On a night of high drama, Fisher progressed to the SCEFL Premier Division play-off final where they will meet VCD Athletic, after a penalty shoot out win over FA Vase finalists Whitstable Town.
With a virtually full squad to select from, manager Ajay Ashanike opted to bring Jake Lovell back on the wing and give Charles Yiadom-Konadu a free role behind centre forward Kesna Clarke, with Flavio Jumo and Tyron Mbuenimo giving a midfield base. It was though, the strength on the bench that proved crucial, as all five substitutes came on to make an impact in the final stages as Fisher desperately sought an equaliser.
The first half had been a cagey affair, not unexpected for those who had seen the goalless draw between the clubs just over a week ago. Fisher started positively with Yiadom-Konadu unveiling his box of tricks and Mbuenimo bustling around the pitch breaking up play and giving Fisher plenty of possession with Whitstable slower to settle. However, in front of a large crowd of almost 800, the hosts eventually found their rhythm and some long throws and well delivered free kicks and corners tested Fisher on several occasions. Ronald Sithole dragged a good chance wide of the post as Fisher absorbed the pressure.
It was Fisher that drew the first save though, but Mbuenimo’s curled effort from the edge of the box did not cause Dan Colmer any problems in the Whitstable goal. At the other end Isaac Ogunseri was called on to make an excellent save high to his right to palm away a fiercely hit shot from the edge of the box on the half hour, after Fisher had only half cleared another long throw into their box.  On the stroke of half time Whitstable almost took the lead as Ashdon Day got on the end of a deep free kick and sent the ball over the advancing Ogunseri but Don Macaulay recovered superbly to hook the ball off the line in acrobatic fashion and send the sides into the break deadlocked.
The second spell saw Whitstable straight on the front foot with Fisher struggling for possession and playing very deep, with Clarke an isolated figure up top. A goal for the hosts seemed to be coming and six minutes into the half it arrived. For once Fisher failed to make the first contact from another Schafer long throw and the resulting flick on found Jake McIntyre at the back post to slam the ball home. Having taken the lead Whitstable looked to seal the game and put Fisher’s back line under severe pressure with a number of scrambles around the six yard box as they looked to force a second, culminating in a long range effort deflecting off a defender and ballooning onto the outside of the post.
However, Fisher rung the changes from the bench and with the hosts looking as if the number of games they have played recently were catching up with them, the South London boys wrestled back initiative for the last fifteen minutes with substitutes Armani-Jordan Martin and Jacob Katonia getting closer to Clarke and linking play with some neat triangles with Gibbons and Darwish to build play rather than the more direct approach of earlier. Fellow sub Salim Nassor tested Colmer from forty five yards out with a speculative effort that the keeper held under the bar, and Katonia saw one whipped in cross blocked for corner and Clarke just unable to get over his header from another as the presence of Dan Flemming as a second striker started to cause Whitstable problems. Jack Gibbons drove forward and fired a low shot wide, but time seemed to be running out for the resurgent Fish, as the clock ticked to the ninetieth minute. The young Fisher squad would simple not be beaten though and recycling a clearance Salim Nassor darted inside his marker and fed the ball into Kesna Clarke, on the penalty spot with his back to goal. It was all the young striker needed – a ball to his feet in the box – with one touch to make an inch of space, he swivelled and in one movement slammed the ball on the turn low with venomous pace into the corner giving Colmer no chance and silencing the home crowd. Both sides went looking for an injury time winner, Fisher repelled more long balls into their box and Whitstable escaped when Colmer and a defender got into a tangle with Flemming lurking, but neither side could find a winner and so it was on to penalties.
Ogunseri got a hand to Whitstable’s first effort but couldn’t keep it out low to his left and substitute Siao Blackwood emphatically slammed his effort into the top corner. Ogunseri then threw himself to his right to block Whitstable’s second kick and Armani-Jordan Martin, Fisher’s usual penalty taker, calmly converted to put Fisher ahead. Whitstable responded with an unstoppable effort off the underside of the bar. Centre back Don Macaulay then calmly rolled his penalty home having sent the keeper the wrong way before Ogunseri almost kept out Whitstable’s fourth kick, again getting a hand on it. Jacob Katonia made it four out of four for Fisher with a confident kick before the drama was ramped up further as Ogunseri made an excellent save diving to his right to seemingly win the tie. However, with the Fisher team peeling away in celebration the referee had spotted Ogunseri had moved too early and ordered a retake. This time Ogunseri stayed put on his line until the kick was taken but went left and palmed away the retaken effort cuing further celebrations – this time legitimate ones.
Fisher now head to Crayford on Bank Holiday Monday to take on second placed VCD Athletic in the play off final with the winners heading for the Isthmian League next season.