It would be a mouth-watering clash at the Kuflink Stadium at any time even without the surrounding noise about clinching the league title.
Forget that title ambition for a moment and you have a Good Friday clash pitting the league leaders on a long unbeaten run against a third-placed side who haven’t lost away from home since November.
Now throw back into the mix the Fleet’s requirement for a point to clinch that league title against the first side to take a point from us this season, and this fixture looks set to stir the senses without any need to hype it up.
Fleet follow their long trip to Taunton and the excitement of Dominic Poleon’s last-minute winner with this humdinger of a home match where the prospect of not only winning but lifting the league championship trophy in front of our loyal supporters is on the cards.
You all know the maths by now. A Fleet draw or win confirms the title, as would a defeat or draw for Dartford at Eastbourne. That has prompted the league to bring the trophy to the Kuflink Stadium but Dennis Kutrieb and his players have put thoughts of that to one side to instead get on with the job in hand against Oxford City.
With the fixture congestion having eased for the Fleet of late, there is perhaps less demand for squad rotation and to that end, the side named at Taunton last Saturday had just one enforced change as Billy Clifford came in for the injured Rakish Bingham, with Jack Paxman on loan to Worthing until the end of the campaign. And with another game this Easter weekend coming on Monday, Kutrieb may prefer to wait until the trip to Braintree to switch his side around.
Poleon, of course, continues to lead the goalscoring charts as his 33rd league goal (35th in all competitions) has already placed him by far and away as Fleet’s highest goalscorer this century in a single season.
Toby Edser will now be looking to join Poleon, Bingham and Greg Cundle on double figures for goals this season while Omari Sterling-James (who came on as substitute at Taunton) could come back into the reckoning for a starting place after a full week’s recovery from his international appearances.
Sterling, an ex-Oxford City player himself, comes up against his fellow St Kitts & Nevis colleague Andre Burley who is named amongst the visitors’ squad, little more than a week on from the pair jetting home from the Caribbean together!
It’s a small squad given the Hoops’ impressive league placing and consistency this season, with head coach Ross Jenkins having continued the upward direction of the club after succeeding David Oldfield midway through last season.
Oxford made the play-offs last season, falling to Fleet’s eventual conquerors Dorking Wanderers in the semi-finals, and they are well-placed to go at least one better this season.
The temptation to see them as merely potential party poopers this Good Friday would be to diminish their achievements this season – they will be coming to the Kuflink Stadium eyeing the runners-up spot and an easier passage through the play-offs as a result. Dartford are in pole position having played two games fewer, but if Oxford could make off with the three points tomorrow, that would put our neighbours under pressure.
Like the Fleet, Oxford play some tidy, pleasing football and have their own firepower at their disposal. The experienced Josh Parker and the ever-improving Klaidi Lolos have scored 30 between them this season, Lolos bagging a hat-trick as Oxford took down in-form Tonbridge to the tune of 4-0 last weekend.
The visitors have recaptured another striker on loan, Fulham’s Olly Sanderson – who scored against the Fleet in the 1-1 draw in September – rejoining last month to score on his return. He’s not the only loanee from a Premier League club, with goalkeeper Adnan Kanuric brought in from Nottingham Forest.
Boss Jenkins has a strong core of City veterans at his disposal with the likes of Reece Fleet, Zac McEachran, Alfie Potter and Josh Ashby boasting plenty of combined appearances. It’s made the visitors tough to beat and although they’re one of the division’s draw specialists, they’ve also lost the fewest games in the National South other than the Fleet.
Fleet ran out easy enough winners at home last season, beating Oxford 3-1 – but that was a rare occurrence against an opponent who have always been tricky customers in recent years and will come to the Kuflink hoping to do so again, while having one eye on another huge game for them this Monday at Chelmsford.
Should Fleet’s place at the top be absolutely confirmed on full-time, the National League will present the trophy. Following League and safety advice, we would ask supporters to continue to observe ground regulations and refrain from entering the pitch at the final whistle. Read more here.
MATCHDAY SMALL PRINT ——–>
ONLINE SALES
Our online ticketing sales platform at fleetlive.club has tickets available until 12.00pm on matchday. We would, however, strongly advise pre-purchase for both your and our convenience in gaining admission to the ground – particularly for this game with a very large crowd anticipated.
On-the-day ticket sales are available from the windows by main reception, accepting card and cash payments. Turnstiles open at 1pm but they will only accept online tickets (printed out or on your device) and tickets bought at the windows on matchday.
This game is not segregated.
MAIN STAND BAR
All supporters are welcome in our Main Stand and Social Club bars. To access the Main Stand bar, enter through the turnstiles and walk the length of the gangway in the Main Stand to the door at the Swanscombe (uncovered) End. There is signage pointing you in the direction. Dennis Kutrieb does a pre-match teamsheet run-through. Post-match music entertainment is free after the final whistle.
CATERING OUTLETS
We have a new bar opening in the old Sponsors’ Lounge (the building situated by the Swanscombe End) serving beers from Iron Pier Brewery and Hofmeister so please do check that out. And in the corner of the Main Stand and Swanscombe End is a new food catering outlet, Fleet Feast, which opened to the public along Stonebridge Road last week and will be serving teas, coffees, other drinks and hot food/snacks.
Check out our other existing food stalls (to the left of the main turnstiles entrance, there is our Würtsel Haus German sausage experience and straight ahead as you enter the ground is the Manhattan Grill for all your burger, hot dog and more needs!). Pop-up bars are also situated near to the turnstiles and by ‘Geeks Corner’ between the Plough End and old stand. We have a popup to be found in the marquee between the main turnstiles entrance and the Main Stand.
CAR PARKING
Car-parking as per usual on matchdays is available at Ebbsfleet International Car Park C for £3. Please have the correct change if possible to aid our parking staff and again, we would recommend an early arrival. Please note that the areas near to Northfleet Station, namely Railway Street and Hamerton Road, are resident/permit-only parking and non-valid vehicles will be ticketed. The area on Thamesway before the roundabout as you approach the Kuflink Stadium is a designated clearway – though that is not particularly apparent as you approach – so you are advised not to park here because of the risk of being ticketed.
Please note there are temporary traffic lights once again in operation at the top of Stonebridge Hill, just after Northfleet High Street.
MATCHDAY PROGRAMMES
If you wish to purchase your programme in advance for collection from our club shop before you enter the ground, you can do so either via our online shop or when booking your matchday tickets online.
Programmes are also on sale at the ground from the club shop, the popup bar as you enter the turnstiles, the Main Stand tea kiosk or in the Social Club behind the Plough End, costing £3. Advance-order programmes will be available to pick up from the club shop before the game and before you enter the turnstiles.
