Fleet will be in the draw for Round One of the Emirates FA Cup after a deserved win over National League opposition, goals in each half and a penalty save more than enough to take this one by 2-0.
A lively opening saw the Fleet on the search for an early opener straight away and Kwesi Appiah’s close-range header was palmed away by Laurie Walker only two minutes in. Six minutes later, Lennon Peake got on to Ben Chapman’s delivery to fire a shot towards goal and that effort was deflected out for a corner. The closest chance of the match came on the half-hour mark when Tom Dallison’s excellent crossfield delivery then saw Appiah’s shot blocked and Chapman’s header from the rebound excellently stopped from going into the top corner by Walker.
The Fleet continued to terrorise the Moors defence as a free kick was awarded and Charlie Seaman tried to repeat his heroics of Tuesday night and his effort was on target but pushed over by Walker. Appiah had another effort lifted over the bar before the goal deservedly arrived for the Fleet four minutes before half-time. Another corner delivery picked out Appiah at the far post and he headed the ball back across the area where Jamie Fielding powered in to head home his first goal for the club.
Solihull only had a few moments of possession with the Fleet on top and the hosts continued to show there spark in the second. Space opened up down the right as Charlie Seaman arrived on the edge of the box but he dragged his effort marginally wide.
The tempo slowed a little as Solihull grew into the game a little more but their hopes were ended by a second Fleet goal. That came on 72 minutes when a Seaman cross was well met by Gene Kennedy from close range but his header was very well saved by Walker. However, he couldn’t keep Lennon Peake follow-up from smashing into the net for a two-goal advantage.
Fleet didn’t look in much danger of losing that 2-0 lead in the closing stages with most of Solihull’s efforts well met by Gio Bellagambi, though they should have scored late on when Jacob Wakeling slid in but couldn’t quite reach the pass forward.
In eight minutes of added time, there was a late lifeline for the Moors when Bellagambi dived at a forward’s feet to gather the ball. The Solihull player went over the goalkeeper’s arms and the referee awarded the penalty but Wakeling’s kick was pushed against the post by the Fleet goalkeeper and cleared.
EUFC: Bellagambi, Seaman, Dallison (Manktelow 64), Olagunju, Fielding, Hessenthaler, Kennedy, Chapman, Peake (Edser 75), Appiah (Coley 84), Cosgrave (Samuel 90). Subs: Moncur, Barnes, Cousins
SMFC: Walker, Tipton, Green, Whitmore, French, Clarke, Rutherford, Whyte-Hall (McFarlane 70), Wakeling, Worman, Stevenson (Bowen 70). Subs not used: Nicholson, Jackson, Howell, Brown.
Attendance: 849
Photos: ©EUFC / Tom Harris
