Former Portsmouth striker Steve Claridge guides Fleetlands into Wessex play-offs – by just one goal!

A final-day 4-0 home win over New Milton saw Steve Claridge’s men sneak the final play-off place by the narrowest possible margin.

They finished above East Cowes by virtue of scoring just one more goal - but for Oli Page’s 74th minute effort, Fleetlands would have finished level with the Isle of Wight club with both teams having scored 90 goals and conceded 52 from their 38 fixtures!

East Cowes also enjoyed a last-day goal fest, thrashing Frimley Green 5-0.

Due to one of the wettest winters and early springs on record, Fleetlands had to play their final 10 games - more than a quarter of their entire league programme - in just 19 days.

Remarkably, they won seven of those games - including becoming the first team to beat champions Hamworthy Recreation in a league match - and drew the other three.

In a quirk of their fixture list, Fleetlands’ last game of the regular season was against the club they faced in their very first game.

Back in August, the Coptermen romped to a stunning 9-0 victory in the New Forest. And they were quick out of the blocks again, moving into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 35 minutes.

Jamie Winter and Alfie Lis struck inside 18 minutes before Dale Mason netted his 15th league goal.

Page - who had struck twice in a 4-1 win at Cove less than 48 hours earlier - completed the win with the goal that booked Claridge and co a play-off semi-final at Millbrook tonight.

It will be a massive test for Fleetlands against the side who finished 19 points ahead of them in runners-up spot, scoring a staggering 152 goals in the process.

The Southampton-based club blasted 90 of those goals in 20 home league games, winning 17 of them - but Fleetlands did manage a 2-2 draw at Test Park earlier this year, thanks to Mason’s 90th minute leveller.