With around seven minutes to play Fleet were offered a lifeline following a piece of class football which showed what they can do. Kieran Thorpe won the ball in the Horsley half and found Josh Atkinson rampaging down the right wing with a well weighted pass. Josh put in a superb first time cross which was met by a bullet header from Harry Webster to make it 2-1. Fleet finally started to show some urgency as Horsley tried to run out time and with two minutes to play equalised when the alert Harry Webster was on hand to put in the rebound after the Horsley keeper could only parry Kieran Thorpe's shot. Despite escaping with the draw this was not a good performance by the lads - and they knew it. Hopefully they will come out and put things right in the next game.

02/10/2011

U14 Beaulieu Colts 1 Fleet Town Colts 4 (SPL Premier League)

A good team performance from the Colts in a midday match played in exceptionally hot weather away at Beaulieu. The home side probably had the better of the opening minutes, winning an early corner and being sharper to the ball and winning most of the tackles. However, having weathered the early pressure, it was Kieran Thorpe that opened the scoring with a swerving, well driven shot in the sixteenth minute. The goal settled the Fleet team down and they started to dominate the play and control the ball. A few minutes after the goal Fleet were awarded a free kick for handball outside the area and Kieran Thorpe saw his floated shot bounce off of the bar. It wasn't long before the second goal came courtesy of a fine long range shot from Steve Tait following some good work by Rob Colfer making it 2-0 after twenty five minutes. Beaulieu did threaten on the break and a fine move saw their forward narrowly volley over the bar from a dangerous cross. The half finished with Fleet again threatening and Rob Colfer was unlucky to see a fine header crash against the bar from a very good corner taken by Tom Burrell. The second half saw Sam Tookey replace Tom Burrell and within two minutes of the restart the result was effectively settled when Colfer was sent through on goal and saw his low shot across the keeper nestle in the back of the net. Seconds after the restart a good ball from George Keeley found Max Ottaway who helped the ball on to the rampaging Colfer who pushed the ball narrowly wide of the post with the advancing keeper beaten. Kieran Thorpe made it 4-0 after just eight minutes of the half with a cross shot in to the corner of the goal. Fleet were almost caught immediately when a through ball eluded the defence and only a fine stop by Kizza prevented a goal. Oli Copeland and Rob Garden replaced Steve Tait and Max Ottaway as Nish swapped some tiring legs and the chances continued to come. It was disappointing that with twenty minutes to play Fleet conceded a goal having failed to clear after George Keeley had made a fine tackle in the area with the Beaulieu forward reacting quickest and slamming the ball home although on reflection the Beaulieu side probably deserved a goal. Minutes later Thorpey crashed another long distance effort off of the bar before sending over an excellent cross that Colfer headed wide with the goal at his mercy. Oli Copeland also came close chasing a through ball but the final score remained at 4-1 as a number of late substitutions saw Burrell replace Webster, Tait replace Colfer, who had a decent match, and Webster come back on for the injured Rob Garden. A good three points and a deserved win but still room for improvement. Honorable mentions for Alex Timms giving an almost faultless display at left back, Harry Webster and George Keeley with Tom Price also making a valuable contribution.

25/09/2011

U14 Fleet Town Colts 0 Ash United 1 (SPL Premier League)

Despite last weeks win this match against experienced Premier league team Ash United was always going to be a challenge for the Colts. The first half was an even encounter as Fleet battled well against a physical, well organised side with some imposing forwards. The back four looked secure with Alex Timms solid at left back and Jamie Hawkins, George Keeley and James Martin all making crucial tackles. Ash had the better of the few chances created in the first period and Kizza will have been relieved to see a long range punted effort bounce over the bar right at the end of the half. The lads had worked tirelessly with Josh Atkinson putting in a great effort and Tom Price battling well against some big lads in the midfield. The telling fact though was that the Ash keeper had not made a single save in the first half. The pivotal action in the second half came with 18 minutes played. Firstly a Fleet attack down the right flank saw Sam Tookey play a fine ball though to Rob Colfer who saw his shot well saved by the Ash keeper. Fleet applied pressure from the resulting corner but were unable to break through and a few minutes later Ash grabbed the decisive goal. Winning the ball in midfield a fine defence splitting pass sent the centre forward clear through on goal to plant the ball past the advancing Kizza. The Colts tried to rally but their best effort came when Kieran Thorpe was tripped and sent the resulting freekick high over the bar. With time running out Ash broke again and this time it took a good save from Kizza in a one on one situation to prevent a second goal. This was a hard working performance from the Colts who perhaps deserved more from the game although, with the exception of the shot from Rob Colfer, they failed to test the Ash keeper. Good performances from Josh Atkinson, the back four, Kizza in goal and Man of the Match Tom Price who again battled well in intimidating circumstances.

