It’s the start of another FA Trophy journey as the Fleet finally take a break from league action, although it won’t feel like it as Farnham Town will also be hosting us in that very competition in two weeks’ time, writes Libby O’Connell.
Form guide
Monday night saw the Fleet post a fifth draw of the season at Chelmsford. Both sides enjoyed the lead – Fleet at 1-0 and Chelmsford at 2-1 – with Finlay Barnes netting twice for Josh Wright’s side.
That was enough to leave the Fleet three points clear at the top of the table – which was about all that was clear, after a very foggy Monday night and poor vantage point for the travelling supporters.
Last year’s FA Trophy run took the Fleet to Round 3, thanks to a penalties win over Sittingbourne and a defeat of then-National League side Braintree Town, before Forest Green Rovers won 2-0 in January.
Saturday’s opponents Farnham have had a successful recent spell in their league fixtures, winning four of their last five games. They’re in fifth place, just six points behind the Fleet.
They exited this season’s FA Cup in the Second Qualifying Round after a replay defeat to Cirencester Town while last year’s FA Trophy run was their longest yet, to the Second Round, where they were defeated by Horsham. This is only the club’s fourth FA Trophy campaign as due to their swift rise through the divisions, they were playing in the FA Vase until 2024/25.
First meeting
Saturday’s game is the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, and Fleet fans’ chance for a new destination… although they get to do it all again in a fortnight. Climbing from Step 5 to Step 2 in just three seasons, Farnham are an ambitious club who have set their sights higher still.
Who’s who?
It’s a roll-call of familiarity in the Farnham squad list, as three ex-Fleet men could be on show.
Midfielder Bobby-Joe Taylor (above) spent a season at Stonebridge Road back in 2020/21, making 19 appearances – none of them in front of fans due to the lockdown. After his departure, he spent four years at Dorking Wanderers, including during their promotion-winning campaign in 2022, when they defeated the Fleet 3-2 in the play-off final. During his final season with Dorking, he spent time away on loan at clubs such as Horsham and Walton & Hersham before joining Farnham ahead of the 2025/26 season. His first campaign saw him take the Manager’s Player of the Season award, finishing with 52 appearances, 12 goals and 27 assists.
With five years at the Fleet under his belt, Rakish Bingham is now one of Farnham’s attacking options. Joining in October 2020, he scored 56 goals in 157 appearances across all competitions in his time at Stonebridge Road. After departing in summer 2025, he spent a season at Farnborough, where he scored 15 goals in 41 league appearances. Bingham signed for Farnham ahead of this season and has already scored four goals.
Like Bingham, midfielder Billy Clifford was a member of the record-breaking 103-point promotion season back in 2022/23. He joined the Fleet in January 2023 and made 49 appearances before departing for Barnet in summer 2024. He reunited with ex-teammate Bingham at Farnborough in July 2025, before joining Farnham in March 2026. His impact was almost immediate, scoring four goals in 10 appearances, including a hat-trick in the play-off final against Gloucester City. This season, he’s made 10 league appearances and registered two assists for the team.
The manager
Paul Johnson is definitely one of the key figures behind Farnham’s recent successes. He’s overseen all three of the club’s consecutive promotions, as well as leading them to best-ever runs in the FA Cup and FA Vase as well as the final of the Surrey Senior Cup. His contract keeps him at the club until June 2028.
Prior to his time at Farnham, he managed Step 6 side Spelthorne Sports before taking Bedfont Sports up into Step 4 with a promotion in 2017/18. He spent nearly eight years there before joining Farnham in November 2022.
The referee
Zach Cunningham hails from Northampton and has already taken charge of Farnham this season, for their August visit to Dagenham & Redbridge. He was last in front of Fleet fans for our 1-1 draw with Bath City more than a year ago.
Tickets are on sale here, or if you are a Fanbase subscriber, also under the Fleet’s ticket link on the app.
