For the second season running, the National League South promotion race will be a final-day bunfight and the Fleet will have a huge part to play in it, travelling to Worthing who will be seeking the title while Josh Wright’s side hunt a play-off place at the same time.

But that’s all for another day. On this last day of the season at the Kuflink Stadium, the Fleet served up a treat, conjuring up a third 4-0 win on home soil, barely giving their visitors time to settle before sending them reeling from an early opener.

Newly crowned supporters’ player of the year (for a second time) Ben Chapman missed out as a precaution, as did Josh Coley, leaving room for Jake Hessenthaler and Finlay Barnes.

And Barnes was instrumental as Fleet roared off the starting blocks. He collected a delivery from Josh Passley down the left, pulled Paul Field out of position, and stood up a deft cross which Kwesi Appiah nodded past the stranded Aaron Maguire.

Any thoughts that the Fleet might sit back and enjoy the early lead were dispelled before 20 minutes were up. Hessenthaler’s vision caught Charlie Seaman running through and his pass was taken down by the Fleet No.2 and volleyed with wonderful technique past Maguire.

Hampton tried to navigate a way back into the game but the best they could manage was a neat move ending with Reece Grego-Cox firing across goal and just past the post.

Tom Dallison had two chances for the Fleet as he commanded set-pieces into the box, one of which required a goalline clearance. Not to be denied a third, Fleet took the unassailable lead heading towards half-time. Appiah drove forward into space and just as Field and Luis Fernandez rushed into to close him down, he got his shot away for the third goal of the game.

Hampton enjoyed a little more possession in the early stages of the second-half, passing the ball around their back line, but on the occasions they did open up the Fleet defence, Matt Hall commanded his box and grabbed any crosses out of the air.

Fleet pushed forward still and kept the Hampton defence on its toes but the better opportunities were fewer. A fourth goal did arrive on 64 minutes, however, and much like Appiah’s second, Barnes kept his head under pressure from arriving defenders to run through and finish with aplomb.

Wright threw on Coley, Samuel, Cosgrave and Peake as the clock ticked down, with the first three all getting shots away that promised more but ultimately, Fleet had to settle for equalling rather than breaking their biggest win of the season.

Nobody minded that on the final whistle as yet another Fleet season goes to the wire. It all comes to a head just past high noon at Worthing next Saturday. And just like the in-form Fleet scorers this afternoon, you’re not going to miss it!

EUFC: Hall, Passley (Olagunju 73), Dallison, Nelson, Seaman, Hessenthaler, Kennedy, Coker (Peake 86), Barnes (Coley 67), Edser (Samuel 73), Appiah (Cosgrave 82). Subs not used: Wyllie, Sandford.
HRBFC: Maguire, Field (Fasanmade 78), Lacey, Massey, Fernandez, Deadfield, Boateng, Frimpong (Clark 69), Atkinson, Kiernan (Vaughan 69), Grego-Cox (Greenidge 87). Subs not used: Ince, Gardner, Longe-King
Attendance: 1,686
Images courtesy of EUFC, Ed Miller & Tom Harris