Pre-season friendly

Fisher 1 - 4 White Ensign
Saturday 3 July 2021 - 15:00St Paul's Stadium, Rotherhithe SE16

courtesy of The Non League Chronicles: https://www.facebook.com/thenonleaguechronicles

Fisher 1-4 White Ensign
Saturday 3rd July 2021
St Paul’s Sports Ground
Pre-Season Friendly

Words: Jack Hayman
Photos: Jack Hayman

Having secured a draw with Isthmian League side Cheshunt on Thursday Evening another experimental Fisher side welcomed Essex Senior League newcomers White Ensign to St Paul’s for a game I’ve been looking forward to since it was announced a couple of months ago.

The game kicked off and before anyone could blink the visitors from north of the river were a goal in front. A cross field ball finding Ensign full back Charlie Buffin with the freedom of Rotherhithe inside the penalty area with enough time to bring the ball down and fire precisely across Carpanini and inside the far post. 0-1

To be fair the Fish responded well and pressure ultimately told but through an unlikely set of circumstances. Julio Da Mata (Fisher’s answer to Anthony Joshua) took aim with a speculative effort from 40 yards that caught the Ensign keeper off guard and went in. The keeper later admitting he thought it was going wide.

The sides exchanged changes amid some strange refereeing decisions by the man in the middle. However, he was correct when he pointed to the spot after Ayo Odukoya was bought down in the area. The big frontman picked himself up and sent Carpanini the wrong way after 34 minutes to restore the away sides advantage.

Fisher responded well and nearly levelled it up on the stroke of half time. Da Mata feeding Portarescu on the right hand side. He fed Jack Gibbons in the area but he could only manage to force a decent save out of the man in goal. The resulting corner was well cleared and that was that for the 1st period.

HT 1-2

The second half bought about a flurry of substitutes for both sides and as a result the game was a bit more bogged down in the middle of the park.

Fisher had a good chance on 74 minutes when Rob Brown received the ball on the edge of the area but fired just a whisker over the bar. He was slightly leaning back but he’d done superbly to pick up the pocket of space in the first place.

It was at this point that White Ensign struck the hammer blows. Firstly a free kick wide of the right was fired in – Carpanini came and missed and this allowed Courtney Justin a tap in for 1-3 on 76 minutes.

The 4th and final strike came more or less directly from the restart with Ensign nicking the ball high and John Hilliard fired home amidst another mix up in the unfamiliar looking back 5 which only contained Carpanini & Adesida from last season.

Fisher to their credit never gave up and some good work on the right wing allowed the winger to pick out a great cross which found Christian Udo but Courtney Justin threw himself at the forwards header and smashed it to safety. Denying the hard working striker a well earned goal.

FT 1-4

A good run out for the Fish with some half decent performances from a few players but they same up against a White Ensign side who looked in good nick ahead of their debut campaign at Step 5.
MOTM: Courtney Justin (White Ensign) A good performance from a new recruit who really marshalled the defence and pounced for a goal.
Fisher: Carpanini, Portaresco, Berry, Cawsey, Glasgow, Hein, Gibbons, Da Mata, Weemes, Edwards, Muchinjiko
Subs: Taylor, Asante, Lima, Brown, Siao, Adesida, McCrudden, Udo
Bookings: None
Scorers: Da Mata (11)
White Ensign: Not available in full at time of writing.
Bookings: 1 – not sure who but it’s a friendly and it wasn’t really needed TBH.
Scorers: Buffin (1), Odukoya (34 Pen), Justin (76), Hilliard (77)

Keep up-to-date with all Fisher FC activities:..............................

  • SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FAN-OWNED FOOTBALL CLUB