Fleet 2 v 0 Altrincham

Nationwide Conference

LIAM Daish was feeling a lot happier on Saturday night after his team ended a dismal run of six defeats with a comfortable victory over Altrincham.

Goals either side of half time from Andy Drury and Charlie MacDonald left Daish pleased but his opposite number incensed.

Altrincham boss Graham Heathcote was furious at referee Brendan Malone after the man in black waved away appeals from the visitors suggesting MacDonald had fouled a defender in the lead up to his goal.

Daish said: "Charlie had a right ding dong battle with their centre half.

"He's a strong lad and he's got his goal. I've no complaints and he's made the first goal as well."

MacDonald was equally happy with his strike saying: "I managed to get my body there and I felt he went down a little too easily, either that or he wants to get himself to the gym.

"I kept my composure and managed to slot it home."

The killer second goal was the icing on a solid performance from Fleet as they started well and ended, albeit with some scares, in control.

Bradley Johnson and Drury tested the Altrincham keeper early and in the Fleet defence the Smith partnership of Ross and James soaked up what little pressure the visitors put on them.

Fleet upped the tempo when MacDonald made progress down the left and crossed for Drury to sweep home past Stuart Coburn.

As the second half got underway Altrincham, who have won only once on the road this season, were ripped apart when Drury's clearance found MacDonald.

The striker wrestled past Gary Scott before firing low past Coburn for ninth goal of the season.

Heathcote was livid the challenge on Scott went unpunished but he was thanking his lucky stars moments later when Altrincham defender Val Owen cleared a James Smith drive off the line.

In response Heathcote brought on all three of his substitutes and they changed formation to go all out for goals with a three-man forward line.

Owen wasted some chances but Fleet were finding themselves pushed back and keeper Craig Holloway had Jimmy Jackson to thank for heading clear when he found himself stranded.

Kieron Lugsden could have got Altrincham back into the match in the 73rd minute but his shot was straight into Holloway's midriff.

As the match wore on Fleet became more comfortable and could have finished in emphatic style had Luke Moore not shot wide following good work by Holloway and MacDonald.

In the end Daish could breath a sigh of relief at three points well earned.

He said: "We've had a tough few weeks so I am delighted with three points. That is all that matters in this game.

"We've got a young set of lads. If you take out Bobby Bowry and Jimmy Jackson look at the average age of our side.

"Scott Gooding's 22, Ross Smith is 25, James Smith has just turned 20, Andy Drury's 23 and Charlie is 24. Moreover Luke Moore has just turned 18.

"I can understand how we were a bit tentative but when it came down to it we did enough to keep a clean sheet.

"I have every belief in Luke. He's an intelligent lad and I would have played him even if I had had a full squad available today.

"I love him to bits and I think he has a great future."

He added: "We have a happy dressing room today.

"We've applied ourselves and it was not pretty but it is three points and it's a results game."

Fleet are now 10th in the Nationwide Conference and travel to Crawley on Saturday. For more pictures from the game, visit newsshopper.co.uk Fleet: Holloway; Gooding; Moore (Sodje, 90); R Smith; Drury; Saunders; Johnson (Skinner, 82); Bowry; J Smith; MacDonald; Jackson.

Subs not used: Kerr; Glozier; Porter.

Att: 1,091