Match Report: Fisher 2-2 Holmesdale

Fisher 2-2 Holmesdale
Saturday 16th April 2022
SCEFL Premier Division
Scorers: Isaac Thompson (44 mins) Julio Da Mata (73 mins)
Attn: 130
Photo Credit: Dave Anderson

A hot Easter Saturday saw Fisher entertain Holmesdale at St Pauls, with the Fish taking their April unbeaten run into the penultimate home game of the season. However, they had to settle for a point, as in a game very similar to the previous week at Bearsted, they fell behind to a sloppy goal and despite turning the game around to lead 2-1, let in a late equaliser.
With an eye on Monday’s game with Tower Hamlets manager Ajay Ashanike, rested centre half Sam Fitzgerald and midfielder Julio Da Mata, with Prince Imoru and Vincent Follea deputising. However, the move looked to have backfired when some poor defending allowed Holmesdale to score from the game’s opening attack, taking advantage of space on the left to deliver into the box, where Rory Ward had time and space to gently tuck the ball home.
The Fish looked strangely subdued and the visitors wasted a further good opportunity from a free kick that flew over the bar. Whilst Manny Shoderu saw a header go just wide of the post in return, Fisher struggled to make inroads into the Holmesdale half.
The visitors threatened to double their lead, forcing a number of corners and Amoah shot over when well placed as Fisher continued to sit off. Jacob Skelly, who appeared for the Fish years ago saw his header well saved by Tommy Taylor, but having not found the second Holmesdale were pegged back right on the strike of half time. A flowing move down the right saw Vincent Follea find space just outside the box and pick out Isaac Thompson with a low cross. Thompson controlled with his first touch and slightly off balance still manged to curl the ball past the visiting keeping to level up the game with his tenth goal of the campaign. Thompson became only the eleventh Fisher player to reach ten goals in a season since the club reformed in 2009.
The second half saw a more determined Fisher side and Michael Sarpong fired just wide in the half’s opening chance. Quickly after, Manny Shoderu almost converted, when just failing to make contact with an inviting delivery from the right by Darnelle Bailey King, who after a quiet first half was now making his influence felt. Bailey-King combined well with Luke Thomas to force the Holmesdale keeper to save low down as Fisher started to get on the front foot. It was no surprise then when they took the lead on 73 minutes as the ball switched from right to left and Isaac Thompson cut inside turned his defenders inside and out before sweeping in a shot which rebounded off the post into the path of substitute Julio Da Mata who bundled the ball into the top corner of the goal despite seemingly not knowing an awful lot about it!
A single goal cushion should have been enough, but the introduction of veteran Andy Constable gave Holmesdale more attacking threat and when a long free kick was arrowed into the Fisher penalty area, Constable found himself a pocket of space to get on to the head down and shot on the turn to tuck the ball into the far corner.
Fisher rallied and still searched for the winning goal as the game became quite open. Substitute David Luzolo missed a good chance when breaking clear, but his lobbed effort was wide and in the final minute he was guilty of missing a gilt edged chance after Isaac Thompson chipped a cross to the back post that simply begged to be headed home but Luzolo failed to make contact with the ball and collided with the outstretched Holmesdale keeper as the ball went out for a goal kick leaving Fisher to settle for yet another draw – their twelfth of the campaign so far.