Top scorer Kelvin Robinson makes goalscoring return to Fleetlands as club close in on probable Wessex League promotion

The striker netted 18 times in just 13 starts - with hat-tricks against Clanfield, Overton and Sway - prior to stepping up two tiers to sign for Wessex League top flight outfit Hamble Club in late October.

There he has scored 10 goals in 22 starts plus three sub outings to finish as the Monks’ joint-top scorer alongside Sam Woodward. Among his goals was a later winner at former club Fareham Town.

Despite missing a huge chunk of the HPL campaign, Robinson remains Fleetlands’ leading scorer and is actually in with a chance of finishing 2021/22 as the Senior Division’s second highest marksman!

Robinson started on the bench for the Coptermen in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Liphook, after starting for Hamble in their final Wessex Premier Division game at Baffins the previous day.

He came on in the second half and duly struck his 19th Fleetlands goal of the campaign, and his 29th across two clubs.

Two other players with a Wessex League pedigree - Callum Dart and Mark Smith - had put the visitors in control.

Liphook replied late on with the first goal Joe Boxall had conceded in four Senior Division fixtures.

Fleetlands now need just a point from their final two games to finish above Stockbridge, the only other club whose facilities have been accepted by the Wessex League for next season.

In reality, they could lose both remaining matches - at home to Sway this weekend and at Winchester Castle on April 30 - and still finish above Stockbridge on goal difference. And that’s providing Stockbridge beat Liphook in their final fixture.

There should be three spaces available in next season’s Wessex Division 1. Dorset Premier League champions Hamworthy Recreation should claim one and Dorchester Sports, who will finish second or third in the same division, could claim another place with the third going - most likely - to Fleetlands.

But, as it stands, that’s conjecture and not fact.

‘It’s not like we know if we win this weekend we’ll definitely go up,’ said Fleetlands co-boss Chris Blakeman.

‘Nothing’s guaranteed - it still has to be rubber-stamped by the Wessex League.

‘We just want to finish the season with two wins, it’s important we show the right attitude.’

Fleetlands boast the best goal difference in the HPL top flight of plus 55. Six goals in their last two outings will see them end as the league’s top marksmen, while they also have the second best defence behind Locks Heath (31 goals conceded to Locks’ 30).

‘We’ve scored goals and defensively we’ve been strong,’ said Blakeman. ‘We feel we’ve got the balance right.’

Fleetlands fielded a front three of Smith, Jake Alford and ex-Baffins wideman Callum Smith at Liphook, with Dart providing another threat from midfield. Add Robinson, George Gregory and Alpay Ali into the mix and Fleetlands have numerous goal threats.