Fawley Oilers too slick for New Milton Linnets

NINTH-place Fawley AFC proved too strong in a 2-0 defeat for the New Milton Town side struggling near the Sydenhams Division One basement.

On a bitterly cold day the game at Fawcetts Field ebbed and flowed although neither keeper was very busy in the first 45 minutes.

Tom Munday had an early chance for the Oilers that flew over the bar. Dec Hartigan then drew a good stop from Linnets keeper James Mayo and Dane Sayce had a shot for Fawley that flashed just wide.

Minutes after the resumption, nice interplay from New Milton’s Ben Cooper and Erickson Mukambi produced a sharp cross that was turned around for a corner but the outcome of that failed to trouble the Fawley keeper.

The opening goal came just after the hour mark when Hartigan headed the ball home from a Green free-kick, looping the ball over Mayo from close to the penalty spot.

Fawley doubled their lead when substitute Dan Fry latched on to a poor clearance and cracked home the shot off the far post to make it 0-2.

The Oilers came close to making it three but a superb stop from Mayo denied Munday whilst at the other end the Linnets were unlucky not to get on the score sheet with the visitors scrambling the ball away on two occasions as the clock ran down.