The Fish battled to a 2-1 win and a final three points in 2011, after overcoming stubborn resistance and a heavy pitch at Cray Valley.
Danny Tipple returned to the side after suspension, replacing the injured Ken Jarrett-Elliott at left-back. The game started in scrappy fashion as both sides tried to get to grips with the conditions. Richie Monan, again featuring at right-back, tested the gloves of home keeper Jack Carthy but Carthy was equal to the shot.
Peter Afolayan spent most of the afternoon looking to escape the attentions of Cray Valley defender Bill Parkinson, and he worked space after 20 minutes only to see his shot put behind for a corner. A Jamie Turner shot from distance sailed over the bar from the resulting set piece. Fisher continued to press forward and Afolayan was left frustrated by the offside flag when he burst forward and on to a through ball.
But it was Cray Valley who opened the scoring, against the run of play. Valley attacked down the right, and a deflected cross-field ball reached Mark Allen on the left-hand edge of the box. Allen took one touch a sent a fast, dipping shot over Joe Hagan to put Valley into the lead in spectacular style.
Fisher fans who were worried that heads might drop after this setback reckoned without the fresh resolve that Fish have demonstrated since the Erith Town game. The equaliser came just after the half-hour mark, with Turner latching on to a defence-splitting ball from Chris Hubbard. With only the keeper to beat, Turner opted for power and made no mistake as he buried the ball past Carthy.
Fisher continued to dominate the half, and Afolayan saw his turn and shot well saved by Carthy. A fine move that ended with Jamie Humphris passing in the box to the on-rushing Tipple forced Carthy into another excellent save, and the Fish ended the half the stronger side.
After the break, however, Cray Valley came out all guns blazing and the Fish were firmly on the back foot for the first fifteen minutes of the second half. Fisher’s defence held firm, the burgeoning partnership of Charlie Helps and Billy Walton continuing to give the side a more secure look at the back. Fisher looked to pick Cray Valley off on the break – Afolayan dragged a shot wide after being put through, and on 60 minutes Tipple burst forward in to the box but elected to pass into a forest of defensive legs rather than shoot and the move broke down. At the other end, Matt Knuckey missed a good chance for Cray, while Joe Hagan looked to dominate his box and he pulled off a fantastic stop to prevent a looping, deflected shot finding the net.
Fisher took the lead on 69 minutes, the pacy Chan Quan had begun to cause Cray Valley problems on the right wing, and he latched on to another through ball and used his speed to race clear of the defence. As Carthy advanced, Quan sent a cool lob over his head and into the back of the net.
Chan continued to impress and he was involved in an excellent move to with Humphris on the right, though Humphris’ shot was not on target. Fisher began to look more comfortable and it was Cray Valley’s turn to play on the break, with Tipple racing back to break up an attack after a Fisher free kick move went wrong on the edge of the Cray box.
There was time for Humphris to fire over from a Demetrius cross, and Fisher looked to keep the ball in the corners as time began to run out for Cray Valley. The Fish held out effectively and with few scares in the final minutes to secure an important three points, keeping the team in touch with the top sides in the Kent Hurlimann Football League.
Fisher move on to a January 2nd derby with Beckenham in confident mood, and the team will be looking to put one over our local rivals at Champion Hill and gain revenge for our FA Vase defeat earlier this season.
Fisher: Hagan, Monan, Tipple, Taylor, Helps, Walton, Quan (Demetrius 82), Turner, Afolayan (Sisson 69), Humphris, Hubbard. Unused Subs: Bell, Kendall
Attendance: 105
