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Match report: Fisher 3-0 Snodland Town

Fisher FC 3-0 Snodland Town

After successive away cup ties, Fisher returned to St Paul’s on league action for the first time since Non-League Day back on the first weekend of the month. The sun was shining was the visit of third placed Snodland Town, and manager Dean Harrison was able to name a strong looking line-up. Mathieu Ramsamy made his home debut after a stunning strike last week at Sheppey, and there were welcome home returns for Wright, Brown, Haidarovic and Agyemang. Up top, the ever dangerous Dan Bowden started his first home game of the month. However, shortly before kick-off Dwayne Agyemang had to drop out through illness. Nathan Hunter stepped off the bench to replace him, and Pat Geddis came onto the bench.

Before kick-off, the two sets of players lined up in the centre circle for a minute’s silence for Jackie Collins, mother of Fisher’s own Alfie. The silence was impeccably observed by all in St. Paul’s. Everyone at Fisher sends their sincere condolences to Alfie and his family.

Harry Draper took the kick-off for Fisher, and the home side attacked from the very start. It took only 5 minutes for Fisher to take their lead with the first real chance, although the ball had scarcely left the Snodland half during those first 5 minutes. Richie Hamill tried to slip the ball through to Dan Bowden on the edge of the box. The ball deflected off a defender but Mathieu Ramsamy ran onto the loose ball and tried to slip it under the advancing keeper. The ball seemed to hit the keeper and then bounce off Ramsamy again, before trickling into the empty net. 1-0 Fisher (Ramsamy, 5 mins)

Three minutes later and the scoreline nearly doubled. The ball nestled in the bottom corner of the net after a Bowden header from close range, but the flag was up on the far side and the goal didn’t stand. Undeterred by the decision, Fisher continued to press. Jamie Brown was next to threaten, his shot held by the keeper after Hamill had danced past several men on the edge of the box.

On 20 minutes, Hamill beat his man and surged into the box. He hit the byline but his cutback to the waiting Bowden was intercepted and cleared. Moments later, there was a clash of heads midway inside the Snodland half between Toyo Adeshina and Snodland’s Riley. Adeshina had already required treatment earlier in the half, and he stayed down for a few minutes but was able to continue thanks to Donna’s sterling work!

After 25 minutes, Ramsamy nutmegged his man on the left wing but his cross was blocked behind for a corner. From the corner, Harry Draper’s header flashed just past the far post. It was all Fisher: minutes later, Hamill beat two men inside the box but couldn’t quite beat the third and get his shot off. Then Jamie Brown beat the Snodland left back, doubled back and beat him again before laying off to Hamill whose shot was spilled by the keeper at his near post before being gathered at the second attempt.

With 33 minutes gone, Jamie Brown beat his opposite man yet again, but the centre back got across to cover and clear the ball for a Fisher corner. Nathan Hunter was unmarked at the back post, but his header from the corner went just wide. Hamill then sent in a beautiful cross from the right hand side using the outside of his left foot. The cross was met on the volley by Ramsamy, but his shot was blocked by a defender.

With the half time break approaching, Fisher continued to dominate. Good work by Luke Haidarovic in midfield saw him win the ball then slip it to Draper. A lovely reverse pass by Draper found Bowden on the edge of the box, but his shot was straight at the keeper. A minute later, Fisher were awarded a free kick some 30 yards from goal. Up stepped Richie Hamill to send a stunning low shot across the keeper and into the bottom right hand corner. A cracking strike, and no less than Fisher deserved! 2-0 Fisher (Hamill, 40 mins)

In first half injury time, Harry Draper ran clean through on goal. The last Snodland defender came across to try to cover, but could only take out Draper just outside the box. The home fans were screaming for a red, but the ref brandished only a yellow card. Hamill took the free kick in a similar fashion to the one he had just scored, but this time the ball whistled just past the post and with that the ref blew the half time whistle.

