Match report: Lymington Town FC come from behind to beat Fleetlands 2-1 and seal three Wessex League Premier Division points
Lymington Town dispelled any notion of a collapse of form, returning to winning ways the hard way, coming back from a goal down to defeat a promotion-chasing Fleetlands 2-1 on Saturday.
Lymington Town had been in excellent form, which saw them steadily climbing ever-higher in the league, but they needed to come from behind to snap a three-game winless streak to ease the nerves.
Curtis Robbins’ 21st-minute penalty put Fleetlands in the lead, but Ash Buckland’s men responded well, with top-scorer Connor Lopez and Alex Morris grabbing the crucial goals.
“I’m really proud of the lads today”, said Lymington Town manager Ash Buckland. “Going in 1-0 down at half-time wasn’t ideal. The first half was very scrappy, and we didn’t really get going.
“At half-time, I told the team to trust in themselves and stick to our plan. Coming out and turning it around in the second half shows the character, resilience, and determination of this group of lads. It’s great to see them bounce back after the disappointment of throwing away a 2-0 lead the week before. This performance shows the lads are learning and developing.
“Fleetlands are a tough side, as shown by their eight-game unbeaten run. They made it hard for us, but we kept our composure and took our chances when they came.”
Lopez, a former long-distance runner with New Forest Runners, levelled the match, grabbing his 16th league goal of the campaign, after Alex Morris’s direst play saw him beat his man and work his way into the box before finding the goal-getter.
The winning goal was another great moment. Alex Morris was direct again, beating the Fleetlands fullback – as he did all through the second half – before putting a ball across the box, which went in off their keeper.
Buckland continued: “The energy, work rate, and belief was fantastic, and every single player out there played their part, especially in the second half.
“Nico [Trojanowski] was superb in goal in the first half, making at least three crucial saves to ensure we didn’t go into half-time in a worse position. His performance kept us in the game when it mattered most. Luis Le Moignan also made an unbelievable block on the line in the second half, throwing himself and his head to clear the ball off the line to save a clear goalscoring opportunity. Everyone is contributing and fighting for the team.
“It was a big three points for us, and we’ll look to build on this performance heading into the weekend as we face Clanfield at the Sports Ground – a big thank you to the fans who turned out again to support the team. Their backing gives the lads that extra push, and it’s great to see people come up to the ground and support us all.”
Lymington Town: Nico Trojanowski, N. Bullen, J. Chappell, L. Le Moignan, L. Crozier, C. Taylor, A. Morris, C. Zikmund, B. Morris, J. Sutherden, C. Lopez. Subs: A. Christie, E. Duell-Merritt, A. Partridge.
