Come on Sacha, Get em going !.
It was five to five on a cold winters night in Stafford and The Fleet are drawing 0-0 away at Stafford Rangers. The linesmen holds up his board, 2 minutes to go to try and get a winner against a team that we really should beat if we are to have a small outside hope of making the play offs. “Come on Sacha, get em going ! “ goes a strong voice from the Ebbsfleet faithful. 2 Minutes later, a scrambled goal and we have our win. For what for me was my first Fleet game, this has turned a great day out into something very significant. The team in their yellow shirts clap at the away following from the centre circle. Sacha decides that’s not enough for him, as he runs over to shake hand s with a few of the away following. The drum is going well at this point as we all float gently out of the ground. You cant beat an away win, but one with virtually the last kick of the match is truly sweet.
In the big scheme of things, an away win at Stafford Rangers is not on a par with a win in the Champions league final in Barcelona, but this was a very special win. The crowd gave good support at the end of the game as we searched for the winner, and I like to think that the support going right to the end might just have given the team something. . Good teams have a very good habit of scoring very late goals,. Its not all luck , its playing to the whistle and believing that the goal will come. This winner was very late, but so was the one at Exeter City. But for me, this should just be the beginning.
The away following was maybe in the area of 110, but that should and can be much higher. I said months ago that we should now not have any more away games. Every game, whatever part of the country we play in should get a good following from the news fans to join in with the excellent regulars. I believe that we should be getting more to watch. Imagine if we can get 500 a match as an away following. At a small ground like Stafford, that might almost put the away fans in the majority. We need to get onganised, target games, make it easy for fans to get to matches , encourage people to take friends and family with them.
For me at my first Fleet game, it made me feel like I was 19 again. Standing on the terraces for the first time in almost 25 years, being able to move about, talk to different people, and generally try and make a bit of a racket. The whole day is an experience to savour. I walked about at half time thinking to myself, this is great. The events of 5 O’Clock were to be the icing in the cake.
I can not stress strongly enough what you will be missing if you do not go to some games. People overseas I realise it is very hard to get to more than the occasional match, but if you are in the UK, your efforts will be rewarded.
Dec 29th 2007.
Just one week later, and I am down at Stonebridge Road, Northfleet top see my first ever home game. The game against Weymouth was to be our second 4-1 home win in a matter of days after our win against Grays Athletic on New Years Day.
We played very well in the first half after getting off to a flying start through Stacy. I recall one very good chance for them when as the commentators would say, it would have been easier to score. I felt the second half was a bit of a non event with Weymouth pushing forward most of the time. One more goal for Weymouth and I think we would have been hanging on. In the last minute with the ball near the Weymouth penalty area, you could hear a player shout "Take it into the corner " . With this, he turned inside, gave a pass and Bostwick made it 4-1 . You have to remember that we have a very young side at the moment and quite a small squad. Big John looked the part again with his control. A great result, 10 points out of 12 over the holiday period. Now onto Dorchester Town and the FA Trophy.