MATCH REPORT: Corinthian 3-1 Fisher

Corinthian 3-1 Fisher
Tuesday 21st October
SCEFL Premier Division

Attn: 95
Scorer: Lorenzo Duncan (3 min)

Halloween came early as Fisher served up a fright night in going down 3-1 against an improving Corinthian side. The hosts were yet to win at home in the league, but a 7-1 thrashing of Staines and Laleham in the FA Vase at the weekend, gave them confidence, despite the loss of their 15 goal forward Tom Mitcham earlier in the week, who departed for Phoenix Sports.
With manager Ajay Ashanike on holiday, Jordan Darwish led the side and was able to name a strong eleven with Flavio Jumo returning to the starting line-up and Tyron Mbuenimo dropping to the bench. Fisher got off the perfect start and took the lead inside three minutes, as good work on the left saw Rafael Garcia and Conor Darwish combine and centre the ball low towards the penalty spot, where Lorenzo Duncan arrived to sweep the ball home through the keeper’s legs.
Playing down the slope Fisher looked hungry and soon fashioned a further chance at the back post for Jake Lovell, after more good work down the left from Garica, but he could not force the ball home. Garcia also went close when sprinting clear onto a through ball only to be denied when one on one with the keeper by a good block save.
With twenty five minutes gone Fisher were cruising, with Jack Gibbons running forward at will almost opening up further opportunities for routes to goal, with just a final pass lacking. However, having spurned these chances to extend the lead Fisher suddenly lost tempo and sat off with Corinthian’s midfield starting to win second balls and send a constant supply off high balls forward for the strikers to chase. On thirty seven minutes Corinthian scored out of nothing to level the game. A recycled ball on the right, after Fisher had only half cleared a high ball, was crossed low across the gaol and Afoke got the final touch to turn the ball home with fellow hoops queuing up with him to apply the touch. Having conceded poorly, the half ended on an even more disappointing note as Garcia picked up the ball having been pushed over from behind and in showing his frustration at the decision to penalise him for handball rather than give a free kick or the push, was sent to the sin bin.
Starting the second half a man down Fisher failed to get into their stride and by the time Garcia rejoined the fray they had lost momentum as Corinthian grew in confidence. Isaac Ogunseri had to throw himself to his right to palm away a well hit long range effort just before the hour mark. The next ten minutes then became stuff of nightmares as Fisher lost their way and heads starting when Corinthian took the lead as a long range effort from Jamie Billings, rebounded kindly back to him off a defender and he gleefully slammed home from just outside the box. Two minutes later they extended their lead, as running back to his own goal Ange Djadja seemed to be tripped with Ross Obezee running onto the ball past the prostrate Djadja to convert, despite Ogunseri efforts to block. Djadja’s protests about the non-award of the foul saw him also sent to the sin bin. The game then reached farcical circumstances as Macaulay was given a yellow card for what seemed to be Michael Sarpong’s offence in deliberately running into Obezee from the kick off and a minute later another comment saw Fisher reduced to nine with another sin bin and the Corinthian bench were given a card for good measure.
To the remaining players credit, they restored their discipline and worked hard to stop Corinthian profiting, valiantly trying to find a way back into the game. Jack Gibbons powered forward to send a shot into the side netting. However, the task was always going to be too much and despite the return to a full complement with ten minutes to play Fisher looked spent and huffed and puffed without really creating anything clear cut. The final whistle in a sparsely attended Gay Dawn Farm came as a relief to bring a disappointing and baffling evening to a close.