Having drawn 1-1 with Yeovil Town in their previous games, both sides shared the same scoreline between themselves as Fleet made it three games unbeaten with a third point in succession. And just like last season’s corresponding fixture, it was Woking who needed a penalty to break the deadlock before Fleet forced the draw with an equaliser.

It was George Moncur with his second goal in three league games who found the net once again as Fleet were fully deserving of at least a point at a ground where they have now lost only once in the last six visits.

Josh Wright made three changes with Luke O’Neill, Anthony Stewart and Franklin Domi in for the injured Tyler Cordner, suspended Mustapha Olagunju and Todd Kane.

Aaron Cosgrave was the first Fleet player to threaten with a header over the bar from a corner on seven minutes and both sides traded fairly even blows in midfield until Woking carved out the game’s first solid opportunity. That came on 17 minutes when quick-thinking from Lewis Walker sent Inih Effiong through on goal. With only Mark Cousins to beat, he dallied and his indecision allowed the Fleet keeper to further disorient him and the chance went begging as the visitors cleared.

Three minutes later, there was as good a chance at the other end as Domi’s run opened up the Woking defence and he found Toby Edser but the former Woking man could only plant his effort just wide as he ran to beat goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen to the ball.

Cousins twice thwarted Harry Beautyman but by then, successive bookings at nearly every foul had turned the attention to the referee with both sides suffering as a result of some over-zealous cautions.

Another purposeful run to the edge of the box by Domi just before half-time almost set Fleet up for a half-time lead. The No.16’s run was checked illegally by Matt Ward and from the resulting free-kick, Moncur forced a save from the keeper and Edser’s follow-up in the six-yard box was denied by a combination of Jaaskelainen and a defender’s outstretched leg.

There was a steely resolve to the Fleet that Wright has been building in recent weeks and it came to the fore again in the second-half, with Stewart and Tom Dallison impressive at the back – especially as both had picked up early yellow cards.

Stewart was swift to deny Effiong before Ben Chapman’s 57th minute penalty appeal was waved away in a fairly slow-tempo start to the second period. But six minutes after Chapman was denied, Woking were awarded a soft penalty of their own. Ben Wynter’s run into the Fleet box was checked by Dallison but it was the merest of brushes and Wynter went over. Nevertheless, the referee pointed to the spot and Beautyman tucked away his kick for the opener.

Two minutes later came the Fleet response as Moncur sent in an inviting ball for Kwame Thomas to attack but Wynter was back to clear off the line, injuring himself in the process and forcing him to leave the pitch.

At the same time, Fleet sent on Dominic Samuel and forced a couple of free-kicks as Chapman, O’Neill and Moncur got forward to support the front two.

That paid off on 74 minutes as Fleet produced the equaliser. Industrious in the middle, Domi and Edser combined before playing in Cosgrave and he in turn supplied Moncur on the left. His floated shot took a deflection off Tunji Akinola to sail up and over the helpless Jaaskelainen.

There were openings for both sides as time ticked down, with Stewart again denying Effiong and Moncur just running out of steam as he got away from his man to send over a cross.

Having played 14 minutes extra on Tuesday, Fleet had ‘only’ half that to contend with today – although the referee added another two on to that to allow for a late Woking free-kick that was cleared to keep the Fleet’s improved recent showings on an upward curve.

EUFC: Cousins, O’Neill, Stewart, Dallison, Chapman, Aoraha (Manktelow 90), Domi, Edser, Moncur, Cosgrave, Thomas (Samuel 68). Subs not used: Goddard, Bingham, Odokonyero, Carr, Lankshear
WFC: Jaaskelainen, Wynter (Hinds 70), Mazionis, Akinola, Chicksen, Gorman, Andrews (O’Brien 77), Beautyman, Ward, Effiong, Walker (Vincent 77). Subs not used: Webber, Anderson, Lewis, Jones
Attendance: 2,048 (157 EUFC)
Photos: ©EUFC/Ed Miller

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