A match report from a Fleet fan who “goes when he can”.
With a disappointing opening day result in the rear view mirror, spirits were surprisingly high as this fan headed to Stonebridge Road on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Fleet played host to Barnet, who many punters fancy as champions this term. No easy task, then. And with two of last year’s XI now turning out orange and black of the north Londoners, this game felt a little more personal than most.
A subdued atmosphere greeted supporters as they entered the ground. Nerves, perhaps, after struggling from the whistle last time out.
Straight from the kick off, Fleet worked diligently to set any concerns aside. No nonsense, secure football. This setup was about keeping the ball out of our net; a tactic that would come to dominate the majority of the first period.
With defences on top, most excitement came from a series of robust tackles. Forward man Thomas led the way, flattening Callum Stead with a challenge that made the Thameslink service look well timed. A yellow card quickly followed.
The half continued at a leisurely pace. Thomas flattened Stead again – this time with an errant elbow – and was perhaps fortunate to stay on the field. I’m sure many in the Barnet end would have been thinking “you’ve seen them given”. But the cards stayed in the referees pocket and Thomas on the pitch.
In the 39th minute, Fleet carved out the best opportunity of the game. A smart ball into space on the right precipitated an inviting cross, met in turn with a clean header that flashed just wide of the post. Cause to believe?
4 minutes later, it all came toppling down. Some tight linkup play from Barnet’s right side broke Fleet’s defensive shape and a tidy finish gave the visitors the lead.
Halftime came quickly, and, much like the team, your humble reporter headed off to regroup.
A swift pint of Lost Lager and it was back to the stands, this time behind the Ebbsfleet goal. It felt like the end most likely to see action.
It proved to be a good decision.
Barnet grew in confidence and soon had Fleet hemmed in their own half. The team looked lost and I could have benefitted from another lager. The beer didn’t flow, but the chances started to; both Kanu and Stead producing the goods for the away side.
Hearts were in mouths in the 57th minute, when a Barnet midfielder crashed to the floor in the box. The arms of the away fans rose in unison with their side, claiming a penalty. But the referee held his nerve, promptly waving away the cries and booking the sprawled man for simulation. You don’t see a lot of that at this level, and I hope that doesn’t change.
A fantastic touch from Stead led to another close effort as the Bees continued to ratchet up the pressure. Last ditch efforts from Cordner and Cousins kept Fleet in the game over the next 10 minutes, but another goal felt inevitable.
In the 70th minute, Barnet bagged their second, and the game slowed to a crawl. Fleet unable to coordinate an attack and Barnet unwilling to risk the most dangerous lead in football.
The minutes ticked by and the home fans became increasingly restless. A feeling that must have been echoed on the Fleet bench, as one of the technical staff received a straight red for, I assume, dissent.
The board went up, and 7 minutes of added time only seemed to be delaying the inevitable. But a tempting cross into the Barnet box in the dying minutes yielded a penalty that some may describe as soft, and Poleon dutifully converted. 1-2.
The result was suboptimal and the scoreline flattering. But Fleet can take some positives from the first 40 minutes where they looked defensively sound.
Next up, a tricky trip to Yeovil this Tuesday. Godspeed to those making that journey after a day at work. I know I wont be.
