The Fleet Years

Happy 6th January!

https://youtu.be/RIquYDsBEJc?si=w_AR3N4RPhqAJbpx

30th anniversary of Aston Villa vs Gravesend in the FA Cup 🏆

Littlewoods FA Cup Third Round, 6th January 1996 | Aston Villa vs Gravesend & Northfleet 30th anniversary video of Gravesend & Northfleet's FA Cup tie against Aston Villa via PES 21. Gravesend faces by Syamil T.

2nd September | BHL PREMIER DIVISION

HALESOWEN TOWN 0-0 GRAVESEND & NORTHFLEET
Att: 721

A top of the table clash saw a pulsating, but goalless encounter at The Grove yesterday as the Fleet and Halesowen shared a point.

Dave Powell went closest for the Fleet, hitting the crossbar with a header in the first 20 minutes, with the Yeltz having a similar chance in the second half chalked off for a foul in the build up.

Despite some excellent attacking football from both sides, neither side could get a winner. Peter Mortley and Micky Cotter tested the home keeper and Evran Wright proved a handful for the Fleet, but the league's top goalscorer so far couldn't find a way through the Fleet defence.

Lee Turner's ankle injury saw him retire as a precaution at the break to be replaced by Paul Sansome, who joined from Southend United in midweek.

Sansome's debut was very impressive and he looks to be a shrewd addition for Garry Aldous's side in Turner's absence.

Fleet now host Gloucester City on Tuesday, followed by a visit to promotion hopefuls, Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road a week today.

LINE-UP: Turner*, Lamb, Mortley (c), Gubbins, Harrop, Jackson, Cotter*, Munday, Blewden*, Newbery, Powell*.

Subs: Sansome*, Dimmock*, Gibbs*.

In other news, Dave Walker, a right-back from Dover Athletic has agreed to join the Fleet in time for the trip to Cheltenham next week.

28th August | BHL PREMIER DIVISION

THE FLEET (Blewden, Powell, Lamb, Newbery) 4-0 ILKESTON TOWN

Att: 683

The Fleet named an unchanged side from the victory at Butlin Road, naming Richard Dimmock, Ian Gibbs and Grant Best on the bench after all three passed a fitness test.

The Fleet came into this fixture at Stonebridge Road the clear favourites.

Fleet went into the game flying high at the top of the table, whilst Ilkeston had suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat at Sudbury Town in their previous outing, despite an excellent brace from Justin Jackson.

Fleet struggled to break down Ilkeston for spells, but a sustained Fleet barrage upon the visitor's goal saw Colin Blewden opening the scoring with a thunderous drive high into the net that gave Rigby no chance.

With Fleet going into the break a goal up, Garry Aldous's side could and should have been ahead by more, but for some poor finishing.

The team talk must have done it's job however, as immediately after the restart, Dave Powell swept home a flowing Fleet move to calm the nerves.

Ilkeston had a free-kick cannon off the crossbar on 62 minutes, but that would be their only notable attack on goal in the second half as Fleet turned the screw.

Best and Dimmock's introduction proved to give Fleet an extra gear and some extra width, which culminated in Paul Lamb's darting run and finish in the box on 68 minutes ending any hopes of a comeback for the visitors.

Richard Newbery sealed a vastly improved Fleet second half with a well-taken goal on 85 minutes to maintain Fleet's impressive unbeaten start to the season.

Fleet travel to The Grove to face another unbeaten side, Halesowen Town on Saturday.

The Mr Ham Man Man of the Match goes to Matt Gubbins.

LINE-UP: Turner, Lamb, Mortley (c), Gubbins, Harrop, Jackson, Cotter, Munday, Blewden*, Newbery, Powell*.

Subs: Best*, Dimmock*, Gibbs.

VHS Match Video is now available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwGjyrgJY3M

In other news, you may have noticed a new goalkeeper on the sidelines this evening.

Paul Sansome will join up with the Fleet for the trip to Halesowen Town after signing from Southend United, with Lee Turner due for surgery to an ankle in the coming weeks.

Moving on from the club are Balbir Beila, Matt Thomas and Tony Reynolds who have signed for Corinthian and Erith respectively.

We thank them for their service to the Fleet.

25th August | BHL PREMIER DIVISION

VS RUGBY (Stanton) 1-2 THE FLEET (Mortley, Newbery)

Att: 351 (33 away)

The Fleet travelled to Butlin Road for an early season reverse fixture against VS Rugby.

The hosts, who remained winless from their first two games had another the double to ponder as an early header from summer signing, Peter Mortley put any Fleet nerves to bed within the first few minutes.

Another new signing, Richard Newbery opened his account for the Fleet with a smart turn and finish from Jimmy Jackson's teasing cross on 36 minutes.

With Fleet sailing into the break two goals to nil, Garry Aldous's charges never looked likely to concede.

Fleet made a trio of changes on 78 minutes, and Ian Gibbs almost scored a corner moments later, but for his header to be hacked off the line.

Fleet's calls for an offside into the final minutes went unnoticed by the linesman and Turner could only parry a shot onto the post, which was dutifully turned in by Stanton to give the hosts hope of an unlikely comeback, but it wasn't to be for the Midlanders.

Fleet, currently third in the Premier Division behind leaders Rushden and Diamonds and Cheltenham Town, will be back in action at Stonebridge Road against Ilkeston Town on Tuesday, followed by an away fixture at in-form Halesowen Town a week today.

Fleet's Man of the Match goes to deputising captain, Peter Mortley.

LINE-UP: Turner, Lamb, Mortley (c), Gubbins, Harrop, Jackson, Cotter, Munday, Blewden, Newbery, Powell.

Subs: Beila*, Thomas*, Gibbs*.

