Match Report: Lordswood 3-0 Fisher

Lordswood 3-0 Fisher
Saturday 15 April 2023
SCEFL Premier Division

Attn: 68

A dismal Fisher performance against their usual nemesis of a wet, heavy grass pitch and saw them slip to a 3-0 defeat at Lordswood.
Despite injuries and cup final preparations, Fisher were able to name a strong side with Tyron Mbuenimo returning at right back, Darnelle Bailey-King on the wing and Darnel Bromfield starting in midfield in three changes from Monday’s draw with Tunbridge Wells.
Fisher started brightly and a long ball from Michael Sarpong was skilfully brought down by Isaac Thompson with his touch taking him past his marker, but having cut inside to find space, he saw his shot from the edge of the box. just drift past the upright. However their were warning signs at the other end with Lordswood carving out two good chances of their own with well-timed through balls finding eager running forwards and only a good block from Prince Imoru and covering work from Conor Darwish kept the ball out.
Midway through the half Fisher thought they had taken the lead. A flighted deep cross from Mbuenimo saw Luke With out jump both the Lordswood keeper and a defender and loop the ball into the net with a well met header only for the referee to have spotted an infringement unbeknown to anyone else.
Rather than being ahead three minutes later Fisher were behind with the defence caught watching a long through ball, Imoru and Adewunmi reacted too late and with the ball bouncing off each other allowed Randy Otoo a free sight of goal and he swept the ball under Owusu to give Lordswood the lead.
Fisher quickly looked to get back level and Imoru saw a header saved by Crump from a corner before five minutes from half time they earned themselves a penalty after Adewunmi was bundled over trying to get on the end of free kick delivered from near the corner flag. Isaac Thompson successfully sent the keeper the wrong way but saw his low effort clip the post and bounce away for goal kick.
Having almost been level within two minutes Fisher were two down, as a quick break down the right allowed Otto to fire low across the goal and Adewunmi could only turn the ball into his own net in trying to clear sending Fisher into the half time break a with a mountain to climb.
Sumithran replaced Mbuenimo at half time, and Clyde Semazzi and Ollie Milton were introduced not long after the break but it was the hosts who made the early running with Owusu saving well in a one on one and fortunate to see an effort float over his bar when a chipped shot beat him.
Just after the hour mark Kaylam Burgess came off the bench and immediately sent over a fine cross that beat the Lordswood defenders and found Sarpong five yards out, but the midfielder sent his downward header to close to Crump who manged to shovel it over the bar. Yet again within minutes of Fisher not taking a chance to score they were punished at the other end and the game was put to bed by the hosts as a compete failure to deal with a low corner at front or back post allowed Archie Risdon to rifle home a third.
Fisher tried to rally, and Lewis Duberry was teed up in the box following good work down the right from Shoderu and Burgess but stabbed his effort wide before in the final minute the midfielder inexplicably swept the feet away of Lordwood’s winger to receive a red card that will see him ruled out of the Challenge Cup Final ending a dismal afternoon for the Fish.
Next season will see Fisher need to work out how to perform on wet grass and to ensure a wasted chance at one end does not lead to an immediate goal at the other! Whilst second best throughout today had the ruled out goal stood, the penalty been converted and the close range headed chance been taken, it could have been a very different game with Lordswood scoring their three goal within two minutes of each event.