MATCH REPORT: Rusthall 2-1 Fisher

Rusthall 2-1 Fisher
Tuesday 10th March
SCEFL Premier Division

Attn: 116
Scorer: Armani Jordan Martin (53 min pen)

Fisher’s six match winning run came to a dramatic end with two late goals condemning them to a 2-1 defeat at fellow play off chasers Rusthall. Travel issues threw Fisher’s pre match preparations into disarray, with the team bus stuck in traffic on the A2 out of London only arriving an hour before kick-off and rail disruption seeing starters Tom Jones and Alex Kozak stuck on non-moving train just outside London Bridge station requiring late changes to the line up with Rafael Garcia and Eden Deh coming in joining Sha’mar Lawson already added into the starting line-up place of the unavailable Charles Yiadom Konadu.
Despite a rushed warm up and uncertainty around the line up Fisher settled reasonably well playing down the slope, though both sides found fluency on a soft surface hard in the early exchanges. Rusthall had the first sight of goal with Isaac Ogunseri tipping over a well hit free kick on the left from Griffin and then were given a let off following another good Griffin delivery with the ball fired over as it broke on the edge of the box.
Fisher’s first chance came when Tyron Mbuenimo stepped of his defensive midfield role and clipped a fine ball out to Garcia who controlled the ball well and tucked it inside for left back Lorenzo Duncan to race onto but his goal bound shot was deflected over the bar by a defender’s outstretched leg. Ogunseri was then called into action again, getting down to push away a near post shot after a neat one two move down the left. Fisher finished the half well with Armani Jordan Martin’s influence on the game growing and after having had a shot fly high and wide had better bearings on his next chance just before the break after good work from Conor Darwish down the left had set up an attack, but Martin’s shot found a well-placed keeper.
The second spell continued in the same cagey manner as the first with both midfields working hard, but a creative spark missing. However, it was Fisher who were to take the lead when an uncertain defensive header from an Ogunseri clearance allowed Rafael Garcia to race into the penalty area, as he was poised to shoot the ball was taken off his foot but with the resulting follow through felling him and adjudged to be a foul, which after a lengthy consultation with the assistant saw the referee confirm the penalty. Armani Jordan Martin slotted the spot kick low to left putting enough on it to overcome the keeper getting a hand to it.
The goal led to a good attacking spell for Fisher with substitute Kozak, who arrived with Jones, released from their train jail, midway through the first half, sent away down the left by Eden Deh, but his low shot come cross whizzed wide of the far post with no one gambling to make a final touch. Fisher’s threat was mainly down the left and Kozak was again fed the ball and combined with Duncan whose quick feet saw him pull the back well, only for a good defensive tackle to smoother it away for a corner and Jones saw an instinctive looping effort from a misplaced clearance drift wide with the goal open. Whilst Rusthall still pushed forward, forcing Ogunseri in a comfortable save from a shot from just outside the box they were up to this point lacking threat in front of goal and a number of stoppages and substitutions breaking up play seemed to be helping Fisher towards the points. However, needing points themselves Rusthall pushed on. Bissett saw a header flash wide after a deep corner delivery, before with two minutes of regulation time left they levelled. Fisher sitting deeper allowed too many balls to be delivered into the box and from one from the right the ball broke to Clarke in the box crowded by Fisher defenders with the referee surprising all by blowing and pointing to spot. With no real appeals it took the referee’s impressive theatrical mime of a pull for everyone to work out what he had seen and Bissett stepped up to slam the penalty down the middle to equalise. A point was perhaps more use to Fisher than Rusthall, so it was the hosts who set about finding a winner and deep into stoppage time they were rewarded. A free kick on the left was delivered deep and Thomson Adeyemi was able to bring it down on chest and somehow, despite having his back to goal, hook the ball over his shoulder into the top corner to take the three points and end Fisher’s ten match unbeaten run.