MATCH REPORT: Fisher 2-1 Rusthall

Fisher 2-1 Rusthall
Saturday 9 November 2024
SCEFL Premier Division

Matchball Sponsor: Millwall Community Trust

Attn: 174
Scorers: Ange Djadja (21 mins), Ed Sata (78 mins)

Photo Credit: Dave Anderson – full album
Match Highlights: Fisher Film Crew – watch here

Fisher bounced back from their midweek London Senior Cup exit by recording their fifth league win in a row, after beating Rusthall 2-1 at St Pauls. The visitors were also on a fine run of form, winning three of their last four leading up to the game, and earing their boss the manager of the month award for October. Fisher manager Ajay Ashanike had to contend with a depleted midfield with Billy Brown and Charles Yiadom-Konadu both injured and Armani-Jordan Martin on holiday. However, there was some good news with Salim Nassor back from paternity leave and a return to the club for Flavio Jumo, taking up a place on the bench. Halim Bakre reverted to the starting line up to allow Jake Lovell to play in midfield.
After a delay to kick caused by the non-arrival of an assistant referee and a replacement local referee sought form the crowd, the game started at a brisk pace, with Isaac Ogunseri tested early on when having to tip over a well struck free kick – the first of too many that Fisher conceded around their own penalty area. At the other end the industrious Salim Nassor fashioned a good chance for Courtney Barrington on the left side of the area, but his shot was blocked and in similar move down the right, Jake Lovell and Halim Bakre combined to create a shooting opportunity that was also well blocked.
Rusthall had a great chance to take the lead in the fifteenth minute when some quick midfield passing released Charlie Clover for a run on goal, but Ogunseri saved superbly at close blank range to deny the former Corinthian forward. Midway through the half Fisher took the lead. Jack Gibbons floated over a free kick form the right, deep into the penalty area, and with the keeper coming, but not getting to the ball, Ange Djadja powered a header back across goal into the far corner, for his first of the seasons. Rusthall tried to immediately respond, and a powerful shot from the left fizzed across the face of the goal and just wide of Ogunseri’s post, as Fisher soaked up some late first half pressure from the visitors to go into the break a goal to the good.
Having picked up a knock Tyron Mbuenimo was replaced at half time by Flavio Jumo and when he was fouled it allowed Jake Lovell to flick on Nassor’s free kick, but his effort just carried over the bar. Early in the half Rusthall levelled the game when a clumsy tackle in the box saw them awarded a penalty, with Fisher players claiming the contact was shoulder to shoulder. Yassine Fares stepped up and calmly sent Ogunseri the wrong way, rolling the ball into the right side of the goal.
Both sides then set about looking for a winner in a well contested game. Jacob Katonia came on for Kesna Clarke and Josh Duyile came on for Halim Bakre as Fisher made attacking substitutions looking for the win. With twelve minutes remaining, a half cleared corner then led to Fisher winning a free kick eight yards outside the penalty area when a Rusthall player handled Nassor’s attempt to recycle the ball back out wide. Nassor and Ed Sata stood over the ball, but it was Sata who clipped a sumptuous effort, which curled round and over the wall and flew into the top right corner giving Sanneh absolutely no chance of reaching it in the Rusthall goal – a worth match winning goal if ever there was.
Fisher still needed to work hard for the win, with Rusthall pushing hard for a second equaliser. A shot from the left whistled past the far post and a late free kick on the edge of the box was blocked by the wall before Vigneswaran and Djadja bravely threw themselves in front of Rusthall players to block follow up efforts superbly. However, with the calming presence of Ogunseri safely claiming everything thrown into the box, Fisher hung on for the win to complete a double over the Rustics, following their 3-0 win at Jockey Farm earlier in the season and cement their position in third place in the SCEFL Premier Division.