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Fleet Town 1 - 1 Alton

23 Oct 2024

Match report by Ryan McMenamin

Alton held unbeaten Fleet to a draw at Calthorpe Park and arguably deserved all three points. Danilo Cadete got the hosts off to a flying start with a majestic strike from outside the box, but Owen Tanner rounded off a good Alton move to level things up before the break.

The writing looked to be on the wall early on for the visitors as a poorly cleared cross fell to Cadete on the inside right, and a neat touch allowed him space to bend into the top corner with outside of his boot, Theo Rust’s strong hand not strong enough.

Liam Marshall up top for Alton was a menace, finding room a handful of times. His first half chance saw him dig out an effort over the bar from under his feet after neat work by Josh Pound on the underlap. Later, he would drag wide after the best move of the half where Alex Merrifield flew down the left and slipped inside for Marshall via Tanner.

Between those two efforts, at the other end Nick Medcraft whipped into the right channel for Cadete to run onto and he will have been disappointed to not have found Chike Kandi, overhitting the cross which would have only required a relative tap in.

Adam Poynter’s free kick landed on the roof of the Fleet net, before the the Brewers deservedly equalised.

As Fleet failed to break into Alton’s last third in the centre, Darnell McDonald released Poynter down the left, and he raced into the box before squaring for Tanner to dink over the onrushing Purcell.

Marshall’s most impressive defying of his very obvious physical disadvantage to both the Stepneys and Liam Pestle came within seconds of the restart. Picking up in the middle he shuffled towards the box and shook off at least two challenges, before checking back and forcing Purcell to sharply tip onto the bar.

Fleet required a joint effort to keep out a potential Alton second. First Poynter cut in on his right and Purcell got down low but couldn’t hold, and both the keeper and Josh Stepney did enough to thwart Marshall and the follow up, before Pound’s shot was blocked as it headed for an otherwise empty net. Purcell did well again as he left his box to head away from oncoming Tanner, who’d been released by Marshall after Fleet had lost it in Alton’s half.

The referee had made some strange but inconsequential decisions, but the poorest came as Alton were in a dangerous position. Marshall spun Ross Stepney on the halfway line and shook off a shirt pull, but was fouled again as he slid inside to Tanner. As Tanner took in his stride and made space outside on his left for a shot at goal, the referee pulled it back for the second foul. Alton were furious but nearly scored off the resultant set piece, as Matthew Benham found Merriefield at the far post but he headed straight at Purcell.

Fleet had been playing with all the right intentions and had no problems playing from the back, Ross Stepney even Cruyff-turning the last man at one point, but Alton’s high line looked largely unshakeable. When it did eventually get to the edge of its box, Jamie Phillips intercepted in his own half and travelled over half the pitch to Fleet’s area, but his pass inside to Sam Bartlett was poor.

Tom Smith almost created a late winner for Fleet, as his vicious ball from the left touchline found Medcraft six yards out, but he headed over as he barrelled in at full speed.

A pulsating encounter and a result and performance not indicative of the relative league positions.

Fleet: Purcell, Medcraft, Smith, J Stepney, Pestle, R Stepney, Cadete (Osideko), Rule, Phair (Surmon), Bone (Hakeem-Habeeb), Kandi (K Tanner).

Alton: Rust, Phillips, Merrifield, Benham, Ajayi-Obe, Bennett, Poynter, Tanner (Wiltshire), Marshall (Bartlett), Wotton (Sanderson), McDonald.

Match Highlights from Academy TV