A depleted Fleet side did very well to overcome newly promoted Folkestone Invicta on their own turf, running out convincing 3-2 winners.
Fresh from his signing terms, Darren McQueen was in action with an effort wide before Anthony Cook’s run and shot was dealt with by the Invicta goalkeeper.
Former Fleet transfer target Scott Heard was busy for the home side and involved in plenty of their forward efforts but it was teammate Ashley Miller on the quarter-hour mark whose effort was the closest.
Shortly after that, however, Fleet took the lead when Sean Shields produced a fine shot well away from goalkeeper Roberts’ reach to open his account for pre-season.
Darren McQueen maintained his own pre-season form by finding the net once more on 24 minutes, neatly sidestepping Roberts to fire home for 2-0.
Cook saw a free-kick pushed off-target before Aaron McLean’s drive went wide in the striker’s first appearance of pre-season.
Miller and Heard both had half-chances for the home side before they registered a shot on target and this time it resulted in a goal, eight minutes before the break. Ian Draycott met a pass and sent a firm finish past Jonathan Miles.
The second half was only minutes old when Heard hit the bar for Folkestone. Miller wasn’t far off and then on the hour mark the home side appealed for a penalty but it fell on deaf ears. Daryl McMahon and Stacy Long saw 25 minutes of action from the bench for the Fleet as the score remained the same until a lively climax.
With chances at both ends and Invicta perhaps edging the closing stages, Fleet seemed to have put the game beyond doubt. McQueen it was and just reward for his movement and pace as he curled a shot past the goalkeeper two minutes from time. Substitute Jon Pilbeam, however, got his side back into it with a strike right on the 90 minutes to make it 3-2 but there wasn’t enough time for the home side to restore a balance.
TEAM: Miles, Boulding, Atkinson (Liddle), Holmes (Long), Kamara, Denny, Shields, Kissock, McLean (McMahon), McQueen, Cook. Subs: Bonilla
