MATCH REPORT: Fisher 1-2 Sutton Athletic

Fisher 1-2 Sutton Athletic
Tuesday 2nd September
SCEFL Premier Division

Matchball Sponsor: Millwall Community Trust

Attn: 190
Scorers: Tom Jones (2 mins)

Extended Highlights: AJH Vision – here
Photo Credit: Dave Anderson – Full Album here

A goal deep into injury time saw Fisher slip to defeat against league leaders Sutton Athletic under the floodlights at St Paul’s. The side will rue numerous missed opportunities in the first half to put the game to bed, prior to squandering their half time lead. Fisher welcomed back Tom Jones and Isaac Ogunseri into the starting line-up, with a first start for fit again Festos Kamara bolstering the front line.
Fisher had started the game very much on the front foot and it took just two minutes for them to take the lead as Courtney Barrington danced his way in from the left wing to pull the ball back towards the penalty spot, from where Festos Kamara saw his shot charged down, but Tom Jones was eagerly onto the rebound to slam the ball home. Kamara and Barrington continued to link up well down the left side causing Sutton plenty of early problems with Kamara shooting wide of the post from another good move and then teeing up Tom Jones, but his shot was deflected over the bar.
Sutton’s main threat came from dead ball situations with long throws or corners sent into the box. From one corner Ryan Mahal was left unmarked at the back post, but his low shot was blocked – it was a warning Fisher were not to heed though later in the game. Fisher continued to dominate though and Kamara saw a glanced header just flick the top of the crossbar and then almost robbed the goalkeeper of the ball as he dallied in possession, before a long range effort from Jones was just cleared by a defender after the keeper spilled the powerful shot. Sutton were finding it difficult to get out of their own half, as shots and crosses were raining towards their goal, but the second goal would not come and the frustration grew even worse when in the dying minutes of the half Kamara’s clipped strike hit the inside of the post with the ball bouncing away to safety after he latched onto Jones neat through ball.
After such a dominant first half display it seemed Fisher just needed more of the same in the second spell to secure the points, but for some reason their pattern of play changed completely and they started going very long and direct with the forwards forced to chase off target through balls, as any passing through the midfield seemed to disappear. Sutton had clearly had a no holds barred team talk at half time and three early cautions in the second half showed their intent. On seventy three minutes Sutton were back in the game. A recycled throw in made its way back to former Fish, Namory Kane, whose deep cross found Ryan Mahal unmarked at the back post, to plant his header across goal into the far corner of the net.
Fisher responded well to the goal with substitute Jake Lovell causing problems down the right and Kamara forcing a smart save from the goalkeeper, tipping the ball over the bar from his long range effort. Fish were then dealt a blow though as centre half Don Macaulay went up for a corner and in his effort to head the ball home received a nasty gash to his forehead, which required extensive on field treatment before he was sent off to hospital to be stitched up.
On the resumption Jake Lovell forced an excellent fingertip save when his header looked to be dropping into the top left corner, as Fisher continued to press for a winner. However with the game moving into the extensive stoppage time it was Sutton who were looking the more likely to take the points as Fisher sat deeper and failed to keep possession or manage the game and in the ninth added minute, they were finally made to pay the price after conceding a soft free kick on the right of the penalty area. An in-swinging delivery evaded everyone with Fisher’s defence seeming to be allowing the ball to roll out of play, but in doing so allowing Namory Kane to come in at the back post to tuck the ball home and cap a disappointing evening for the Fish.