This Sunday there really was only place to be heading, Fleet in Hampshire. Fleet Town Women were taking on Bursledon in the home side's final game of the Southern Region Division One South season. A point adrift of Havant 7 Waterlooville, with a much inferior goal difference, Fleet required all three points to leapfrog The Hawks and take the league title. Earlier in the season Fleet had edged a tight game at Bursledon by 3-2 after being hauled back from a 2-0 lead. However, a recent wobbly in the run in, three defeats in their last six league outings, meant that this one was far from a done deal. The Dons, in their first season a this level, had already shown that they are capable of competing with the best the league could throw at them and were certainly not here to make up the numbers.
So, on a bright but breezy and chilly afternoon, it was all down to the final 90 minutes of the season for Fleet and Havant.
So, on a bright but breezy and chilly afternoon, it was all down to the final 90 minutes of the season for Fleet and Havant.
Fleet kept Jade Kibell busy If Fleet had any nerves going into this game, they were quickly put to rest when the home side went ahead after just one minute. Isabella Moffett got the ball on the left-hand side of the penalty area, cut inside a defender and unleashed a rocket that flew into the roof of Jade Kibell's net. 1-0
Fleet looked in no mood to settle for a single goal and continued to pour forward, only to find Kibell in fine form again. The Bursledon stopper made a double save from Kiera Simpson, did well to keep Dior Knorr out and prevented Lily martin from getting on the score sheet, all before the half-hour was up. In the midst of those saves, there was one effort that did get pas her her. Simpson, with some dazzling footwork, danced through a crowd of defenders before smashing a low drive off the post with Kibell beaten.
However, despite almost constant pressure, it remained 1-0 and you know what comes next.
With 37 on the clock, the ball was played to Isobel Pouncy near the halfway line. She delivered an inch-perfect through ball for Zoe Bache to run onto. Bache brushed off a challenge before lifting the ball over the advancing Chloe Harper. A great finish and The Dons were level with their first effort on target. 1-1.
As it stood, Havant & Waterlooville were taking the title on goal difference, but it didn't stay that way too long.t Just five minutes after being pegged back, Fleet were back in front. Olivia Cervino picked out Dior Knorr with a raking cross-field pass. The winger, who has played 10 games in the National League for Wimbledon this season, cut inside Nicola Curtis and drove a low strike past Kibell. 2-1. That was a crucial blow from Fleet. Having dominated the half, if they had gone in level at the break, they may have felt deflated. As it was, they went in a goal to the good and with one hand on the trophy.
HT Fleet Town 2 Bursledon 1. A half in which Fleet dominated possession but didn't make the most of their chances, partially through wastefulness, partially through another great goalkeeping display from Jade Kibell. Bursledon's goal, however, demonstrated that a single goal lead can be a very fragile position. It only took one ball over the top to break them down.
Fleet looked in no mood to settle for a single goal and continued to pour forward, only to find Kibell in fine form again. The Bursledon stopper made a double save from Kiera Simpson, did well to keep Dior Knorr out and prevented Lily martin from getting on the score sheet, all before the half-hour was up. In the midst of those saves, there was one effort that did get pas her her. Simpson, with some dazzling footwork, danced through a crowd of defenders before smashing a low drive off the post with Kibell beaten.
However, despite almost constant pressure, it remained 1-0 and you know what comes next.
With 37 on the clock, the ball was played to Isobel Pouncy near the halfway line. She delivered an inch-perfect through ball for Zoe Bache to run onto. Bache brushed off a challenge before lifting the ball over the advancing Chloe Harper. A great finish and The Dons were level with their first effort on target. 1-1.
As it stood, Havant & Waterlooville were taking the title on goal difference, but it didn't stay that way too long.t Just five minutes after being pegged back, Fleet were back in front. Olivia Cervino picked out Dior Knorr with a raking cross-field pass. The winger, who has played 10 games in the National League for Wimbledon this season, cut inside Nicola Curtis and drove a low strike past Kibell. 2-1. That was a crucial blow from Fleet. Having dominated the half, if they had gone in level at the break, they may have felt deflated. As it was, they went in a goal to the good and with one hand on the trophy.
HT Fleet Town 2 Bursledon 1. A half in which Fleet dominated possession but didn't make the most of their chances, partially through wastefulness, partially through another great goalkeeping display from Jade Kibell. Bursledon's goal, however, demonstrated that a single goal lead can be a very fragile position. It only took one ball over the top to break them down.
Knorr's free-kick looks goal bound Six minutes into the second half Fleet put daylight between themselves and their opponents when Knorr's cross from the right was unfortunately diverted into the goal by a Bursledon defender. 3-1. A minute later Kibell made a superb save to keep out Dior's free-kick that was heading for the bottom corner. That save, keeping it at a two-goal advantage, could well have been crucial as, just before the hour, Bursledon got another goal back. Awarded a free-kick way out on the right, Number 8 (sorry, no team sheet, so I didn't get all the names) sent the ball towards the front post, deceiving Harper. 3-2. Hard to say if the attempt at goal was deliberate or just putting the ball into an area, but it doesn't matter, it was game on again.
If there were any visiting Hawks fans in the crowd, they would have been urging The Dons forward at this point. Fleet supporters were definitely entering what Sir Alex Ferguson called 'squeaky bum time'. The locals must have had their hearts in their mouths on 80 minutes, when another ball over the home defence saw Zoe Bache clear of her marker. However, Chloe Harper had read the danger and was fast off her line to just get to the ball first. It was literally a matter of inches in it. Excellent goalkeeping to be so alert.
