Fisher’s run of good form came to a crashing halt against Canterbury City, who secured a third win over the Fish this season.
Fisher had much of the play, particularly in the second half, but lacked cutting edge and fell to a frustrating defeat courtesy of two goals at the start and end of the game.
Before the match, players and spectators observed a minute’s silence in honour of Fisher stalwart Jimmy Titchener, and the game then kicked off in bright Spring sunshine on a pitch showing the wear and tear caused by the extended winter weather earlier in the season. It was the visitors who started the better side, though Josh Witter’s marauding run ended with a shot that went well wide of the goal.
Canterbury took the lead in controversial circumstances, midfielder Sam Staunton chasing a ball heading for touch next to the team benches. He hooked the ball forward, but it appeared that he had been took late to keep the ball in play. However the assistant referee did not raise his flag, and the Fisher defence hesitated as the ball looped forward. Glenn Johnson took advantage and he headed the ball before Billy Hensman could claim it, and he header dropped into the corner of the net.
The Fisher bench were unhappy with the decision on the touchline, but joint manager Martin Ford over-stepped the mark with his protests and left the referee no option but to send him from the technical area.
City could have doubled their lead when Alex Nelson was presented with a chance from 8 yards out, but his shot spun into the arms of Hensman. For Fisher, Josh Witter was having an excellent game on the left of midfield. Witter could have equalised, when Richie Monan and Danny Akers combined well on the right. Akers sent over a superb cross which Witter rose to meet but his powerful header cleared the bar.
At the other end Staunton should have scored a second for City after Hensman misjudged a cross, but Fisher had chances too. Sam Ryan was found by an outstanding ball from Jamie Taylor, but the ball struck his leg and was saved.
Hensman made two good saves to ensure the deficit was not increased, while a suspiciously offside-looking Johnson had a free header a goal for City. He planted his header wide, preventing further exasperation on the Fisher bench as no flag had been raised.
Fisher were coming into the game more as the half wore on, and Witter had another chance from a Ryan corner but his shot was straight at a grateful Tom Hadler in the City goal. Hadler could do nothing about a Marvin Alebiosu cross-shot shortly afterwards but the bar intervened and somehow City scrambled the ball to safety. Then Witter attacked again down the left, but his shot was wide as Richie Monan waited in the box.
After the break Fisher continued to look for an equaliser. They lost Adam Wadmore to a knee injury early in the half, forcing Danny Willis back to centre-half with Nat Bell coming on to play a forward role.
While Fisher had much more of the possession in the second period, chances were hard to come by. City adopted a ‘hold what we have’ approach and sat deep, asking Fisher to try and play through them. Fisher tried: Witter and Bell combined and Bell sent in a superb cross that managed to evade everyone.
Monan had the best chance of the game for Fisher, but he shot straight at the keeper when well placed in the box. And Hadler in the City goal was not to be beaten, as he made an outstanding save with his feet to deny Alebiosu who looked to have beaten him with a deft flicked finish after running through the heart of the defence.
It wasn’t to be Fisher’s day, with City content to sit back protecting their lead and asking their strikers to get on the end of balls played long from the back. The closing stages were scrappy, and City made sure of the win in the 96th minute. Substitute Benga Ogunseye was very harshly judged to have committed a foul on the edge of the box, and from the resulting free-kick Nelson was left unmarked and he headed past Hensman.
A disappointing day for Fisher was further marred by some unnecessary comments from the home bench after the game regarding City’s style, which led to some brief upset. In truth the Fish hadn’t been able to break City down, though it was by no means the worst performance of the season and on another day the result could quite easily have been different. In particular Witter, Alebiosu and Monan impressed while Bell’s substitute appearance was also very encouraging.
Fisher: Hensman, Akers, Lewis, Wadmore (Bell 54), Frempah, Taylor (Hanifan 73), Monan, Ryan, Willis, Witter (Ogunseye 85), Alebiosu. Unused Sub: Scott
Attendance: 77
