Match Report: Fisher 1-2 Lordswood

Fisher 1-2 Lordswood
Saturday 5th March
SCEFL Premier Division
Scorer: Vincent Follea (30 min)
Attn: 159

Match Report and picture courtesy of the Non-League Chronicles. Give their facebook page a like: https://www.facebook.com/thenonleaguechronicles

Fisher came into todays game full of confidence. Unbeaten in the last seven games and off the back of a cracking point gained midweek against promotion chasing Sheppey United at a very wet St Pauls.

Lordswood currently bottom of the table came into todays game with a vastly changed squad under new manager Richard Dimmock.

12 minutes gone and Lordswood poked their noses in front. Sam Fitzgerald failed to control a long ball as Josh Reid nipped in and slid the ball into Brown, Brown then let fly from distance. Tommy Taylor made a wonderful save as he tipped the ball onto the bar. As the ball was reworked into the six yard box Murray slammed the ball home from close range.

Temi Oladejo worked some magic down the left hand side before crossing to Julio Da Mata. Da Mata headed goalwards at the far post but his marker managed to get in the way and snaffle the ball to safety.

Both sides continued to trade blows in a keenly contested game. Fisher dug out an equaliser just before the half hour when Wood keeper George Bentley fancied himself as an outfield player before Da Mata robbed him of the ball and squared it to Vincent Follea who directed his low 30 yarder into the empty net. No more than Fisher deserved at this stage.

Jacob Katonia sent his effort into orbit after a mazy run, taking several players with him after nice interplay down the right from skipper Luke Thomas and Esteban Salgado.

Once again Fisher had Tommy Taylor to thank after he saved smartly low to his left from another long range strike from outside the box.

The lively Salgado had Bentley scrambling across his box as his curling shot flew just wide of the right hand post.

Last action of the half saw Bentley save again from Oladejos free kick. The resulting corner was hacked away before a very even half was brought to a close.

HT-Fisher 1-1 Lordswood

As the half got underway referee Tom Nicholls failed to give a penalty for handball in the Wood box when placed in a perfect position!

Josh Reid wriggled away from Oladejo before firing high and wide from 20 yards as both sides start the second half on the front foot.

Salgado was proving to be a thorn in the Lordswood side as his trickery and neat footwork saw him lay the ball off to Vincent Follea who hit the angle of post and bar with a drive from outside the box. Bentley was on hand to keep out the rebound with another stop to his left.

Katonia was stopped in his tracks after a driving run by Dom Wynter-Stephens who picked up a booking for his troubles. Oladejo once again stepped up to take the free kick and once again Bentley saved Oladejos low stinging effort.

Esteban finds Da Mata who’s neat drag back in the box outfoxes his marker before his work is smothered out.

Lordswood retook the lead with a thunderous volley from Zak Jakubowski against the run of play. A cracking strike that would not look out of place several steps higher.

As Fisher pressed for an equaliser it was that man Bentley who once again broke Fisher hearts with another top class save this time from Manny Shoderu. The corner that followed found the smallest man on the pitch free at the far post. Fejzi jumped his full height stretching every sinew but sadly missed the target when all alone.

Fisher were piling on the pressure for an equaliser. Fejzi cut in from the left and opened his body up to bend his right footed curler into the far corner. This time Bentley was beaten but the ball thumped back off the post.

Manny Shoderu let fly from twenty yards his shot arrowing towards the top right corner, as Bentley pulled off arguably his most impressive save of the day to keep the ball out. Sam Fitzgerald got his head to Fejzis corner but couldn’t get his header on target.

Fejzi once again tested Bentley from inside the box. Fejzi had a lively cameo appearance from the bench. But Bentley played like a man possessed.

Temi Oladejo went down under frankly a disgusting tackle as the full time whistle approached. After lengthy treatment he managed to return to the field of play. Lordswood sub Jason Long didn’t even receive a talking to from the ref, who sent Fisher skipper Luke Thomas to sin bin for protesting the decision to aggressively.

As the full time whistle went Fisher will be disappointed that they couldn’t put away a spirited and rejuvenated Lordswood side. Fair play to Lordswood who tasted victory for the first time in four months. The victory also lifted them off the foot of the table.