Match Report: Sutton Athletic 1-1 Fisher

Sutton Athletic 1 Fisher 1
Wednesday 26 August 2020
Pre-season friendly

After a run of games on artificial pitches Fisher ventured out into the North Kent countryside for a game on the grass pitch of hosts Sutton Athletic in their penultimate pre-season game.

The need for the game was clear with players adjusting to the slower roll of the ball and whilst the first half saw Fisher linking play well, at times the pace of the pass was slowing down the game allowing the hosts defence time to regroup and blunt Fisher’s attacking edge.

Christian Udo was busy throughout the half as a lone striker and with Jamie Yila a constant threat for Fisher on the wing the visitors always looked the most likely to open the scoring. Udo failed to get sufficient connection on a shoot to unduly trouble the keeper and Jacob Katonia did well to get a shot away that went inches past the post – however had the lay off been kinder to him he may well have been able to bury the chance on the first attempt rather than carve out an opening to shoot. Trialist Adam Smith, formerly of Bridon Ropes, worked well to link play in midfield and was duly signed after the game and he shot over having closed down well to win the ball just outside the area.

The goal that Fisher threatened duly arrived shortly before the break. Yila picked the ball up out wide on the left and looked to have been forced to overrun out of play when going past his marker. However some dazzling footwork saw him skip past three defenders as he cut into the box, somehow keeping the ball in play along the goal line before a pinpoint pull back allowed Udo the simplest of finishes.

With another good 45 minutes in the bank, manager Ajay Ashanike made a number of half time changes with two trialists almost combining immediately to double the lead. A fine run down the right saw an inch perfect cross but with the goal gaping the forward’s touch directed the ball to the one part of the goal the keeper could cover and he gratefully clutched the ball in a fine if slightly fortuitous save.

The hosts heeded the warning and proceeded to have their best spell of the game over the next twenty minutes culminating in an equaliser from a stooping header following an excellent break and cross down the right.

The last twenty minutes saw Fisher push on for a winner but a tendency to overplay with trialists possibly reluctant to look greedy by shooting and instead opting to pass when well placed meant for a lot of good possession and recycling of the ball around the hosts penalty area very little direct goalmouth action was seen. A looping heard cleared off the line was the closest Fisher came to a winner. A long delay for an injured trialist to be treated for injury broke up the last few minutes and on the resumption the game petered out into a draw.

Attention now moves to Fisher’s final pre-season game with Stansfield on Saturday – which will be open to travelling Fisher supporters.

Team: Carpanini, Thomas, Ojemen, Smith, Trialist, Fitzgerald, Yila, Cole, Udo, Katonia, Trialist. Subs: Da Mata and various trialists.