Fleet boss Steve Brown complimented Gosport Borough’s endeavour despite the visitors descending to the bottom of Skrill South after their 2-1 defeat at Stonebridge Road this afternoon.
“There are fine lines in this league,” Brown told BBC Radio Kent’s Charles Webster. “We warned the players and watched a video of Gosport in midweek. They knock it about well. Today they passed brilliantly but when you’re down on your luck, it doesn’t run and then they went behind, it was a difficult task for them. But they didn’t hide and came out and had a go.”
Despite a first-half performance that the Fleet manager felt was under par, he was obviously happy with the three points and improved showing after the break. “It wasn’t one of our best,” he admitted. “But we did a professional job. First half, they had far too much of the ball, they passed and move well. I wasn’t overjoyed with the first 45 minutes but in the second we got a somewhat fortuitous goal, and the overall signs in the second half were better. The last 10 minutes we kept the ball well and started moving it nicely.
“But we’re still too anxious and give the ball away too quickly when we have the opportunities to keep it.”
Speaking of Stacy Long’s early opener and expectations of the floodgates opening thereafter, Brown said: “An early goal like that works two ways. You can sit back, relax, think you’ve done alright and that’s it. Or you go on and the opposition capitulate. But Gosport responded ever so well. They didn’t hide, they kept the ball well and all of a sudden we were too deep and on the back foot and that’s when on the sidelines you feel you need to do something and regain control of the game.”
Brown also revealed that, although not fit for a place on the bench, on-loan striker Andy Pugh has had his stay extended by a further month and could play a part on Tuesday evening against Bishop’s Stortford.
