Gravesend and Northfleet 4 v 1 Tamworth

Nationwide Conference
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ON A night when quick-footed strikers ran circles round man-mountains of defenders, Fleet roared back to life in the Nationwide Conference.

Not only did this easiest of wins kick-start Fleet's first campaign as a full-time club it was also their first home league victory in five attempts, sparking a passion not seen on the terraces for some months.

In his programme notes Fleet boss Liam Daish pointed to the importance of keeping players injury-free and it probably relates to three players in particular.

Charlie MacDonald, Mark De Bolla and Jon Keeling ran the show leaving Tamworth's giant and cumbersome defenders chasing shadows and committing countless fouls as they struggled to cope.

Fleet revolve around MacDonald, DeBolla and Keeling and without them they resemble the mediocrity of last season.

MacDonald and De Bolla share the six goals Fleet have scored so far this season, as they did the four put past Sean Bowles last night.

Peter Hawkins' suspension and injuries to Sacha Opinel and Danny Ekoku forced Daish, who was serving a touchline ban, into changes.

He started with a three-man defence with Paul McCarthy coming in alongside James and Ross Smith.

Mark Rickets, a substitute in Aldershot game, kept his place on the right of a five-man midfield with De Bolla, Rob Quinn, Danny Slatter and Keeling on the left.

Luke Moore came in for Ekuko to partner MacDonald, who is looking sharp, up front.

On six minutes Fleet took the lead when the Tamworth defence committed the first of many, and expensive, fouls just outside the penalty area.

The quick-thinking Keeling lifted the ball to MacDonald who was too quick for his markers to fire low across Bowles and in off the far post.

Things got worse for the visiting fans when their playmaker Graham Ward was booked for dangerous play on 13 minutes.

However, just two minutes later the same fans were celebrating a wonder volley from 25 yards from Jon Stevenson which is already a contender for goal of the season.

The striker had been rewarded with a start after coming off the bench in the 3-1 defeat against Weymouth to impress manager Mark Cooper and his strike was hitting the back of the net from the moment it left his boot.

Seconds later Tamworth almost took the lead when James Smith's back-pass squirmed under Lance Cronin's foot and the keeper had to rush back to stop the ball on the line.

Despite their diminutive size compared with the Tamworth giants, MacDonald and Moore were not intimidating and soon forced another free kick on 35 minutes.

This time De Bolla placed the ball central to goal and 25 yards out before curling his shot round the wall to creep in at the right-hand post with Bowles scrambling across the line.

The swashbuckling midfielder is fast becoming a favourite with the Fleet fans as his name rang out from the south stand.

MacDonald flashed a shot wide and Moore was booked for not retreating from a quickly-taken Tamworth free kick on 38 minutes.

Despite the booking Fleet were dominating the match and Quinn and MacDonald went close before the referee blew for half time as Moore had a shot cleared off the line.

Tamworth were forced into a change early in the second half when Dave Brampton limped off and Cooper took the chance to switch to 3-5-2 and chase the equaliser.

However, moments later it was 3-1 after Fleet were awarded another free kick on 52 minutes.

Again De Bolla stood over the central kick but this time he opted for power and the ball fizzed through the wall and past the wrong-footed Bowles.

Tamworth were offering very little and were their own worse enemies when the tiring Alan Neilson lost possession in defence under no pressure.

His poor control allowed MacDonald to stab the ball with the outside of his right foot past Bowles from the edge of the penalty area.

The striker had the ball in the back of the net for his hat-trick on 68 minutes but his effort was ruled offside.

Cooper was patrolling the touchline with a face of thunder as Tamworth had lost the ability to pass, tackle or create.

In fact his defenders were getting slower and slower and when MacDonald's pace forced Matt Redmile into a foul for another free kick on 72 minutes, Cooper must have feared the worse.

But this time the free kick was floated into the penalty area and Quinn's header went over the bar.

As the clock ran down, Fleet fans went through the full repertoire of chants directed at the small band of loyal Tamworth fans.

And at the final whistle the Fleet players where hailed as heroes and, if De Bolla, MacDonald and Keeling can keep clear of injuries, it could be a successful year.

Fleet host York City on Saturday and will be expecting more than the 936 fans who turned out last night - and so they should.

MATCH FACTS:

FLEET: Cronin, 6; J Smith, 7; McCarthy, 6; R Smith, 6; Slatter, 6 (Purcell, 70); Quinn, 6; De Bolla, 8; Keeling, 7; Ricketts, 7; MacDonald, 8 (Roberts, 90); Moore, 7 (McKenna, 83).

ATT: 936.