Godalming Town 1 (1) v (2) 2 Fleet Town – League

After the disappointment of the result on Saturday against Epsom and Ewell, the Gs came back and answered their critics in the most emphatic way and almost snatched an equaliser in the final moments in this clash with top of the table Fleet Town.

This was a good game from start to finish and in the end the result could have gone either way and a draw would probably have been a fair result in my book.

With Sam Fernley having to join the growing injured player’s list following Saturday’s encounter and with Deji Alabi newly wed, it was good to see that Jonny Miller was back in service after his recent injury. It seems likely that Sam will be out for at least four weeks. Such a shame as he had just come back from a previous injury and was making such an impact.

 So, the squad list featured another newcomer, on top of those we saw on Saturday. Welcome to Mohamed. Stephen Douglas was in goal, Alex Afful, Evan Kelly, Elliott Creely and Taylor Green made up the back four. Conor Stillwell, Cameron Edwin (c) and Jonny Miller in the middle with Mark Soares and Dan Boyden the wide players with Shane Johnson in the centre forward position. Waiting in the wings were Jav Waugh and Callum Stockley,  Max McGill, and Angus Mackay, whom we met on Saturday alongside Mohamed Amzil el Azouan

The Gs started well enough. Were awarded a free kick early on, which Evan Kelly got his head to, but the attempt went wide of the far post.

Shortly after there was a bit of scramble in the Gs 6-yard box, but they cleared the ball away.

Dan Boyden was working well down the left and after some good footwork delivered a cross in, but it was the Fleet keeper who got to it first.

Some more great approach play from the home side saw Dan and Mark linking up well, before playing Cam in and he delivered the ball in low from the right. But the Fleet defence dealt with it.

Dan had another go down the left after some great inter passing between him and Mark and Dan found Cam who played the ball through to Mark in front of goal. He manufactured a shot on the turn that was turned away for a corner. A good first twenty minutes for the Gs.

Fleet had mounted a few attacks, which the Gs defence dealt with well enough, before they were awarded a rather soft penalty for me. There was little contact and not much reaction from the Fleet players, but the ref allowed play to continue before then pointing to the spot. Although Dougie picked the right way, as he did on Saturday, he could not make contact this time. So, the visitors 1 – 0 up now.

Then only minutes later as the Gs cleared the ball away to beyond the area a long range shot was hit low and I thought it took a deflection before finding the inside of the far post. So, now 2-0 to Fleet after 35 minutes of play.

The Gs kept coming though and Shane got his head to a long ball forward and flicked it behind him to where Mark produced some great trickery with his feet to get past his defender, before hitting a fine shot at pace, which the visiting keeper did well to parry away for a corner.

Mark delivered a great corner in from the right and it was well met by Elliott Creeley once again to get a goal back for the Gs before half time. 1-2 now.

No changes to personnel at half time, but hardly surprising as the whole Gs team were playing so much better than on Saturday and were well in the game. “2 -1, the most dangerous score in football” as someone once said.

Mark worked his way in from the right side and delivered a great ball out wide for Dan on the left of goal to run onto. But he was taken down in the penalty area by a defender, but this time the ref was not for awarding a penalty, as he had done for Fleet, in pretty well the same spot, in the first half. That did not please the home supporters, nor the Gs players and I think one or maybe two may have been booked for their protests.

A long range effort from Fleet goes well wide. Then Dougie had to manufacture a quick clearance.

Then the Gs made some changes with Angus coming on to replace Shane who had battled well upfront and with Mohamed replacing Dan and Jav soon after for Jonny who had both played well.

We saw Angus pairing up well with Mohamed and the Gs were once again pressing their guests. Jav came close with an attempt. After minutes earlier picking the pocket of a Fleet defender in their area and won a corner.

 Fleet number 16 Johnson received a yellow for a late challenge.

Then in the closing minutes it was that man Elliott Creely, who rose to meet another corner ball from the left to the near post, at the training pitch end, which appeared to be in, before the Fleet keeper somehow scooped his hand down to clear it off the line. The Gs fans were on their feet, but the refs assistant felt there must have been a bit of the ball that did not cross the line, and so the Gs were denied a point after a mighty performance.

Well done to the whole squad. I thought that Taylor Green, as a newcomer, also had a super game, as did the whole back four. All of the squad did a wonderful job today and gave us everything we could have asked for. But we do need a few wins to ping us up the table.

We wondered if we could compete at this level at the start of the season, but the performances so far have illustrated that we certainly can, if we put in this sort of performance from the whole squad. I am sure we can get a few more breaks and a few wins soon.  

It was good to see both Neil Baker and John Underwood back at Wey Court, they were iconic Gs joint managers for several seasons, back in the day, before the FA decided to move the Gs to play in the South and West Division, which prompted them (Bakes and Unders) to move, together with the bulk of the Gs squad to Slough Town, where they were very successful together.

COYGs