Fleetlands boss ‘gutted’ after late penalty denies his side a second Hampshire Premier League in a row at 10-man Bush Hill

Fleetlands boss Rich Bessey was left ‘gutted’ after going agonisingly close to winning at Hampshire Premier League heavyweights Bush Hill for the second season running.
Nathan Gray, right, in action for Fleetlands last season. Picture: Keith WoodlandNathan Gray, right, in action for Fleetlands last season. Picture: Keith Woodland
Nathan Gray, right, in action for Fleetlands last season. Picture: Keith Woodland

The Coptermen inflicted Bush’s last Senior Division defeat on them, way back on September 7 last year.

They were winning by the same 2-0 scoreline at the weekend as the game entered its final 10 minutes with Bush also down to 10 men due to Gary Haines’ red card.

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Bush reduced the arrears through sub Nathan Gray, who had a short spell at Fleetlands last season, and then levelled late on through a Perry Harding penalty after Richard Carter had been penalised for a foul.

‘I thought the feeling of being gutted would have gone by Monday morning,’ said Bessey. ‘But I’ve still got it - this is going to last all season!

‘We would have taken a point beforehand definitely, but this feels like a defeat - hopefully the point will mean something come the end of the season.’

Bessey’s gameplan involved Sam Martin man marking creative midfielder Callum Drake in a bid to starve striker Mark Barker of chances.

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Barker had entered the game having belted a double hat-trick in Bush’s 12-0 thrashing of Chamberlayne in midweek.

The plan worked in so far as Barker was taken off in the second half with Fleetlands ahead thanks to goals from Kelvin Robinson and Carter.

Fleetlands had travelled to Southampton with only two subs and Bessey had to use one of them just after the half-hour mark.

He sent Jack North on in place of striker Shane Flooks, fearing that the latter would get himself sent off for dissent.

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‘I probably panicked into making the change,’ said Bessey, ‘but I know what the referees are like these days with dissent and I didn’t want to risk going down to 10 men in such a big game.

‘There was disapproval from my players, they didn’t want it to happen, and it was a decision made in haste.’

Robinson put Fleetlands into a half-time lead, and Bush were reduced to 10 men shortly into the second half when Haines was red-carded for bringing down Robinson.

Carter doubled the advantage from a corner soon after.

‘Bush looked a beaten side,’ said Bessey. ‘But credit to them for coming back, that’s why they’re one of the best sides in the league.

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‘I put it down to our tired legs and tired minds, I should have taken more subs - I only had two and I had to use one of them in the first half.

‘The Bush Hill players were telling us the foul for their penalty was outside the area - that frustrated us even more.’

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