Fisher crashed to defeat at Erith Sports Stadium, and it could have been worse for Steve Firkins’ side had son Danny not excelled in goal.
Danny’s performance was even more incredible when x-rays taken on Sunday confirmed that he broke a finger in the act of saving a penalty, and he could be out for six weeks.
Fisher saw Danny Hunt and Mark Sisson return for this game, but captain Jamie Turner watched from the sidelines as he was not quite ready to return to match action. Fisher started well, but it was the Dockers who had the first chance of the game. A slip at the back by Adam Wadmore let Kirt King in on goal, but his shot somehow hit all three frames of the goal but stayed out. A surprised Billy Shinners found the ball at his feet just a couple of yards out but could not react in time to anything other than to the ball into the hands of Firkins.
Sisson then got a header on target from a Danny Tipple cross from deep, but Alex Hyde in the Town goal saved easily. Erith took the lead shortly afterwards, Ben Payne pouncing on a ball back into the box. Payne, who looked as though he may have been offside, made no mistake with only Firkins to beat.
Liam Burgess then hit the post with Firkins beaten as Erith tried to double their advantage. Chris Hubbard stung Hyde’s hands with a fierce 30 yard deep that the Erith keeper was relieved to see just clear the bar.
On 35 minutes, an Erith free kick flashed across the box as a number of players stretched to reach it and ended up on the ground. Referee Mr Amir blew his whistle and pointed to the spot, to the apparent surprise of both sets of players. The official spoke to three different Fisher players before eventually deciding to book Ken Jarrett-Elliott. Burgess’ spot kick was low to Firkins’ right, but the Fisher gloveman reached it at full stretch to tip the ball around the post and pull off an astounding penalty save. However, Firkins stayed down injured after the save and although he played the rest of the game in obvious discomfort a break was confirmed in an x-ray taken on Sunday.
Fisher pushed back, and Richie Monan flashed a shot wide after a good move on the right. Hunt then had a great chance to equalise on the brink of half time as he latched on to tremendous flick on from Sisson, but his left foot smash was straight at the keeper who deflected it for a corner.
Just a minute after the break Town doubled their lead, when substitute Alex Tiesse found Peter Smith unmarked in the box and Smith beat Firkins. Fisher responded with the introduction of Jason Mabbs and Nathaniel Bell, switching to 4-3-3. But the Dockers continued to pressurise the Fisher goal and Firkins made two outstanding stops in succession to keep Fisher in the game. Hunt put a chip over the advancing Hyde just wide, but Erith always looked more likely to score again and they duly did so when James Hawkins exploited space at the back to seal the three points for the home side.
A disappointing defeat for Fisher, and all the more so with the news that Danny Firkins will miss the next few weeks as he recovers from his broken finger.
Fisher: Firkins, Bangura, Tipple, Warren (Demetrius 81), Jarrett-Elliott, Wadmore, Monan (Mabbs 55), Wilson-Joseph, Sisson, Hunt, Hubbard (Bell 55). Unused Sub: Kendall
Attendance: 63
