Match Report: Fisher 2-0 Horsham YMCA

Guest match report (and photos) courtesy of The Non-league Chronicles an excellent source of Non league football coverage: https://www.facebook.com/thenonleaguechronicles/

Fisher 2-0 Horsham YMCA
Tuesday 1 September 2020
FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round
Attendance – 85 (Members only)
Admission – £7
Programme – digital version only [view here: horsham ymca fa cup]

Fishers first competitive match at St Pauls since a 2-0 home win against Punjab United back in March was certainly a game to remember for all the right reasons.

After entering St Pauls and getting all the latest team news. I looked up and saw Jason Birchall warming the keepers up! Which was a nice surprise, if he’s back short term or for a bit longer his experience will be valuable around the club. AJ has been wheeling and dealing all through lockdown. And it was his Rolodex that had been busier than most managers. As once again several players have moved onto other clubs.

Fisher are fast becoming a club that has a reputation amongst younger players that this is the place to ply your trade as a young up and coming footballer. It is a solid platform to put your talent on show. My only complaint is that players are being snapped up before they have a chance to establish themselves in the black & white stripes. That’s what happens when you have good players!

One player who didn’t cut & run was Centre back Ade Olowu who got himself a move to Conference south Chelmsford city. Young players reading this may ask why I mentioned Ade. Well it’s because he put in a full season at Fisher, developed his game more by playing week in week out and deservedly got his chance at a much higher level. (The very best of luck Ade).

Young players in my opinion should stick some roots down play regularly so that you can develope your game and make some progress. Not jumping from club to club collecting tracksuits. Suitable replacements found. No fewer than six players made there debut last night. Including two players making there second full debut.

The game itself saw Fisher all over Horsham like a cheap suit from the kick off. One man in particular Jamie Yila caused Horsham massive problems all evening. His run and shot chopping in down the left forced Horshams Aaron Jeal to tip Yilas effort into the left hand upright. Skipper for the night Josh Biddlecombe smashed home the rebound.

The Lino was waving his flag for offside when for all the world Biddlecombe appeared onside. The new seasons first clanger had well and truly been dropped! At this stage it was all Fisher as they dominated a young looking Horsham side. Horsham kept Fisher honest as they broke down the right hand side and a shot from just inside the box forced Dan Carpanini into a save low to his left-hand side.

The opener came on the 15 minute mark when Rob Brown scored a deflected free kick from a central area just outside the box. Think Italia 90 and the Germans free kick that hit Paul Parker and looped over Shilton. 1-0 Fisher

What followed for the next ten minutes was a period of Fisher dominance. Yila and Gibbons caused havoc down the flanks and if Jeal was being paid per save he could have paid his mortgage off!
Fisher failed to find the net for a second goal and the inevitable Horsham break came and Horshams Jack Ryder should have equalised after being found all alone in the six yard box with the goal at his mercy he fired over the bar.

That miss got Fishers mind back on the job and on the half hour Yila brought another smart save out of Yeal. A couple of minutes later Jacob Katonia was booked for a heavy challenge as Horsham looked to break out of there half. Jamie Yila once again danced his way past a couple of players and got his shot away. This time he beat Yeal but his effort was hacked off the line. As half time approached Michael Sarpong picked up a yellow card for dissent.

HT 1-0

The second goal came as the half restarted Yilas pace and strength saw him dribble past three Horsham defenders down the left wing. As he hit the byline he picked his head up and picked out Josh Biddlecombe on the six yard line. Biddlecombe although well placed could have shot but he rolled the ball along the six yard line and running onto the ball from the right was Jack Gibbons to slot home for a well deserved debut goal. 2-0

The game then went into a lull for the next 15 minutes. Sam Fitzgerald and PEter Ojemen along with the selfless running from Julio De Mata went about putting the game to bed. Making sure everyone was switched on alive and doing their jobs.

Just when you think it’s time to light up a cigar and relax….boom a second yellow card for Jacob Katonia in the 62nd minute saw him sent off. Shortly after Biddlecombe made way for young Harry Main to make his debut. Let’s hope he can follow in the footsteps of his famous uncle Jon Main.

You would think that Fisher being down to 10 men would have lifted Horsham. Although they hit the bar late on they didn’t look like a side capable of causing Fisher many problems. A Horsham defender was booked for pulling back Yila who was away. And less than a minute later De Mata collected a yellow for a tackle in midfield.

In the 73rd minute Yila gets away and cuts into the box. He shoots into Jeals midriff. That was Yilas last action as he makes way for Ibrahim. Rob Brown was next to be replaced by Ade Cole to get some fresh legs into midfield.

In the 90th minute Horsham hit the bar after a run and shot from the left. In time added on Ollie Gill fires wide when well placed. Luke Thomas had run himself into the ground at this point and he along with his team mates can be very pleased with Fishers first win the FA cup for six seasons.

FT Fisher 2-0 Horsham YMCA

Next up is an away tie at Tooting & Mitcham in the next round. The prize money for last nights win will help the club no end. As will the prize money the club get from the Tooting cup tie.
Lastly a big thank you to all the volunteers who helped out and made getting supporters into the ground an easy job.
Petes MOM Jamie Yila (Fisher)

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