Late Fishlock strike earns Poppies a draw in tight affair with Fleet

A late header from substitute Ethan Fishlock earned a point for Bournemouth in a 1-1 draw with Fleet Town.

Leo Decabo had put the Blues in front early on, and it took until the 81st minute before Fishlock struck to ensure it finished all square.

Last week Bournemouth had been involved in an incredible FA Vase match, in which they came from 2-0 down to defeat Blackfield & Langley on penalties. However, they were brought back from that high just eight minutes in.

Decabo struck an effort from 20 yards which found the bottom corner, even with Poppies goalkeeper Sam Jones getting a hand to it.

The two sides had played out a 2-2 draw earlier on this season, and in similar fashion to that game, this was certainly tight.

Jones was the busier keeper for the first half an hour, denying a couple of strikes from Dan Bone and another long shot from Decabo.

Bournemouth did eventually manage to assert themselves into the game, and arguably should have got back on level terms midway through the half.

Mario Schaller advanced into the box, cutting back to Liam House in the centre. The striker took his time in taking a shot, and was eventually blocked out.

House almost made amends a short while later when Lewis Proudley curled a ball through to him, but his rising shot rattled the Fleet crossbar.

The open nature of the game continued into the second half, although it took about 20 minutes for a real chance to be fashioned.

The visitor’s Mal Thomas went through on goal, but in cutting back to try and get around Jones, Proudley was able to nick it off his toes.

Bournemouth substitute Shane Barney was inches away from getting his head on the end of a delightful Jack Kinge-Phillips cross, while Fishlock used his head superbly at the other end to deny Fleet on the line.

Fishlock then got his moment to shine on the attack just a short while later.

He dove to meet an inswinging cross that was placed past goalkeeper Ryan Bone.

A minute later and Bournemouth had the ball in the net again. A cross had bounced off Martin Warren, which set up Jonathan Efedje to empathetically slam home, but it was disallowed for an offside.

Right at the death Decabo was so close to bringing all three points back to Fleet, but Jones got down well to deny his well struck free-kick.

By all accounts a point for either side was fair, and it has left Poppies in 10th position.

Bournemouth’s next match is away to eight placed Christchurch on Tuesday 20th October.

Poppies XI: Jones, Trimble, Proudley, Nicholls (C), Chambers, J,Harvey (Fishlock), Kinge-Phillips (Carvalho), Schaller, Warren, House (Barney), Efedje

Subs: Carvalho, Barney, Martins, Seymour, Fishlock