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| Debutant Strikes as Fulwood March On |
Supreme FC 1
(Aasen 74)
Fulwood Rovers 3
(Weymouth 37, Mumby 48, Bracey 68)
Fulwood Rovers' fans will all have recent memories of better times - their previous promotion took them to the top tier, hot off the heals of cup victory and a debut Champions' League appearance. However, this season has certainly been a remarkable one for the club, and a welcome relief after five seasons of heartbreak - three consecutive relegations from sixth place, followed by two just missing the playoffs in third. Friday's opponents were Supreme FC, themselves in trouble in sixth position, and Rovers saw them off 3-1 to register a tenth consecutive league victory.
Rovers sprung a couple of selection surprises for this match, with defender Morgan Mumby starting in the midfield and 18-year-old debutant Theodore Weymouth partnering Rodney Hawtin up front, just a few days after joining the first team squad. However, the system appeared to work as the visitors exercised a level of control on the match in what was ultimately a frustrating first half for both sides. Rovers looked to have taken an early lead when Hawtin headed home after four minutes, but his celebrations were cut short by an offside flag. The hosts were then forced into an early reshuffle as Eládio Carlos clashed heads with Kevin Vickers and came off by far the worse. Evgeny Revyakin took his place up front for the hosts, but struggled to get involved in the game as Fulwood began to turn the screw.
James Moxey fired a couple of warning shots before Weymouth carved out the first real opportunity of the match, working some space in the box before arcing a header towards goal that Gherman Fetisov did well to keep out. Still, it looked increasingly like the two sides would remain level at the break until the 37th minute. Sylvester Bracey swung in a corner, Fetisov failed to gather under pressure and young Weymouth lofted the ball calmly into the net to mark his senior debut in fine style. Supreme's troubles were further compounded as Dominic Hubbard was forced to join Carlos in the treatment room, but did at least fashion a chance just before the break as sub Revyakin stung Kevin Irons' palms from a tight angle after a well-worked moved down the wing.
Any lingering optimism that the home side had over the break was swiftly extinguished as Fulwood doubled their lead on 48 minutes. Fetisov again looked uncertain under the high ball as Mumby beat him to James Moxey's cross to flick a header over the stranded keeper and into the net. Bracey added a third 20 minutes later to all but end the contest. There was a blemish on Fulwood's day, however, as Ove Aasen poked home Yury Astapov's corner at the back post to deny the league leaders a clean sheet - only the fourth goal they'd conceded in 17 games this season. It came too late to influence the outcome of the game, though, and Rovers looked jubilant at the final whistle with another hurdle successfully navigated.
The outlook for Supreme is now grim reading - they need to win all of their remaining games and hope if they're to avoid relegation. Fulwood, on the other hand, would clinch the title next week if they better Voisins Du Zero's result.
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