It’s a long trip for the in-form Robins on Saturday as they travel to Hampshire to take on Fleet Town. A really poor run of five straight defeats before Christmas saw Bideford drop all the way down to 16th place in Division One South but a draw at Winchester City stopped the rot before five straight wins meant The Robins climbed back up to 8th (and then down a place to 9th after Melksham’s mid-week victory) six points off the play-off places. Fleet are bottom of the division having suffered ten league defeats in a row. Their last success in the league was a dramatic 4-3 over fellow strugglers Barnstaple Town although they did pick up a win last week in the Russell Cotes Cup, a 2-1 success at Lymington Town. Bideford won the first league meeting between the sides 2-1 back in September while the only previous encounter at Calthorpe Park was in 2016 as Fleet knocked The Robins out of the FA Trophy in a game which also ended 2-1.

Form Guide

Fleet Town’s last six (LLLLWL) Pos 20th W3 D1 L18 Pts 10
12/01/19 Blackfield & Langley 4 Fleet Town 1 (League)
08/01/19 Lymington Town 1 Fleet Town 2 (Russell Cotes Cup)
05/01/19 Fleet Town 3 Highworth Town 4 (League)
01/01/19 Moneyfields 4 Fleet Town 1 (League)
29/12/18 Fleet Town 1 Street 3 (League)
26/12/18 Fleet Town 1 Thatcham Town 2 (League)

Bideford’s last six (WWWWDW) Pos 9th W10 D4 L8 Pts 34
12/01/19 Bideford 3 Yate Town 1 (League)
08/01/19 Cinderford Town 2 Bideford 2 (League Cup QF) *Cinderford won 4-3 on pens
05/01/19 Evesham United 1 Bideford 3 (League)
01/01/19 Bideford 3 Paulton Rovers 2 (League)
26/12/18 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 4 (League)
22/12/18 Bideford 3 AFC Totton 2 (League)

A Brief History of Fleet Town FC
Fleet Town were originally formed in 1890 as Fleet FC and played in the Aldershot and Basingstoke Leagues before joining the Hampshire League in 1961. They changed their name to Fleet Town in 1963. In 1978 they joined the Athenian League and remained there until 1984 when they were forced to drop out due to newly imposed ground requirements. After short spells in the Combined Counties League, the Surrey County League and the Chiltonian League they joined the Wessex League in 1989. Fleet Town were crowned Wessex League Champions in 1994/95 and were promoted to the Southern League Southern Division but after five years were relegated back to the Wessex League. After finishing runners-up in 2001/02 they were promoted to the Southern League Eastern Division. The next 12 seasons saw Fleet Town hop between Isthmian Division One, Southern Division One South & West and Southern Division One Central where they currently compete. In 2007/08 Fleet achieved their highest ever league finish of 2nd in Southern League Division One S&W but things have been more of a struggle in recent seasons. In 2017/18 they finished 19th in the East Division and have now transferred to the Southern League Division One South for the 2018/19 season. Some of the most notable players to have represented Fleet Town over the years include Andy Sinton who also managed the club, Mark Chamberlain, Hans Segers, Leroy Rosenior and most famous of all Clement Attlee who went on to become Prime Minister.

Fleet Town FC
Calthorpe Park
Crooksham Road
Fleet
Hampshire
GU51 5FA
Tel: 01252 623804
Website: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/fleettownfc/
Twitter: @FCFleetTown

Previous meetings:
15/09/18 Bideford 2 Fleet Town 1 (Southern Div 1 South)
08/10/16 Fleet Town 2 Bideford 1 (FA Trophy PR)