MATCH REPORT: Fisher 4-1 Lydd Town
Fisher 4-1 Lydd Town
Saturday 7 September 2024
SCEFL Premier Division
Match Sponsors: CVH Accountants
Matchball Sponsor: Millwall Community Trust
Attn: 172
Scorers: Armani-Jordan Martin (45 mins), Jack Gibbons (58 mins), Charles Yiadom-Konadu (76 mins and 90+4 mins)
Photo Credit: Dave Anderson – full album
A magnificent second half performance saw Fisher romp to a 4-1 win against Lydd Town and lift them into the top half of the SCEFL Premier Division.
Perfect footballing weather greeted the two sides on a still early Autumn afternoon. Fisher welcomed back Charles Yiadom-Konadu in midfield, who missed the midweek defeat to Holmesdale, allowing Michael Sarpong to drop into left back replacing the injured Ed Sata.
The first chance of the game fell to Fisher, with a deep in-swinging corner headed against the back post by Jack Gibbins, who then saw his two follow up shots blocked off the line by the visiting keeper. Lydd’s main threat also seemed to come from dead balls, with Isaac Ogunseri required to come and claim a few early deliveries into the box from corners and free kicks.
Billy Brown was finding plenty of space down the right and linking up well with Jack Gibbons, despite being on the receiving end of some heavy tackles. However, it was a Fisher foul midway inside their own half that led to the game’s opening goal. After a delay to calm the benches, a well flighted delivery behind the Fisher back line saw James Rogers diving header nestle in the back of the net, giving the visitors the lead just past the half hour mark. Fisher almost replied immediately as Courtney Barrington saw a powerful shot well saved and continued to press with Armani-Jordan Martin and Jack Gibbons also seeing shots blocked or fly over the bar.
With several players requiring treatment throughout a bruising first half, there was considerable added time and deep into the extra minutes Fisher drew level after Courtney Barrington saw his shot blocked and was felled when picking up the rebound allowing Armani-Jordan Martin to confidently dispatch the resulting penalty.
The second half saw Fisher put on a wonderous display of attacking football after a tactical switch to a back three, with Sarpong sacrificed for Abdoulaye Ly Athie and chances came great regularity. Barrington, Gibbons and Ange Djadja all saw efforts blocked, saved or pass over the bar before ten minutes into the half Fisher took the lead. Barrington’s chipped cross after some intricate play on the left with Brown, was headed away by a defender but the high clearance fell to Jack Gibbons on the edge of the box and with great technique he waited to take it sweetly on the volley and fire it into the far corner of the net.
At this point Charles Yiadom- Konadu and Salim Nassor were in complete control of the midfield and their mastery with the ball and precision passing were creating chance after chance. Barrington, Djadja and Lovell all directed efforts off target when well placed, after the midfield duo had combined to open up the Lydd defence, before Yiadom-Konadu took matters into his own hands to seal the game. Dancing past two defenders on the edge of the box he then swept the ball with his left foot past the keeper, for another in his collection of stunning goals.
Fisher used their full compliment off the bench to rest tired legs as the game moved into the later stages. Deep in injury time Fisher added a fourth, with the midfield pressing to win the ball back and driving forward, referee Kennedy Kikulwe applied an inspired advantage call after Gibbons was hacked down allowing the ball to be swept in from the right for Charles Yiadom-Konadu to cap a virtuoso display with his second, sliding home from close range.
In an increasingly congested league table, the win moves Fisher up to ninth, with just seven points covering third place to the bottom side, with Fisher due to head to leaders VCD Athletic on Tuesday night.