Fisher dropped two points after conceding a stoppage-time penalty – for the third time this season – and will regret not taking greater advantage of their domination of the game.
An early Marvin Alebiosu goal looked to have set the stage for a comfortable win, but the Fish could not score again and the visitors nabbed a point after a late penalty award.
The match opened with Fisher on the attack, and a Sam Ryan shot stung Borough keeper Jack Rankin’s hands. From the resulting corner Adam Wadmore headed wide, and there was then a confident handball shout in the area but the referee was not to be persuaded. It was all Fisher, Danny Willis sending a shot wide, and an opening goal seemed inevitable.
It came with just eight minutes on the clock, Richie Monan winning the ball in midfield and playing in Marvin Alebiosu. He attacked the goal from the right-hand edge of the penalty and unleashed a fierce shot that beat Rankin and gave Fisher a deserved lead.
Fisher controlled midfield after this, the trio of Ryan, Jason Mabbs and Sam Friskey combining effectively to ensure that Fisher retained possession. Monan shot wide after a run from the left, and Friskey sent in two excellent crosses but the Fish could not get on the end of them.
Fisher were firmly in control, but just had one goal to show for their dominance at the end of the first half. The visitors opened the second period brightly and Jordy Akumwami was looking dangerous on the attack for Borough. But still Fisher looked more likely to score and Ben Frempah headed an excellent Wadmore free kick over the bar midway through the half.
As the game wore on, Fisher’s single goal lead began to look more precarious, although Billy Hensman in the Fisher goal was not called upon to make a save. The match became a little scrappy, and feisty, as the referee made a series of increasingly erratic decisions. In particular, a series of clear fouls were missed – first a clear body check that ended a Fisher attack was ignored, and then Wadmore was lucky to escape punishment after showing studs in a tackle that won the ball but was dangerous – the Fish have lost players to red cards for less this season, but on this occasion the referee waved play on.
Immediately after that challenge, Monan was caught on the touchline by a crunching, late, high challenge. The impact was immediately in front of the assistant on the near side, who gave a throw-in. The referee blew from a free-kick – and astonishingly penalised the stricken Monan. It was an extraordinary and baffling decision, given that the tackle would probably have led to a straight red card for the offender in any other match this season, and the lack of control exhibited by the referee meant that there was a real risk of a serious injury occurring.
Fortunately, both sides were able to keep their cool as the match headed into injury time. Fisher still had that one goal lead and hadn’t really been threatened – but all that was to change. Substitute Jamie Taylor lost the ball in midfield and Greenwich Borough surged forward. Monan, still hobbled following the earlier unpunished challenge, tried to win the ball in the box but caught the man instead. It was a clear penalty, and with three minutes of injury time played Danny Stenning converted to earn Borough a point and leave Fisher frustrated that they were unable to score the goals their dominance of the game deserved.
Fisher: Hensman, Akers, Wadmore, Walton, Frempah, Ryan, Monan, Mabbs (Taylor 88), Willis (Zepo 74), Friskey (Hanifan 89), Alebiosu. Unused Subs: Scott, Olugbemi
Attendance: 68
