The Fleet missed out on the Fourth Qualifying Round after visitors Sholing came from behind to book their place at the next stage of the Emirates FA Cup. Daniel Ogunleye’s second goal in two games put Fleet on their way but it wasn’t to be enough.
Seven changes from Tuesday’s draw with Slough Town didn’t have much effect as Fleet started this cup tie well. Early pressure saw Harvey Walker drive down the left flank and send a number of promising balls into the box that just failed to connect with Fleet players sliding in on the attack, while Olly Box’s header in the opening 10 minutes was just off the mark.
The deadlock was broken on 20 minutes when a superb run by Walker saw him hold off Olly Pendlebury to drill the ball into the area once more. Ogunleye arrived on time and got a crucial leg in ahead of goalkeeper Jack Turner to send the ball into the empty net.
It was almost two in quick succession for the Fleet as Turner then denied Box and Ben Chapman with some excellent stops at close range. And the goalkeeper continued to keep the red shirts out when he blocked Finlay Barnes’ drive down the middle.
Sholing had rarely troubled the Fleet but they levelled with their first real attack five minutes before the break. It was a well-taken chance as Tommy-Lee Higgs found space on the left and hit a precise low shot out of the reach of Matt Hall.
After the break, Box threatened early on as Walker sent another pass in his direction but his shot was deflected by Sholing’s defence.
Josh Passley proved dangerous down the right wing with the ball at his feet and his delivery to Box was a good one but there wasn’t the space to get a real attempt away.
Sholing had grown in confidence since the first-half and Thabo Kuaho looked dangerous on the break as Fleet failed to find the gaps in the visitors’ defence. And the Boatmen found themselves in front on 68 minutes. A run on goal by Jonas Makuna was cut out but he was allowed to regain possession to advance further and his shot went through Hall for what would prove to be the winner.
Josh Wright had sent the substitutes into the action and Aramide Oteh sent his first chance wide before the equaliser came closer with 10 minutes to go when a goalmouth scramble was won by the visitors as they cleared the ball before a Fleet foot could get the important touch.
Despite late efforts from the Fleet, the best of them when Oteh jumped at Walker’s cross but couldn’t get power on his header, Sholing stood up to the attacks well and it was they who booked a spot in Monday’s draw, leaving the home side to turn attentions to a Kent derby on Tuesday instead.
EUFC: Hall, Passley, Gbadebo, Manktelow (Vennings 61), Vokins, Kennedy (Oteh 69), Chapman (Peake 61), Walker, Box, Barnes (Edser 69), Ogunleye (Appiah 81). Subs not used: Tizzard, Buse.
SFC: Turner, Bolger, Pendlebury, Magri (Makuna 19, Tume 84), Taylor, McCarthy (D Mason 88), Saunders (Page 46), Wylie, Jones, Higgs (Dotse 80), Kuaho. Subs not used: B Mason, Shevchenko.
Attendance: 863
Images courtesy of EUFC/Ed Miller/Tom Harris