18/09/2011

U14 Walton Casuals Vikings 1 Fleet Town Colts 3 (SPL Premier League)

Having agreed to move up to the Premier Division the Colts notched up three points in their opening fixture with a hard fought 3-1 win away at Walton Casuals. After a slow and even start Fleet started to play some nice football and were unlucky not to take the lead on ten minutes as Tom Burrell rattled the bar with a rasping shot. The breakthrough came soon after when Burrell's excellent corner was bundled over the line by Harry Webster. Although Walton threatened with some quick attacks the defence looked pretty solid and Tom Price and Tom Burrell worked energetically in the midfield to break up the play. With little over five minutes to go to the break the Colts extended their lead as Kieran Thorpe's long range shot squirmed through the keepers grasp. The second period saw Walton come back in to the game appearing to be faster to the ball and sharper in the tackle. Fleet started to lose their shape. Some poor shooting and some fine keeping from Kizza prevented a goal and Fleet were indebted to the post as the Walton forward crashed the ball goalbound after a mistake by Jamie Hawkins. Having weathered the storm Max Ottaway looked to have sealed the match as with twenty minutes left he jinked inside and saw his shot somehow elude the keeper who will be disappointed not to have saved it. The goal spurred Walton on and with ten minutes left they scored a fine powerfully headed goal from a corner. Both forward lines then exchanged long range shots with Kieran Thorpe lashing the ball just over the bar. With time running out Walton almost snatched a late consolation as Fleet were indebted to Josh Atkinson's excellent and brave clearance off of the goal line. A good win for the lads but plenty of room for improvement. Man of the Match was awarded to the almost faultless James Martin. There will be tougher challenges to come as Fleet rode their luck at times during this game but a good three points in the bag.

11/09/2011

U14 Fleet Town Colts 10 AFC Westend 2 (SPL Div 1)

The U14 Colts got their season off to a great start with a comprehensive win against visiting AFC Westend. Showing their attacking intent Fleet had an early chance with Harry Webster hitting the post from Rob Colfer's cross before taking the lead on five minutes when George Keeley bundled the ball over the line after Harry's effort had been blocked following a fine corner from Tom Burrell. However the lead was short lived as the Colts gave the ball away cheaply in midfield and some static defending allowed the visitors to equalise. The next few minutes were quite even before Fleet started to take control of the match with Tom Price, Burrell and Kieran Thorpe running the midfield and setting up chances for the pacy forward combination of Colfer and Webster. Some long range efforts kept the Westend keeper alert and Harry was again close to scoring but the lead wasn't regained until the final ten minutes of the half when Max Ottaway scored from an excellent Tom Price cross after Burrell had released him down the right. Kieran Thorpe added a third smashing the ball home after his initial attempt had been blocked but Westend finished the half with a close effort as the Colts defence failed to take control of a through ball and clear their lines. The second half was largely one way traffic after Steven Tait rattled the bar within minutes of the restart and three goals in 5 minutes effectively settled the result. Firstly Rob Colfer opened his account with a crisp shot, Max netted his second from a Kieran Thorpe cross and Steve Tait smashed in an excellent strike from the edge of the area. The one blemish of the second half came almost straight from the kick-off as Westend were allowed to stroll through some feeble challenges and pull the score back to 6-2 as the defence switched off. Fleet started to lose their shape a little as players went in search of goal glory and substitutions were made to give all of the lads a chance. Max Ottaway completed his hat-trick netting from a corner and with 15 minutes left Tom Burrell capped an excellent performance crashing the ball home following another corner. Two contenders for goal of the season followed as first Rob Colfer and then Tom Burrell scored their second goals respectively with excellent long range shots to complete the 10-2 win. Overall a good performance with captain Kizza in commanding form in goal and James Martin, Jamie Hawkins, George Keeley, Alex Timms and Josh Atkinson putting in solid defensive displays. Industrious performances from Tom Price, Man of the Match Tom Burrell and Kieran Thorpe in midfield and some excellent goals from Max Ottaway, Rob Colfer and Steve Tait. Harry Webster was a constant threat, very unlucky not to score and set up many of the early goals and Oli Copeland and Sam Tookey contributed well when coming on for the final period. The next thing to work on is to retain our shape and positions for a full game and try and prevent the defensive lapses which may have been costly against a better side.