Tobi Adebayo-Rowling was awarded man of the match at the end of last night’s game and leads the supporters’ vote on the club website also – not bad for a player who admitted to a few sleepless nights as the new father of a 7lb 7oz baby!
Young Reggie was introduced to the world late last week and his ‘old man’ responded with a tireless display as usual down the right flank in the Kuflink Stadium’s first nighttime league game post-lockdown.
Nighttimes are something Adebayo-Rowling might have to get used to as he settles into a feeding routine for his new arrival, but if he keeps feeding the Fleet forwards with crosses (Fleet had 31 to Braintree’s three last night!), his manager will have few complaints.
“I’m buzzing,” he said. “I’ve had sleepless nights but obviously got to start today. I didn’t think I was going to play to be fair but the gaffer chose me and I’m lucky. I’m surprised I got man of the match, I thought one of the other boys would. I didn’t score anything but clean sheets are like a goal for me. I can’t score so I’ve got to go for clean sheets!”
Echoing his manager’s post-match comments, Adebayo-Rowling revealed how the Fleet players had been frustrated at half-time but rallied round to keep to their plans and allow their opportunities and fitness to tell.
“It was a hard game, you saw they got behind it from minute one,” said the Fleet’s No.2. “There was time wasting, I was thinking well here we go, but we dug in deep and we came in at half time and were, like, we just keep playing, it will come. And then obviously one came and the second did and then it was pretty comfortable, but it was a tough game.
“I think that must have been their gameplan, slowing it down, just cheeky fouls and long balls and it did [frustrate us] for a little bit but then we came through, we had our gameplan and it went well.”
There was little doubt after Dominic Poleon’s introduction that the partnership with Rakish Bingham would bear fruit, although it was Greg Cundle who supplied the initial breakthrough courtesy of winning a penalty.
“I didn’t actually see it,” said Adebayo-Rowling. “Greg, he’s an honest man, so I can imagine it was probably a penalty and a good finish from Raks. And Dom, you always back him if he’s going one-on-one he’s getting it because he’s rapid, powerful and he just shells balls. He does it in training, they’re always going in so I was backing him there.”
And if that interview wasn’t enough to guarantee cult-hero status amongst the fans, Adebayo-Rowling then turned his praise on those supporters.
“Can I say the fans are unbelievable here,” he said. “They’re loud, there’s always good numbers as well – obviously the best club in the South that I’ve been at. We don’t want to talk too soon and just keep going game by game, you know the cliché, but hopefully get another win on Saturday. We just concentrate on the next game when we going into training, that game is done and into the next one.
“We’ll be back on it, the gaffer doesn’t let us get excited. He keeps us on it and that’s obviously why we’re doing well at the minute.”
And with that the Fleet’s newest father disappeared into the night to supply the necessary nourishment to his other squad!
“I’m going home now to do the night feed. I said I’ll do it for you tonight because obviously you can’t sleep after games!”
