MATCH REPORT: Phoenix Sports 1-1 Fisher

Phoenix Sports 1-1 Fisher
Tuesday 12th August
SCEFL Premier Division

Attn: 91
Scorer: Kesna Clarke (68 min)

Fisher put in a hard working performance to claim a share of the spoils from a 1-1 draw, under the lights, at Phoenix Sports. Despite being on top for much of the game they were indebted to goalkeeper Tommy Taylor for two fine saves in the dying moments of the game to preserve their point.
Tom Jones returned to the side in place of Charles Yiadom Konadu and Flavio Jumo came back in with Jacob Katonia dropping to the bench as Fisher utilised the depth in their squad.
Fisher made a bright start with plenty of early possession, but clear cut chances were few and far between. The home side’s main threat seemed to come from dead ball situations and Jack Gibbons had to be alert at the back post to clear the danger from a well delivered corner. Despite playing uphill Fisher dominated the territorial advantage and on fifteen minutes some good play around the edge of the area set up Michael Sarpong, whose fierce shot was tipped over by Freeman in the Phoenix goal, but the corner amounted to nothing.
Fisher we’re getting plenty of balls into the home side’s penalty area, but some resolute defending was making it hard work for the Fisher forwards. Chibueze Echem managed to wriggle out of two tackles to create a little bit of space, but his stabbed effort went wide of the post and when the same player was fouled on the edge of the area Michael Sarpong’s delivery from the resulting free kick was high and wide.
On the half hour mark a bizarre decision turned the game. Rafael Garcia was seemingly fouled inside his own penalty area, but much to the surprise of everyone in the grounds the referee pointed to the spot awarding a penalty. Lyle Della Verde Smashed the spot kick home and Fisher’s misery was compounded with Garcia having to limp off with damage to the back of his ankle from the Phoenix players contact with him. Fisher took a while to recover from the set back and in the remaining time before the break Phoenix had their best spell of the game and only some good defending stop them from getting further chances on goal.
The second spell saw Fisher start well looking to get themselves back into the game. An early chance for Michael Sarpong was beaten away by Freeman as Fisher forced a series of corners, camping themselves in the Phoenix half. Driven on by Tom Jones in midfield, Fisher continued to press but were lacking a final ball and struggling with a well organised defence. However, on sixty six minutes that all changed, when Connor Darwish’s good work on the left allowed him to cut inside from a well worked throw in and combine with Kesna Clarke, with the prolific forward slipping out of two tackles and slamming the ball in at the near post from a narrow angle to level the game with his third goal of the season.
Fisher pressed for a winner have some good work down the right teed up Kelvin Bakare at the back post, but he just couldn’t steer his effort inside the post. Clarke almost wriggled clear for another effort but again was thwarted by the home defence as Fisher continued to swarm forward.
With the game moving into injury time Fisher were somewhat caught in a twist or bust situation and continuing to press for a winner they almost threw the game away, failing to learn from offering a late chance, being bailed out by forward getting the ball stuck under his feet with the goal gaping, they then relied on keeper Tommy Taylor saving the day with two fine one-on-one saves in injury time as the Phoenix forwards ran onto long balls over the top of Fisher’s high back line.
The final whistle ended an exciting contest with Fisher’s unbeaten start to the season preserved, though they will feel from their territorial dominance they may have deserved the three points, but it was only Taylor’s late heroics that stopped them from leaving with none.