Fleet’s first pairing with Hanwell Town resulted in comfortable passage to the Fourth Qualifying Round to deny the hosts their chance to reach that stage for the first time in their history.
A goal in either half, the second from the penalty spot, meant the game was never really in the balance, though Hanwell’s strike right on 90 minutes gave them some – albeit brief – hope of forcing a replay.
Fleet made seven changes from the Oxford starting lineup, with Jack Paxman making his first start partnering Ben Chapman in midfield and Dominic Poleon was on the bench as he missed his first match this season.
Hanwell included their most experienced man, midfielder Sam Saunders having won promotion to the Football League with Dagenham in 2006/07.
Fleet made all the early running and Rakish Bingham turned a Shaq Coulthirst layoff just wide via a Hanwell boot in the opening two minutes. Toby Edser delivered the resulting corner just beyond the far post and Sterling saw his shot from a second corner blocked.
Hanwell had some last ditch defending to thank on 10 minutes as Bingham and Edser buzzed in and around the box but a clear shot wouldn’t quite fall for the Fleet who stemmed any hope Hanwell had of a buoyant start and making life difficult for their visitors.
It was the home side’s skipper Harry Rush who had their first chance on 16 minutes, getting to a high cross that was headed into space eight yards out but Cousins had that covered.
Back came the Fleet and Edser saw a shot deflected behind but that was merely an appetiser as from the corner, the same player took the ball on from McQueen’s nod and, weaving his way along the box, steered an accurate drive past goalkeeper Hugo Sobte into the bottom corner.
The visitors were starting to enjoy themselves and Edser was again the architect on 23 minutes, squeezing through the Hanwell defence to find Coulthirst cutting in from the left but his shot ran just wide of the right post.
Things quietened down for a period but goal number two looked on the cards six minutes before the break when Edser found Sterling with a great through ball. Play moved on to Coulthirst roaming into the six-yard box and he had two attempts on goal but Sobte was down well to save Hanwell.
A goal down at the break, the hosts would have believed they could get back into it despite never really threatening the Fleet goal but that belief was dealt a blow five minutes into the second period.
Edser, a constant menace to the Geordies’ defence, was upended by Matthew MacKenzie after receiving a throw-in, and skipper for the day Bingham struck the penalty home in typical Bingham fashion.
Yet Hanwell roared back and two minutes later, Saunders’ inswinging free kick was met by Danny Rowe whose soaring header required an excellent stretching save by Cousins.
Cousins was behind another effort from Isaac Olurunfemi on 63 minutes when he beat McQueen down the left and broke clear but the end effort was disappointing for Hanwell.
When McQueen skinned Dwayne Duncan down the right on 71 minutes, it appeared a third goal was on for the Fleet but Edser and Coulthirst got in each other’s way in the six-yard box as the delivery came in and a defender then mopped up on the line.
Haydn Hollis, calm and authoritative in the air and on the ground in his defensive duties all game, drove a shot just wide before the lively Olurunfemi embarked on another promising run across the Fleet box but saw his shot blocked and Sterling steered it to safety ahead of his goalkeeper.
And Cousins showed great reflexes in the dying seconds to hand off an effort at his near post but from the corner taken by Saunders, Hanwell pulled one back. The set-piece was sent over and substitute Shomari Barnwell was there to head it home to give the home crowd some belief in the four minutes added that remained
But it was another substitute, Fleet’s Elliott Romain, who came closest to affecting the scoreline with a good shot saved by Sobte but ultimately it was of no importance as the whistle signalled Fleet’s second successive appearance in the Fourth Qualifying Round, to be played in two weeks’ time.
EUFC: Cousins, Domi, Jombati, Hollis, Chapman, Paxman (Cundle 60), Edser, McQueen (Romain 79), Sterling-James (O’Neill 89), Bingham, Coulthirst. Subs: Martin, Tanner, Poleon, Firth
HTFC: Sobte, Mackenzie, Olurunfemi, Duffy, Duncan, Rush, Saunders, Nicholas, Lucan (Onokwai 83), Rowe (Barnwell 68), Waters (Laaref 68). Subs: Wicks, Woodcock, Adom, Miskin
Attendance: 544
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