A tough night for the Fish saw an early exit from the London Senior Cup, a concussion for Frankie Warren, and a red card for debutant keeper Nic Taylor.
East Londoners Bethnal Green ran out deserved winners in a battle of two footballing sides, as Fisher’s injury crisis showed no sign of abating. Steve Firkins handed a debut to Kingstonian keeper Taylor, who has joined on a dual registration, and both sides looked to play attacking football on the fantastic surface at Champion Hill.
Chances were few and far between in the opening exchanges, although Danny Tipple saw an attempted lob saved and Ben Protheroe sent a low shot wide for Bethnal Green. United opened the scoring when they won a free kick on the left-hand edge of the Fisher box, a sweet strike from Jack Sawyer bent round the wall and giving Taylor no chance. Just minutes later it was 2-0, after an attempted clearance bounced up off the Fisher bar and amid confusion in the defence Ainsley Gasper nipped in to head home.
Frankie Warren, who suffered a knock on the head early on, was beginning to feel groggy and was withdrawn at half time. The Fish had chances to get back in the game early in the second half, as Danny Hunt and substitute Ellis Wilson-Joseph went close. But Bethnal Green sealed the game as Gasper was put through – looking somewhat offside – and he lobbed Taylor for his second and United’s third goal of the game.
Taylor, unhappy at the lack of an offside flag, vented his frustration at the assistant referee. Having clearly overstepped the mark, Taylor was correctly dismissed by the referee for his language and a show of disrespect – although initial suggestions that there had been a more serious offence committed were subsequently clarified by witnesses as being inaccurate
Following the sending off, Adam Wadmore went in goal and looked comfortable with everything that was thrown his way. Fisher enjoyed their best spell since the first half as Bethnal Green sat back on their lead, and Jamie Turner struck a fine last minute consolation to increase his lead at the top of the Fisher scoring charts.
A disappointing way to exit the London Senior Cup then, and not the debut a remorseful Nic Taylor had in mind. The Fish get a chance to put things right on Saturday when we entertain Canterbury City in the Kent League Cup in the first of a two-legged first round tie.
Fisher: Fisher: N Taylor, Banton, Tipple (Monan 74), Warren (Wilson-Joseph 46), Jarrett-Elliott, Wadmore, Quan, Turner, Bell (Sisson 68), Hunt, Demetrius.
Subs: J Taylor, Hubbard
Attendance: 88
