New Milton Town FC show fighting spirit in Fleetlands draw
Velocity Wessex Division One
New Milton Town FC 2
Fleetlands FC 2
NEW Milton Town came from behind twice to earn a well-deserved point at the DMW Glazing Stadium.
The Coptermen upset the 110 home fans by twice taking the lead, but equalisers from Cameron McMonagle and a Callum McHale spot-kick with nine minutes left sealed a point.
The Linnets started the match well, with an early penalty shout following a free kick from Billy Maybury before Jack Broad’s volley was blocked.
Moments later, both Barney Stone and McHale created half chances before Josh Hall fired high and wide from 25 yards.
With the half-time whistle incoming, the league’s top-scorer, Stone, cut in from the left and fed Heath Thornton. Thornton had a simple pass back into Stone, who was clean through, but he fired a tame effort at the keeper instead.
After a goalless first half, the spectators had not long to wait for a goal. A ball over the top of the defence fell to Oli Page, whose volley bounced off the turf and past New Milton keeper Ollie Bull.
The scores were level nine minutes later in somewhat fortuitous circumstances. Toby Colmer burst into the area and looked to cross the ball, but a Fleet-footed Fleetlands defender got a block in on time. However, the ball fell to McHale, who blasted the ball home.
New Milton Town have looked well-drilled recently, but Fleetlands exposed them in the 65th minute. With defender Cam Smith pushing up to the halfway line before being spun, Billy Maybury was left exposed, and Nathan Gray burst clear. With the keeper rushing 30 yards out before missing his tackle, Gray swept into an empty net.
New Milton pushed and pushed, controlling much of the game, and they got their reward with a penalty award in the 81st minute. McHale kept his nerve, firing low and hard into the bottom right-hand corner, sending the keeper the wrong way.
After the game, Linnets first-team manager Matt Maybury said: “I think it’s a point we have to be fairly content with. We dominated the game but shot ourselves in the foot with their two goals and gave Fleetlands something to defend.
“We had them on the ropes in the last 10 minutes, and on another day, we would have found the winner. However, they looked a constant threat going forward and were probably the best side we’ve played this season.
“I can’t fault the effort of the lads; they never fail to give 100% and have a real never-say-die attitude. We take the point; it keeps our little unbeaten run going, and we’ll do what we can to extend that next week against Follands.”
The Linnets travel to face Folland Sports on Saturday at 3pm.
New Milton Town: O. Bull, T. Steele, C. Smith, J. Hall, C. McHale, B. Snelling, B. Stone, L. Moore, B. Maybury, T. Colmer, J. Foden. Subs: O. Mayo, C. MacMonagle, J. Kinge-Phillips, H. Thornton, J. Broad.