Football supporters have long learned not to read too much into pre-season friendly results, but there’s surely nothing wrong with a little optimism after a fifth straight win.
Fleet came away from New Lodge with a 4-2 victory over the Ryman Premier Division side which saw Robbie Willmott score his third successive goal and Jordan Parkes convert a fine free kick, providing evidence (alongside his equaliser at Stonebridge Road for Hemel back in February) that his set pieces will be something to behold this season.
Willmott edged Fleet in front on 22 minutes before former Gravesend & Northfleet striker Onome Sodje equalised for the home side before half-time. And Billericay could have taken the lead with an overhead kick that troubled the crossbar.
Solid though they were in the first half, Fleet discovered more of a spark in the second and Daryl McMahon’s men were back in front seven minutes after the break when Dean Rance was on hand for the second. And Parkes stepped up to deliver a great free kick past Jack Giddens on 63 minutes to add some sheen to the scoreline.
A flurry of substitutions then kept the game otherwise score-free for the following 20 minutes until one of those replacements, Matt Godden, grabbed his second goal of pre-season to make it 4-1. A quick-fire reply from Billericay courtesy of a free kick into the box that deflected off a Fleet player gave them some small consolation but it was the visitors’ afternoon once more, with two warm-up games remaining.
TEAM: Hall (Miles), Fish, Howe (Braham-Barrett), Rance (Johnson), Bonner, Clark, Willmott (Godden), Parkes, Kedwell (Osborn), Kissock, Shields (Tracey)
