MATCH REPORT: Fisher 0-0 Steyning Town (Fisher win 3-1 on pens)

Fisher 0-0 Steyning Town
Fisher win 3-1 on penalties
Saturday 18th October
FA Vase First Round Proper

Matchball Sponsor: Millwall Community Trust

Attn: 270
Succesful penalty kicks: Tom Jones, Jack Gibbons, Lorenzo Duncan

Not for the first time, Isaac Ogunseri was Fisher’s penalty shoot-out hero, as they overcame Southern Combination League side Steyning Town in the FA Vase first round. Ogunseri was one of several changes to the Fisher line up, with former Mansfield Town and MiIlwall youth product, Sha’mar Lawson, coming in for a debut in midfield and Jack Gibbons and Conor Darwish back in the full back roles after sitting out last week’s Kent Senior Trophy victory.
A large noisy crowd witnessed both sides cancel each other out for large parts of the game although Ogunseri was perhaps the busier of the two keepers in the early exchanges with a number of long throws and corners coming into the Fisher area, that the big keeper managed to claw and palm away, having opted to come for everything and also being on hand to palm away a powerfully hit long range effort at full stretch to his left,
At the other end Jones brought a similar save from the Steyning keeper from a well struck free kick and Lorenzo Duncan peeled off to find space to head a corner onto the roof of the net. Fisher then had a good shout for a penalty as Gibbons picked out Garcia with a pinpoint cross field pass and after an excellent first touch the winger was challenged clumsily in the box but the defender just got enough on the ball to see a corner rather than a penalty given.
Ogunseri was then called onto make a magnificent save to keep the scores level when Steyning’s eighteen goal forward Stan Bridgeman found space for shot in the box and curled an effort that looked to be heading for the top corner until an outstretched hand somehow flicked the ball over the bar as Ogunseri threw himself to his left.
Fisher were starting to link up play and towards the end of the half looked to be getting on top, moving the ball quickly to the wingers, but this was disrupted when Lawson was sent to the sin bin having reacted to the referee’s decision not to give him a free kick when kicked whilst on the floor. This meant Fisher spent the lats ten minutes of the half in a more defensive mode only looking to play on the counter.
The second spell saw Fisher restored to their full complement and again have slightly more of the possession with a number of good balls sent into the area but a tall Steyning defence was equal to them, and chances were few. Duncan again sent a header just over and Ogunseri again saved well to tip over a well struck shot from a quick counterattack.
Fisher brough on substitute Daniel Protain or his debut with fifteen minutes to go and the forward quickly created an opening for himself, wriggling into the box from the right, but his curled effort did not bend sufficiently to go inside the far post.
As the game moved into the final throes Fisher continued to look the more likely with Lawson’s growing influence on the game coming to the fore as the classy midfielder strode forward with the ball, but clear cut chances evaded the Fish and so the game went to penalties.
With penalties taken in front of a packed Dockers End, Bridgeman slammed home the first or Steyning with Tom Jones confidently replying to level. A poorly struck second for the visitors allowed Ogunseri to fall to his left and save and skipper Jack Gibbons emphatically hit the back of the net to give Fisher the advantage, This was consolidated when Ogunseri stood firm, staying upright to beat away Steyning’s next effort down the middle. Lorenzo Duncan drove home Fisher’s third with minimal fuss and with Steyning needing to score to stay in the tie, Ogunseri made the best save of the lot, throwing himself left to block the ball with a strong hand and send Fisher into the second round.