Fleetlands skipper Sam Martin bounces back from spot-kick misery to seal memorable Wessex League Cup shoot-out success

Last Wednesday, the skipper fired his penalty wide during a Hampshire Senior Cup first round shoot-out at Blackfield & Langley.

With Cam Stone seeing his effort saved, higher tier Blackfield progressed 4-3.

Last night, it was a case of deja vu with the Wessex League Cup tie between the same teams also going to penalties after a 3-3 draw.

In a tie played at Fareham’s Cams Alders ground - due to Fleetlands’ ongoing floodlight issues - the Coptermen won 5-4.

And it was Martin who converted the winning spot-kick after colleagues George Gregory, Jamie Winter, goalkeeper Joe Boxall and Stone had netted theirs. Boxall had also saved Blackfield’s second penalty.

Former Baffins Milton pair Callum Dart and Dale Mason had twice put Fleetlands ahead in the first half, with Blackfield hitting back to lead before Stone took the tie to penalties.

Mason, who had made his debut at Blackfield in the county cup, started as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Victory completed a fine few days for Fleetlands, who had ended a run of four successive defeats with their first Wessex 1 points of the campaign last weekend.

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Two second half goals from Stone had given Dan Greenwood’s men a 2-0 home win over another newly-promoted team, Hamworthy Recreation.

‘We should have beaten them (Blackfield) last week,’ said Greenwood. ‘Over the two games, we were the better team in both of them.

‘It was good to have the game at Blackfield (in the HSC). It took the focus off the league, gave us something else to think about.

‘We just asked the players to replicate their workrate and effort against Hamworthy.

‘We need to carry those standards against Millbrook (at home) this weekend - if we don’t then last night was a bit pointless.’

Fleetlands remain without striker Kai Sterne, who is serving a suspension imposed for a sending off while playing for Fareham reserves last season.

Under the rules of his ban, he cannot play again until Fleetlands reserves have played three competitive fixtures. And due to Hayling postponing last weekend’s match, they have still only played two.

‘It’s very frustrating,’ said Greenwood, who handed a debut against Hamworthy to former Fareham player Matt Simm, who can play right-back or in midfield.

Millbrook - formerly Fleetlands’ Hampshire Premier League rivals Bush Hill - are one of only three teams below the Coptermen in the Wessex second tier.

Their point from a 2-2 draw at East Cowes last weekend was their first of the league campaign, after three defeats.