Match Report: Fisher 0-2 Brentford B

Fisher 0 Brentford B 2
Tuesday 19th October
London Senior Cup
Att: 425

A record crowd of 425 packed out St Pauls Stadium to see Fisher put up a battling performance against Premier League side Brentford’s B team in the first round of the London Senior Cup.

With the Bees side containing several under 21 internationals and the whole squad being full time professionals, it was a daunting task that the Fisher side faced, but despite the prestige of the opposition Fisher kept the game competitive throughout and the 2-0 final score-line was scant reward for a hard working performance.

As expected, Brentford controlled the majority of the game and could have gone ahead in the second minute when Joe Adams almost played through Wraynel Hercules but Carpanini gathered under pressure. The game then settled with Brentford’s patient build up countered by Fisher sitting off the ball and keeping their shape well.

Fisher’s first opportunity came when Isaac Thompson managed to get in behind the Bees back line but his cross low into the Brentford area was collected by the Bees Welsh Under 21 keeper Nathan Shepperd.

The opening goal came on 22 minutes when Irish under 19 international Val Adedokun, burst down the wing and sent in a dangerous cross which was headed out by Sam Fitzgerald but Michael Sarpong could not get enough contact to hook the ball further from danger and it fell into the path of Dominic Jefferies, who struck the ball first time, low into the bottom right-hand corner, from just outside the box. There was real Premier League quality about the technique of the strike.

On 34 minutes Brentford almost doubled their advantage as Adams ghosted unmarked into the box but he couldn’t keep his header on target from the impressive Adedokun’s cross and it edged wide of goal with Carpanini beaten.

Fisher forged an opportunity when a bouncing ball in behind saw Shepperd quick off his line to just gather as Christian Udo bore down on him – a slight fumble could have bounced more kindly for the Fish but allowed a retreating defender to nudge the ball back to the keeper.

The second spell carried on with Brentford seeing large amounts of possession but Fisher not out the tie with only a single goal margin. Brentford almost made it 2-0 when Crama headed against the post from a corner before the follow-up effort was held by Fish goalkeeper Dan Carpanini.

Fisher best moment of the game came as Thompson got away down the right – his cross saw Udo challenge Shepperd in the Brentford goal and the ball fell invitingly for Swaby, twelve yards out, but he couldn’t keep the effort down and it drifted over the bar – had the Fish equalised at that point St Pauls would have erupted, with the biggest crowd since Fisher reformed in 2009 now in great voice. With the backing of the Dockers End, Fisher had their best spell of the game and played higher up the pitch, but Brentford’s back three were always dominant and no real chances fell Fisher’s way.

Brentford finally got the two goal cushion they needed when a well worked free kick found Tristan Crama in space in the box and he finished via a deflection from his powerful shot, which may have been travelling across the face of the goal originally.

Fisher tried desperately to mount a late flurry but some promising possession lacked an end product late on and it was Brentford who almost scored a third but Carpanini denied Hercules well with his feet as the Bees man advanced forward in a one on one situation.

The final whistle saw St Pauls give a rousing reception to the Fisher team in what was one of the biggest nights in the club’s history. On and off the pitch the club had given a tremendous account of themselves and despite the defeat should be rightly proud of the effort they put in on the night.

Fisher FC: Carpanini, Thomas, Cherrardi, da Mata, Fitzgerald, Glasgow, Thompson, Sarpong, Udo, Coker, Swaby

Subs used : Asante, Seaman, Weemes, Unused: Hoy, Oladejo

Brentford B: Shepperd, Russell, Crama, Hockenhull, Jones, Gordon, Trialist, Jefferies, Hercules, Adams, Adedokun

Subs unused: Rees

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