Match report: Fawley AFC’s unlikely Wessex League Division One survival bid gathers pace after a dramatic 3-2 win over AFC Aldermaston
Fawley’s unlikely bid for survival keeps looking more and more possible, but it needed a herculean effort of three goals in the final 25 minutes to snatch the win against AFC Aldermaston on Saturday.
AFC Aldermaston led the match by two goals when the Oilers had to play with just nine players, but the relegation-battling side dug deep and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
“What a vital win in our bid for survival”, said Fawley AFC boss Lee Shepherd. “We know we have a long way to go, but today, we showed that we aren’t giving up.
“The first half, we should have been more than 1-0 down and were very fortunate to come in with that scoreline. We started the second half much brighter but then got caught again.
“We had two sin-binned in an altercation after the goal. So, to be 2-0 down with only nine players on the pitch, most would think we were finished. But the reaction the players showed, scoring three goals in 25 minutes, is remarkable.
Shepherd added: “We know we have four huge games to go, and that starts Tuesday night against Totton & Eling.”
The visitors made an excellent start and could have scored two goals, but wayward finishing and a Jamie Bruce save kept the score level until the 21st minute, when Simeon Weekes scored. Weekes rode a challenge, and the referee called play on; the player turned and finished into the top corner of the goal.
Jacob Wallace made it 2-0 just after the hour mark in controversial circumstances. With a Fawley on the ground, play resumed, with Wallace twisting and turning before finding the top corner. In the aftermath, the referee sin-binned two Fawley players for their protests.
Despite playing two men down, Oilers’ captain Dec Hartigan got the hosts back into it with a spectacular half-volley from 25 yards out. The ball looped up and over Nate Knight.
After almost equalising, Fawley won a penalty with six minutes left after the referee spotted a handball by Nyero Lule. Hartigan showed nerves of steel, winning the battle of wits and slotting the ball straight down the middle.
The drama was far from over, with Aldermaston keeper Knight earning a second yellow for an off-the-ball incident with seven minutes left.
Moments away from the end of the match, Indrit Elezi hit the ball with his first touch, catching out the keeper and snatching an unlikely victory.
The win leaves Fawley five points away from safety with four games left. Next up, the Oilers take on neighbours Totton & Eling on Tuesday away from home before hosting Newport (IoW) on Saturday.
Fawley: J. Bruce, I. Elezi, H. Abdi, D. Gain, J. Francis, J. Biggs, J. Clifton, C. Griffin, J. Roberts, D. Hartigan, W. Berry. Subs: J. Lynch, M. Hawkins, Z. Willis, F. Craigen, D. Knight.
