Fisher eased to their first win of the season as they overcame a spirited Greenwich Borough side at Oakley Road, helped by a hat-trick each for strikers Danny Hunt and Peter Afolayan.
Steve Firkins chose to shake-up his team selection after Saturday’s opening day defeat, but the Fish started poorly again against a Greenwich Borough side who looked lively in attack. As they had done on Saturday, the Fish conceded an early penalty but Danny Firkins, who was booked for bringing down the Borough attacker in the penalty incident, redeemed himself with another superb stop.
That seemed to be the wake-up call the Fish needed as they poured forward in attack, and referee Lee Dyson awarded a second spot-kick after just 8 minutes when a well-struck shot hit a Borough hand in the box. Peter Afolayan stepped up and slotted home the penalty to give the Fish the lead. However Borough rallied and two minutes later were on level terms as the Fisher defence struggled to contain Borough’s movement. Fisher’s travelling support were then stunned to see their side go 2-1 down after just 15 minutes, Elin finishing a well-worked move from Borough.
With Greenwich Borough now content to play on the break, Fisher pushed forward in search of parity. But the Borough defence held firm as Chris Hubbard and Richie Monan probed down the wings, and Fisher’s pressure did not pay off until shortly before halftime. Monan cut in from the left, and when his firmly struck shot was too hot for the Borough keeper to handle, Danny Hunt was on hand to slot home the rebound.
Just a minute later, on the stroke of half time, Afolayan gave the Fish the lead. Receiving the ball with his back to goal and a defender on hand, Afolayan twisted one way and then the other before working the inch of space he needed to turn and smack the ball past the defender’s outstretched leg and the keeper’s dive.
After a much needed half time interval, the second half was all Fisher. But it wasn’t until the 75th minute that Afolayan extended the Fisher lead with another fine finish to complete his hat-trick. The Fish added two more against a tiring Borough defence, with Afolayan’s strike partner Hunt also netting three goals and a share of the match ball. Hunt’s late goals were both outstanding finishes into the corner of the net, the final strike coming after excellent work from substitute Steve O’Donnell.
Steve Firkins will be pleased with the result and the three points on the board, and while the early defensive jitters remain a concern to be addressed on the training pitch, the Fish will travel to Chichester for the FA Cup in confident mood.
Fisher: Firkins, Wadmore, Tipple, Jarrett-Elliott, Kendall, DeGraft-Johnson, Monan, Turner (Wilson-Joseph 67), Afolayan (O’Donnell 77), Hunt, Hubbard. Unused Subs: Banton, Sisson, Walton
Attendance: 45
