Match Report: Fisher 3-0 Rusthall

Fisher FC 3-0 Rusthall FC

Fisher returned to league action at St Paul’s on Saturday and faced bottom side Rusthall. Jacob Skelly came in at left back for the suspended Richie Hamill, and Andrew Mott returned to the starting line-up after being absent last week against Beckenham. Kushal Campbell-Palmer also returned to the bench, having been cup-tied for Beckenham’s visit.

The game started slowly and took a long time to get going. Fisher won a corner in the 5th minute but couldn’t do anything with it, and there was little else to note in the first 15 minutes. On 18 minutes, Ramsamy and Aderonmu linked up well down the left with some lovely close control by the winger, but Aderonmu couldn’t quite find Rob Brown at the top of the box.

As the half reached its midpoint, Fisher carved out the first real chance of the game. A lovely low cross into the six yard line by Ramsamy found Mott on his own, and he stooped to try to head the ball home but couldn’t connect. On the half hour mark, Rob Brown had a shooting chance from 25 yards but sent the ball well over, then two minutes later he saw his effort from a free kick a good 35 yards from goal end up in the keeper’s arms.

Rob Brown was in the thick of things again on 35 minutes, releasing Jamie Brown down the right with a lovely pass. Jamie Brown beat his man and crossed low into the box. The ball was cleared only as far as Mott at the edge of the box, but he shot well over.

Just a minute later, Fisher broke the deadlock. The Rusthall keeper played a shot ball out to his centre back, but Trey Small stepped in to rob him and square for Aderonmu, who had the simplest of tasks to roll the ball home from the penalty spot. 1-0, Tunde Aderonmu, 36 mins

Three minutes later, a snapshot from the left hand side of the box was too hot for Fisher keeper Dan Wheeler, and Mudiagha Wanogho had to step in to clear the loose ball. This was to be the closest the away side came to threatening the Fisher goal in the first half.

There was just time for one more Fisher chance, Ramsamy twisting and turning on the left wing before winning a corner. He took the corner himself, picking out Wanogho at the back post, but the centre back’s cushioned volley went narrowly over.

Half-time: Fisher FC 1-0 Rusthall FC. A half with little in the way of action and even less in the way of real chances. Fisher probably just about deserving of the slender lead at the break, thanks to good work from Trey Small and a composed finish by Tunde Aderonmu.

At the break, Jacob Skelly had to come off after having received a knock. Harry Tobin replaced him at left back. With three minutes gone in the half, Rusthall broke down the other flank, and Dan Flemming had to be alert to slide in and clear the danger. The ball went behind for a Rusthall corner, but Aderonmu was back to help out his defence and clear.

Ten minutes into the half, Fisher doubled their advantage. Good work by Trey Small down the right saw the winger cross into the box. The ball was returned to him by the Rusthall defence, and he cut in and bent a lovely curling shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net from just outside the box. A splendid finish! 2-0, Trey Small, 55 mins

On 57 minutes, Rusthall tried their luck from a free kick 30 yards out as they tried to claw their way back into the game, but the ball flew straight into Dan Wheeler’s arms. Fisher then replaced Ramsamy with Chandler Kasai.

The second Fisher goal really took the sting out of the game, with Rusthall looking like a beaten side and Fisher content with the lead. On 67 minutes, Rob Brown floated a free kick into the box looking for Aderonmu, but the ball was cleared behind for a corner. Fisher couldn’t capitalize from the set piece.

With 20 minutes remaining, Rob Brown was involved in some hand-bags on halfway following a robust challenge, and was shown a yellow card. It was little surprise when he was substituted shortly after, Martin Begg coming on to replace him.

On 80 minutes, Wanogho slid into a tackle and looked to have played the ball off the Rusthall player and behind for a goal kick. The ref saw it differently and gave a corner, which Dan Wheeler had to tip over his own crossbar for a second corner. This time, Fisher cleared easily. Wheeler then nearly offered up an assist at the other end, his long ball from hand bouncing once and entering the opposition box, where Aderonmu outjumped the keeper to win the ball, but a defender got back to clear.

After a rather quiet second half, the game exploded into life in the 93rd and 94th minutes. First Chandler Kasai cut in from the left wing and rolled the ball along the 18 yard line to Trey Small, who took a touch then drove home into the bottom left hand corner. Another excellent finish! 3-0, Trey Small, 93 mins

Then a very late tackle on Harry Tobin saw the Rusthall player shown only a yellow card, while Tobin was shown the red for his reaction to the tackle. An unnecessary ending to a comfortable win for the Fish.

Full-time: Fisher FC 3-0 Rusthall FC. Another home win, another free-scoring performance and another clean sheet – what’s not to like! In truth, this was not Fisher’s most sparkling showing of the season, but they did more than enough to get the three points, and managed the game very well in a professional performance.

Man of the match: this weeks’ award goes to Trey Small whose two delightful finishes lit up St Paul’s and enabled Fisher to see off a hard-working Rusthall side.

Fisher 3-0 Rusthall
Saturday 26 January 2019
SCEFL Premier Division

Fisher:
Tunde Aderonmu 36
Trey Small 55, 90+

Attn: 153

Photo courtesy of Dave Anderson. Check out his full selection of photos from saturday’s game: https://www.flickr.com/photos/22999120@N06/sets/72157675968508347