Match report: Fawley AFC bring Wessex League Division One survival chances back to life with shock 4-0 win over second-placed Frimley Green FC

Fawley AFC flipped the script on Frimley Green, with the second-from-bottom side dominating the second-from-top side in a comfortable four-goal victory at home on Saturday.

The relegation-threatened side gave their fight survival a massive boost, snatching three points from a game that looked unlikely to bear fruit beforehand – the last time the two sides met, two weeks earlier, Frimley won 7-2.

“Not many, if anyone, would have expected us to win”, said Fawley AFC boss Lee Shepherd. “Especially after playing Frimley two weeks ago, where we were convincingly beaten. We’ve added some new faces in the last couple of weeks, and that’s certainly helped the team.

“From minute one, we showed our intent and should have been one up after 30 seconds. The first half was fairly even, but we said at half-time that if we could get one, we could go on to get several more. That may sound odd after conceding seven against them previously, but we have done a lot of work.

“We could have had more than four, and our second-half display was dominant and easily our best of the season. Another huge positive was a clean sheet against one of the strongest attacking partnerships in the division.”

Fawley now finds themselves seven points adrift of safety.

Shepherd added: “We have eight cup finals to go, and I hope we can keep that level of performance up. This season hasn’t been acceptable, but we now just have to focus on ourselves and get as many points as possible.”

After a goalless first half, Fawley captain Dec Hartigan showed he was still the man for the big occasion, firing home after 55 minutes.

However, once the second goal went in, thanks to Jack Roberts in the 78th minute, the floodgates opened with Harley Sawyer and Charlie Lemon rubbing salt in the visitors’ wounds.

Fawley’s rescue act continues tonight (Tuesday) when they host Fleetlands before an away match on Saturday against Romsey Town.

Fawley AFC: J. Bruce, J. Lynch, H. Abdi, D. Gain, F. Francis, M. Hawkins, J. Clifton, D. Hartigan, A. Sawyer, S. Williams, W. Berry. Subs: F. Craigen, Z. Willis, J. Roberts, C. Lemon, I. Elezi.