Media Watch - Fleet Town

It is a shade under 12-months since Fleet Town visited Penydarren Park adopting ‘unorthodox’ tactics in an often physical FA Trophy encounter, returning to Hampshire for a mid-week replay after securing a 1-1 draw, which was described by one of their own supporters as an ‘ugly performance’.

In a football sense justice prevailed a few days later as the Martyrs out-performed the home side in emphatic style winning the reply convincingly.

During the close season Fleet were moved sideways from the Evo-Stik (as it was then called) Southern League Central to the Calor South & West division as part of the Football Association’s balancing act for Step 4 clubs.

This means instead of enjoying relatively short journeys to the likes of Ashford Town and Chertsey Town, Fleet – along with Godalming Town and Guildford City – are making the longer trips West to play Tiverton and ourselves.

Fleet Town player/boss Craig Davis, a former Cardiff City player, has recently signed Tom Mudge to join the former Chertsey playmaker Rob Carr and his other close season signings of danger-man Simba Mlambo with four league goals to his name, Jordan Carter and Craig Stanley. Despite the additions made to the squad Davis has recently expressed his concern that the club are unable to compete with some Step 5 teams when it comes to signing players.

After an extremely promising pre-season the move to the South and West Division has so far proved difficult with only one win in the opening nine games, which now includes consecutive defeats in their last four league games.

Subject to International Clearance, Aaron Cornwall will be included in the squad for the weekend after a short loan period at Radstock and the Club have also announced the signing of 21-year old Shane Williams who will provide the coaching staff with an additional option.

Wales Online

Joint managers Garry Shephard and Danny Carter have demanded a major improvement following last weekend’s 5-2 defeat at Paulton Rovers. That ended a six-match unbeaten run and Shephard and Carter have confirmed they will make changes to the squad over the next few weeks.

Merthyr have been hit hard by injuries, losing Jamie Rewbury and Gary Colborne at Paulton after Kerry Morgan and Ryan Newman were already sidelined. But Rewbury and Morgan both played against AFC Porth and will be available for the Fleeet fixture.

Colborne is rated doubtful after suffering a blow to the head at Paulton, but Newman is set to be absent for several weeks.

Fleet have suffered four successive defeats and lie 19th in the table and boss Craig Davis said he has been “devastated” by recent results. He said: “I have to have a long, hard lock at whether I can keep picking the lads up.”

Merthyr will hope to heap more misery on Fleet – and start preparing for that big homecoming.

Shane Williams is a left-sided attacker. Do we know any more about him, where he came from?
When a side, such as Fleet, are on a bad run, it sometimes means their luck changes but I think Saturday will be a comfortable win for Merthyr. Hope I am right!

Wandering wrote:It is a shade under 12-months since Fleet Town visited Penydarren Park adopting ‘unorthodox’ tactics in an often physical FA Trophy encounter, returning to Hampshire for a mid-week replay after securing a 1-1 draw, which was described by one of their own supporters as an ‘ugly performance’.

Only six of the Fleet players from that game are in their squad for tomorrow. The player who was sent off then, plus the chief culprits who we may remember for the 'unorthodox tactics' are no longer with them.

Tim Drummond wrote:Shane Williams is a left-sided attacker. Do we know any more about him, where he came from?

He was currently unattached to any club but played for Pontypridd Town last season. You must have seen him play Tim!

Tim Drummond wrote:Shane Williams is a left-sided attacker. Do we know any more about him, where he came from?

I've tried doing an Internet search but all I get is pages and pages about some rugby player.

Wandering wrote:[He was currently unattached to any club but played for Pontypridd Town last season.

Ah - and previously with Afan Lido before Pontypridd. This must be him:

http://www.welshpremier.com/PlayerDisplay.ink?squadno=42628&club=&season=11/12&seasonL=2011/2012&type=P

Yes, I found pages about a rugby player.Well researched, Imp. I couldn't find anything else..
Yes, I may have seen him at Pontypridd, Wandering. I saw a few games there last season.
I remember seeing there in the past Ian Traylor, now with us, and Duncan Culley, now with Shortwood.

Have also found this link to a Pontypridd Town Shane Williams:-

http://www.football-talents.co.uk/Shane_Williams-3_7-156261-2.html

Same player?

4mad.dogs wrote:Have also found this link to a Pontypridd Town Shane Williams:-

http://www.football-talents.co.uk/Shane_Williams-3_7-156261-2.html

Same player?

That gives a different date of birth and would make him 25 years old. Of course it could be an error on that website.

The date of birth given on the other link fits in with him being aged 21 as described in the original report.