22nd August: BHL PREMIER DIVISION

GRAVESEND & NORTHFLEET (Dimmock, Munday) 2-2 GRESLEY ROVERS (Marsden, Taylor)

Att: 535

The Fleet followed up their Beazer Homes League Premier Division opening day win with a 2-2 draw at home to Gresley Rovers, in front of 535 fans at Stonebridge Road this evening.

Debutant teenager, Richard Dimmock proved a constant thorn in the side of Gresley, and it was the young Welling United loanee who opened the scoring on 20 minutes with a simple finish past Stuart Ford from 6 yards, after Dave Powell's clever through ball.

Things only got better for Fleet as Dimmock once again tormented the Gresley defence, opening up space for Mark Harrop's deep cross into the box, to which an onrushing Mark Munday needed no hesitation to attack with a superb diving header.

Fleet went into the break two nil to the good, with a fully-deserved lead.

However, the game seemed to change on 68 minutes when a triple substitution of Best, Gooding and Newbery seemed to give Gresley a little bit of urgency in front of goal, as Marsden finished off a goalmouth scramble with a shot past a unsighted, Lee Turner.

Gresley, who'd threatened a goal in the first half, took the opportunity to attack the Fleet goal and they got a just reward just two minutes later via Taylor's neat strike, which looped over Turner from a Gresley boot's deflection.

Gresley, seemingly happy to sit back with a point, took their foot off the pedal and a sustained Fleet siege of Ford's goal yielded a header off the crossbar from Micky Cotter and a clear penalty shout on Clint Gooding, but referee John Blakemore waved away the appeals from the Fleet bench.

There would be one more opportunity for Fleet to take all three points, but for Ford's superb fingertip save from Newbery's hooked shot on goal that agonisingly tickled the upright and with that, the final whistle.

Gary Aldous's side will have to look for three points away to last weekend's visitors, VS Rugby on Butlin Road on Saturday.

Tonight's LV Transport Man of the Match goes to debutant, Richard Dimmock.

BHL PREMIER DIV SEASON | 1995-96

Hello, and welcome back again to Stonebridge Road for tonight's visitors from South Derbyshire, Gresley Rovers.

It was satisfying to take all three points at home on the Saturday against a stubborn VS Rugby side, who would have easily deserved a point for their endeavours.

Two excellent finishes from Mark Munday and Dave Powell saw us through however.

We look forward to playing Rugby again at Butlin Road next Saturday, for an unusually early reverse fixture.

On the squad front, we have signed another exciting player on a modest fee for the squad, pending a successful medical.

Richard Dimmock and Grant Best are both now available for selection and should feature in some way, shape and form today.

Thank you for your excellent support so far, it really does encourage the boys to hear the Fleet roar from the Plough End in the tunnel!

Up the Reds,
Garry Aldous

BHL PREM DIVISION | 1995-96

A debut league goal from Dave Powell and a Mark Munday stunner seal gritty opening day victory against visiting VS Rugby.

MATCH VHS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSC9b-GP4XM

BHL PREMIER DIV SEASON | 1995-96

Hello, and welcome back for another August at Stonebridge Road!

The opening day of the new season is nearly upon us and everyone at the club is excited for what the new season may bring. It will be a tough league this year, but we are confident we can improve on our position last time out.

Making their full Beazer Homes League debuts are Dave Powell and Peter Mortley whilst our new record signing, Richard Newbery is named on the bench.

We have been rumoured to be in talks with Margate's Martin Buglione, those rumours are currently just that.

Welling's Richard Dimmock (loan to January) and Grant Best have also joined the club after impressive pre-season performances as trialists, but both carry minor knocks from Tonbridge in midweek and will miss out today as a precaution.

GRAVESEND & NORTHFLEET SQUAD:

GK - Lee Turner/Dean Harpley
CB - Peter Mortley, Matt Gubbins, John Glover
LB - Paul Lamb
RB - Mark Harrop (c)
LM - Jimmy Jackson
RM - Colin Blewden
CM - Ian Gibbs, Danny Spiller
AM - Micky Cotter, Clint Gooding, Mark Munday
DM - Dave Bourne
ST - Dave Powell, Richard Newbery, Balbir Beila
LW/RW - Richard Dimmock, Matt Thomas, Tony Reynolds, Grant Best

Hopefully our preparations have been worthwhile and whilst preseason has been mixed, we've played well in every fixture. I hope to see you all at Stonebridge Road this afternoon to support the boys.

Lionel Ball Jr.
Programme Editor

Gravesend & Northfleet pre-season action from Stonebridge Road vs Barnet XI. Southend United XI and Woking.

Pre-season results so:

Shorne 0-10 Gravesend (Powell 3, Munday 3, Blewden, Gibbs, Beila, Thomas)
Gravesend 1-3 Barnet (Powell)
Chatham Town 0-4 Gravesend (Trialist B, Lamb, Gubbins)
Gravesend 1-3 Southend (Reynolds)
Gravesend 5-3 Woking (Trialist A 2, Gooding, Trialist B, Mortley)
Tonbridge 0-3 Gravesend (Cotter 2, OG)

TRANSFER NEWS: Dave Boyce (Ashford), Lew Watts (Welling), Lee Graves (Baldoock), Louis Affor, Robbie Sinclair, Tommy Warrilow (Ashford) and Graham Brenton (Sittingbourne) have all departed Stonebridge Road.

Let's get behind the squad for the opening game.
Garry and Chris.

Gravesend & Northfleet's 1995/96 Pen Pics:

The club can now announce our new official 1995-96 season Home and Away kits made by 'Plaaya' (Lee-Ray Sport). They will be available in adult Small, Medium and Large as youth sizes priced at £29.99.

Stock will be available in the club shop from the home fixture vs Southend United on the 3rd August.