With only a minute of normal time remaining, a series of events led to Bursledon being reduced to 10 temporarily. It began with a controversial decision to give a throw to Fleet, when it was clear for everyone to see that it should have been a Dons ball. When the ball was launched forward, Rachel Richards was then penalised for a foul that was also debateable. Frustration boiled over for the Dons defender, who let the referee know her feelings. There's no excuse for dissent, but with her team chasing the game, Richards was clearly wound up. The referee sent her to the sin-bin.
Two minutes later Gina Saltykova, who had been excellent in the Fleet midfield, sent a shot over Kibell only to see it come back off the bar. That could have sealed it. Then, 5 minutes into added time, Harper threw herself into the mix to grab the ball as Bursledon threatened again. The keeper took an accidental knock to the head from Bache for her troubles, leading to an extended period of treatment before she could continue. The game continued and, from somewhere, the referee had found even more added time. With the second period ticking towards the hour mark, Fleet finally made the game, the points and the title safe when Dior Knorr slammed the ball past Kibell. 4-2. There was still enough time for Richards to make a brief re-appearance, which shows how much added time was played, but it was soon all over, amidst scenes of joy for the Fleet players, coaches and supporters.
FT Fleet Town 4 Bursledon 2. A deserved victory for Fleet on the balance of play. However, Bursledon made them work for the points. Ultimately, the home side had a little too much going forward. Kiera Simpson was a constant thorn in the side of the visitors defence and Dior Knorr caused problems both wide right and, in the second half, a more central role.
Massive congratulations to Fleet who, after a little wobble late on, take the Division One South title and will be playing in the Premier league next season. Commiserations to Havant & Waterlooville, who took the title race to the wire.
Bursledon still have one league game to play, away at AFC Stoneham next weekend, and could still finish above Woking if they were to win it.
Fleet Town: Harper, Hayman, Corrigal, Lewis(c), Saltykova, Granger, Cervino, Martin, Moffett, Simpson, Knorr. Subs: Stuart, O'Connor, Robinson, Roberts, Winyard
If there were any visiting Hawks fans in the crowd, they would have been urging The Dons forward at this point. Fleet supporters were definitely entering what Sir Alex Ferguson called 'squeaky bum time'. The locals must have had their hearts in their mouths on 80 minutes, when another ball over the home defence saw Zoe Bache clear of her marker. However, Chloe Harper had read the danger and was fast off her line to just get to the ball first. It was literally a matter of inches in it. Excellent goalkeeping to be so alert.
With only a minute of normal time remaining, a series of events led to Bursledon being reduced to 10 temporarily. It began with a controversial decision to give a throw to Fleet, when it was clear for everyone to see that it should have been a Dons ball. When the ball was launched forward, Rachel Richards was then penalised for a foul that was also debateable. Frustration boiled over for the Dons defender, who let the referee know her feelings. There's no excuse for dissent, but with her team chasing the game, Richards was clearly wound up. The referee sent her to the sin-bin.
Two minutes later Gina Saltykova, who had been excellent in the Fleet midfield, sent a shot over Kibell only to see it come back off the bar. That could have sealed it. Then, 5 minutes into added time, Harper threw herself into the mix to grab the ball as Bursledon threatened again. The keeper took an accidental knock to the head from Bache for her troubles, leading to an extended period of treatment before she could continue. The game continued and, from somewhere, the referee had found even more added time. With the second period ticking towards the hour mark, Fleet finally made the game, the points and the title safe when Dior Knorr slammed the ball past Kibell. 4-2. There was still enough time for Richards to make a brief re-appearance, which shows how much added time was played, but it was soon all over, amidst scenes of joy for the Fleet players, coaches and supporters.
FT Fleet Town 4 Bursledon 2. A deserved victory for Fleet on the balance of play. However, Bursledon made them work for the points. Ultimately, the home side had a little too much going forward. Kiera Simpson was a constant thorn in the side of the visitors defence and Dior Knorr caused problems both wide right and, in the second half, a more central role.
Massive congratulations to Fleet who, after a little wobble late on, take the Division One South title and will be playing in the Premier league next season. Commiserations to Havant & Waterlooville, who took the title race to the wire.
Bursledon still have one league game to play, away at AFC Stoneham next weekend, and could still finish above Woking if they were to win it.
Fleet Town: Harper, Hayman, Corrigal, Lewis(c), Saltykova, Granger, Cervino, Martin, Moffett, Simpson, Knorr. Subs: Stuart, O'Connor, Robinson, Roberts, Winyard
The Ground
Fleet normally play their home games at the club's Crookham Road ground. However, today they had chosen to switch venues to the artificial surface at nearby Hart Leisure Centre. There's not too much to say about the ground. It's a standard 3G pitch surrounded by a green mesh fence, as you see at many leisure centres and community facilities. There's a very large car park at the centre, which is free of charge for the first 3 hours. The leisure centre has a cafe and toilet facilities just a short walk from the pitch. There's no spectator cover, of course, and on this occasion, they were not allowing spectators inside the cage. Presumably expecting a reasonably large crowd and, to be fair, there's not too much room between the touchline and the cage.
Ground Number: 448
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
Fleet normally play their home games at the club's Crookham Road ground. However, today they had chosen to switch venues to the artificial surface at nearby Hart Leisure Centre. There's not too much to say about the ground. It's a standard 3G pitch surrounded by a green mesh fence, as you see at many leisure centres and community facilities. There's a very large car park at the centre, which is free of charge for the first 3 hours. The leisure centre has a cafe and toilet facilities just a short walk from the pitch. There's no spectator cover, of course, and on this occasion, they were not allowing spectators inside the cage. Presumably expecting a reasonably large crowd and, to be fair, there's not too much room between the touchline and the cage.
Ground Number: 448
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
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