SCEFL Premier Division

Bearsted 2 - 1 Fisher
Saturday 28 March 2026 - 15:00

Bearsted 2-1 Fisher
Saturday 28th March
SCEFL Premier Division

Attn: 100
Scorer: Michael Sarpong (79 min)

Photo Credit: Dave Anderson – Full Album here

Despite territorial dominance for a large majority of the game, a lapse midway through the first half, when two quick goals were conceded, gave Fisher too much to do as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at third placed Bearsted amidst the play-off race hotting up.
Fisher made just one change from last weekend’s win against Kennington, with Rafael Garcia back in the starting line up replacing Sha’mar Lawson. There was a space on the bench for new signing Eric Koduah, adding to the creative options. Having selected such an attack minded squad it was  no surprise that Fisher started the game on the front foot, making use of the wide pitch and good surface at Honey Lane and it was the Bearsted keeper who was busier in the early exchanges, blocking near posts efforts at both the left and right post from Garcia and Alex Kozak as Fisher forced the early pace. Resulting corners amounted to little though as whilst the wide pitch allowed an expansive approach it meant many dead ball deliveries were short of the danger area and were cleared easily, with more threat coming from some quickly taken short corners.
Midway through the half came the game’s defining moments. A quick attack down the left saw Kozak and Tom Jones combine, with Kozak’s powerful run to the byline allowing him to clip over a low cross that for once beat the front post cover but a slight bobble somehow saw Garcia’s touch from two yards out, as he slid in to turn the ball home, rise over the bar. The miss was punished, as from the resulting goal kick Fisher failed to win a second ball cleanly and the Bearsted midfield clipped a through ball low down the right channel allowing James Bessey to race through on goal and calmly dink the ball over the advancing Ogunseri to give the home side the lead, very much against the run of play. Within five minutes though things were to get even tougher for Fisher as a high ball forward was inexplicably allowed to bounce giving Sam Stace time to turn his marker and cut inside to shoot with his effort seemingly getting a slight deflection of the covering Conor Darwish’s foot and loop wide of Ogunseri but inside the post to give Fisher a difficult route back into the game. They knuckled down to the task and Festos Kamara forced a fine low block at the near post when looking to turn home Kozak’s cross with Lorenzo Duncan’s hooked follow up gathered by the grateful keeper when a yard ether side would have seen the ball roll in. The keeper was also well placed to safely hold Tom Jones free kick from twenty five yards out after Garcia was felled in full flight.
Fisher made two changs at the break with Michael Sarpong and debutant Koduah replacing AJ Martin and Garcia as Fisher continued to press forward. Good play from Jack Gibbons saw him burst into the box but another bobble saw his shot come cross rise high behind the goal as Fisher pretty much set up camp in the Bearsted half. However at times the play was little to frenetic and rushed when a more measured build up was needed to unlock the stubborn and well drilled Bearsted rear guard. Koduah looked well placed to capitalise on Kamara’s run and cross but hooked his effort over and time and again a Bearsted foot managed to block out deliveries from either flank as Jones, Kozak and Kamara looked to get in around the back. It was the introduction of Chibueze Echem though that caused the home side the most trouble, with his physical presence seemingly unsettling a defence that had appeared to be having the upper hand.
With ten minutes to play Fisher halved the deficit. Jumo’s corner skimmed off Echem’s head at the back of the area, but the big forward closed the defender looking to clear up the line and out muscled him to give space to send in a pinpoint cross that found Michael Sarpong unmarked eight yards out to head home. Fisher threw bodies forward in search of an equaliser but in doing so gave Bearsted opportunities to snatch a third and it took a superb recovery tackle from Darwish to stop Stace as he looked set to shoot. Despite continued pressure the Bearsted back line held firm and time ran out without Fisher managing to get a clear sight of goal to force a leveller in game they certainly deserved a point from, and left to rue a sloppy five minutes, knowing they have played worse and won in games this season.

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