Ten man Fisher FC made league leaders fight hard for their narrow 1-0 win in a creditable performance.
In spite of a kick-off a few minutes ahead of scheduled time, the Fish appeared all set for the tough away game against league leaders Hythe Town. A very evenly contested first half hour saw a couple of good chances for both teams. After 15 minutes Hythe’s Craig Thompson had an overhead kick tipped over the bar by man-of-the-match Daniel Teeley in the Fisher goal. Five minutes later, Fisher could have gone ahead but George Savage’s curled shot was tipped wide by Kieron Mann in full stretch.
The game changed completely when Dexter Babalola was controversially sent off after 32 minutes. The winger’s heel caught the head of a Hythe player after a tangle up and was deemed deliberate by referee Lee Dyson.
Hythe scored the winning goal 10 minutes later, when Kieran Byrne sent Greg Smith’s long ball in the back of the net with the inside of his foot. Hythe piled on the pressure in the second half but Daniel Teeley took care of everything that got past the Fisher defence.
The Fish remained highly disciplined throughout the game but with 10 men, lacked the energy to create chances to retaliate. Hythe captain Dave Cook received his marching orders in the 68th minute after a late knee-high challenge on Louis Sprosen and even though Fisher managed to reduce the pressure, they were never really close to equalising.
The table would have suggested an easy win for Hythe Town but a very disciplined and hard working Fisher team never capitulated. With similar discipline and overall performance in the next game, bottom of the league Sporting Bengal will have their work cut out for them.
Fisher: Teeley, Bianchi (Ngongue 20), Rozan, Bangura (Ramirez 65), Beauchamp, Sprosen, Babalola, Savage, Cowan (Ma 81), Abraham, Lewis (c). Subs not used: Lisney, Alban
