A dramatic injury time equaliser from Ellis Wilson-Joseph took this Macron Premier League Cup tie to extra time, before Fisher’s numerical advantage told and late goals from Junior James put a gloss on the victory.
After last Saturday’s amazing 6-6 draw, Fisher went into the game knowing that they would almost certainly have to win the tie to progress as the away goals rule would determine a winner after extra time if the sides were level. With Adam Wadmore sidelined through injury, Frankie Warren moved back into central defence and Ellis Wilson-Joseph stepped in to midfield.
Perhaps unsurprisingly after both managers spent the week concentrating on defending, the game got off to a slow start with chances few and far between. Jamie Turner sent the ball wide after Mark Sisson’s dummy gave him a clear sight of goal, and Nathaniel Bell went on a mazy run down the right wing and won a corner, but nothing came of the resulting set piece. At the other end, Billy Hensman continued to look commanding and assured in goal, his secure handling and confident approach helping to give Fiser a more assured look at the back this week.
But it was the hosts who broke the deadlock, just before half-time. Michael Smissen received the ball at his feet as he ran diagonally from right to left across the box, and he sent a left-foot reverse shot past Hensman from just inside the box. Fisher went in to half time 1-0 down on the day, and 7-6 down on aggregate.
The Fish had to score, but the City defence continued to hold firm after the break. Ken Jarrett-Elliott took a break from his defensive duties to go on a run down the left-wing, but his cross was claimed by Connor Quinn in the City goal. With centre-halves Joe Kennett and Grant Bagley repelling everything sent their way, it was looking like a tough ask for Fisher to break through.
Nathaniel Bell had other ideas. Midway through the half, Bell set off on a piercing run down the right. Having survived two attempts to stop him, Bell was eventually felled in the box by a third challenge and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Skipper Turner once again put away a penalty, this time with a low shot to the keeper’s left.
Fisher’s optimism was dispelled just minutes later, however, as a penalty was awarded at the other end – a shout for handball as the ball was hammered towards the goal was rewarded with a whistle, and Kennett scored to make it 2-1 on the day. The Fish responded, lively substitute Chris Hubbard sending in a fantastic cross and only a tremendous saving header from Bagley prevented it reaching a Fisher head.
Fisher’s chances increased with about 15 minutes to play, as City lost Jake Gess to a red card after the referee took exception to something he said. The Fish pushed forward and forced two corners in quick succession, both played to Turner on the edge of the box and only a fantastic Quinn save kept out his second attempt on goal. Steve Firkins introduced Junior James and James nearly made an instant impact as Hubbard found him with a reverse pass but James was cleanly tackled in the act of shooting.
As time began to run out for Fisher, City’s resistance was finally ended. A Danny Tipple cross from the left to the far post eluded everyone except the on-rushing Wilson-Joseph, and his bullet header levelled the scores and sent the travelling support into raptures. The whistle for full-time sounded shortly afterwards, and with the Fish taking both a psychological edge and an extra man into the additional thirty minutes, it appeared as if there would only be one winner.
But there was still work to do – with City holding a huge advantage in away goals, they simply had to hold out for the next half-hour and they would go through. Inevitably then, extra time was a succession of Fisher attacks. City’s defence was dogged, and the Fish struggled to make the breakthrough with a Wilson-Joseph shot fizzing over the bar the closest they came to troubling Quinn. Early in the second period, Jamie Turner nearly scored what would have been the goal of this or any other season: the ball was played to him in the air from the right, and he unleashed a fearsome volley from fully 35 yards – the ball drifting right just at the last moment to strike the post with Quinn a spectator.
The game changed definitively shortly afterwards. Fisher won a free kick for what was a clear foul, but City were astonished to see the culprit receive a second yellow, reducing them to nine men. With City reeling, Turner sent the free kick past Quinn to put the Fish in front and there was no way back for City after this.
Fisher added a fourth goal two minutes later as good work from Danny Hunt was finished off by James – the striker running to celebrate his strike with the fans behind the goal, and getting booked as a result. James then added a fifth as the final whistle approaches to seal a hard fought win for the Fish and a place in the hat for the quarter finals.
Fisher: Hensman, Demetrius, Tipple, Warren, Jarrett-Elliott, Wilson-Joseph, Monan (Hubbard 66), Turner, Sisson (James 86), Taylor (Hunt 66), Bell
Attendance: 98
