MATCH REPORT: Larkfield & New Hythe 2-1 Fisher

Larkfield & New Hythe 2-1 Fisher
Saturday 3rd October 2026
SCEFL Premier Division

Attn: 181
Scorer: Don Macaulay (73 min pen)

Fisher’s six match winning run game to an end in a frustrating afternoon away at Larkfield & New Hythe, as despite a late flurry they fell to a 2-1 defeat. Fisher’s preparations were affected by both Jake Lovell and Rafael Garcia forced to pull out in the morning due to family reasons compounding an already sparse squad, with Tyron Mbuenimo, Euan Mutale, Rob White, Mekhi Clarke and Charles Yiadom Konadu all out through injury and James Bessey Saldanha away.
Fisher started well though and looked the stronger side for the first twenty minutes as both teams battled a very difficult playing surface, especially the barren end that Fisher defended in the first half. Temi Alaka had the games first chance when Conor Darwish clipped a through ball that saw him race clear in the right channel, but his powerful shot was beaten away by the keeper. Alaka was seeing plenty of ball down the right, but the bumpy surfacer made crossing at pace difficult and several balls into the area could not find a Fisher player which a smoother surface may have aided. A second great chance to open the scoring came and went when Kaylam Burgess sent over a cross from the right after a short corner that saw Michael Sarpong, recalled to help the reduced numbers in midfield, fail to get enough purchase on the ball from six yards out, with a lot of goal in front of him, allowing a grateful keeper to save with his legs and claim the loose ball. Larkfield has showed good intent getting forward but some solid defending had kept them at arms-length until in thirty eighth the minute the game changed with an opening goal swinging momentum the hosts way. There seemed little danger as Fisher halted a break down the right and plenty of defenders closed several attempts at getting a shot away before Ogosha Williams scuffed a low effort goalwards from outside the area. Despite looking to have it covered the grassless pitch caused a bobble that deceived Zach Akinde and the ball somehow squirmed through his hands in crept slowly into the net to the surprise of all in the ground.
The second half saw Fisher trying to combat the playing surface by looking to play more direct and longer but with the balls spending increasing time in the air they lacked the aerial threat to force any openings. The game became scrappier with players on both sides finding controlling the ball on first touch tricky leading to a number of fouls as they sought to get it back under control from out of reach. This did not aid Fisher as the pattern of play slowed and the game became a broken up affair. Their task became even harder when conceding a second goal shortly before the hour mark. A long ball into their box was poorly cleared into the path of Lauris Chin just outside the box, who took aim to fire low to Akinde’s right. A similar chance from distance minutes later almost wrapped the game up but this time the effort just drifted wide.
Fisher finally found some desire to get back into the game and noticeably upped the tempo with the introduction of Eden Deh and debutant Gabriel Darby giving them another option going forward. Alaka looked the most likely to get in behind the Larks back line and he was bundled over just outside the box, but the resulting free kick was fired into the wall and away with Joe Denny heading wide from the resulting corner. With just under ten minutes left Fisher got a lifeline as this time Alaka did get away into the box with a last ditch tackle not timed well enough and seeing a penalty awarded. Don Macaulay somehow negotiated the ball sitting in a sunken penalty spot to slot hone his third penalty of the season and haul Fisher back in with a chance of salvaging a late equaliser. They huffed and puffed to deliver one. More good work from Alaka saw the ball pulled back for Kamara but his whipped effort was blocked as Denny saw another header flash wide. With Fisher throwing men forward they left themselves short at the back and the hosts wasted two good chances to seal the game with a final pass lacking on the counter, but they were doing enough at the back to deny Fisher another late goal and despite pushing hard to create the final whistle blew without the equaliser coming.