Half time: Fisher FC 2-0 Snodland Town. The two goal lead was no more than the men in black and white deserved after a fantastic showing. They had pressed as a team, never allowing Snodland to settle or to keep the ball for long, they had been ever dangerous on the attack and they had dictated play, keeping the ball entirely inside the opposition half throughout the first 45.

There was one change at the break for Fisher: Adeshina, who had been in the wars in the first half, was replaced by Pat Geddis who slotted in at right back. The half began just as the previous one had ended. After only a minute on the clock, Fisher won a corner in front of the home support at the Dockers End. Nathan Hunter’s header was deflected wide for a second corner. From the second corner, the keeper tried to punch clear and there was a bit of pinball in the box before Dan Bowden’s shot was blocked. Two minutes later and Ramsamy nearly scored his second of the game: a swirling cross from the left had the keeper in all sorts of trouble before landing on the top of the bar.

Ramsamy was a constant thorn in the side of the Snodland defence. After bamboozling the right back inside the box, he hit the byline and cut the ball along the six yard line, but no-one was there to tap home into the unguarded net. A minute later, he beat the full back again, drove into the box and shot low inside the near post, but the keeper got down to turn it behind for a corner. Five minutes later and it was Hamill threatening again, this time shooting from outside the box and beating the unsighted keeper, but the ball brushed the post on its way past.

On the hour mark, Jamie Brown threatened from the other side, cutting inside the left back on the edge of the box and curling the ball towards goal but the keeper dived to his right and managed to hold the shot. Fisher continued to press for the third, with Brown having another shot saved, then the Snodland keeper had to look lively to run out of his box and clear at the feet of Bowden.

On 72 minutes, Hamill was replaced by Rob Brown after another fantastic shift. Brown’s namesake, Jamie, nearly put the result beyond all doubt two minutes later, skinning his man inside the box but seeing his shot turned behind by the keeper. From the resulting corner, however, Fisher did get that elusive third. Hunter’s header was cleared off the line by the man standing on the far post, but Luke Haidarovic pounced to crash the loose ball into the roof of the net from close range (see the excellent video taken by John Green: https://twitter.com/John84Green/status/924313088341479424)
3-0 Fisher (Haidarovic, 75 mins)

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Fisher were completely on top. Snodland were yet to have a shot on or off target! Gaffer Harrison made his final change a few moments later, the outstanding Jamie Brown being replaced by Paulo Facchinetti. Fisher were still keen to extend the lead, however, and after excellent defensive work to win the ball back, Ash Wright drove forward form the left back position. Ramsamy nearly found himself in on goal, but the keeper beat him to the ball to clear.

After 88 minutes, Snodland had their first attempt at goal. A nice pass was slipped through to the left winger inside the box, and he really ought to have done better than shoot wide from close range. As the saying goes, you wait ages for a London bus and then two come along at once – so it proved, with Snodland having their second attempt just a minute later. This time it was the right winger who found himself in space inside the box, but his shot was turned round the post by Nic Taylor. The resulting corner was cleared with ease.

Fisher weren’t finished yet and, after Ramsamy was upended, Draper clipped a free kick into the box where it was met by Dan Flemming who was up from the back. His header went just wide, and that was enough for the ref who blew the final whistle shortly after.

Full time: Fisher FC 3-0 Snodland Town. An utterly dominant performance by the men in black and white, who really could have won by several more goals. Just as pleasing was the clean sheet, with Snodland having only two attempts at goal in the 90. A hard working team performance and welcome return to winning ways after two cup defeats in recent weeks.

Man of the match: after such a commanding team display, it’s hard to award this to any one player. Jamie Brown and Richie Hamill were both fantastic, but Mathieu Ramsamy takes it on his home debut. Another goal and a great showing full of pace, trickery and creativity!

Fisher 3-0 Snodland Town
Saturday 28 October 2017
SCEFL First Division

Fisher:
Mathieu Ramsamy 5
Richie Hamill 40
Luke Haidarovic 75

Attn: 95

 

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