Fisher FC 2-0 Deal Town

After last week’s 1-0 win at home against Holland & Blair returned the Fish to winning ways, gaffer Dean Harrison made only one enforced change to his starting line-up, the injured Tunde Aderonmu missing out and being replaced in the number 9 jersey by Kushal Campbell-Palmer. The striker made his full debut, having come off the bench the previous week.

After an impeccably observed minute’s silence, Fisher got the game underway and they didn’t take long to make an impression on the game. With just a minute on the clock, Rob Brown’s little dink over the defender allowed Mathieu Ramsamy a run on goal from the left hand side of the box. The keeper came out to block at his feet on the corner of the six yard line, but the ball broke to the edge of the box where Brown had continued his run, and he calmly stroked home into the bottom left hand corner. A cool finish, caught on film as ever by Fisher FC videographer @John84Green: https://twitter.com/John84Green/status/1061273072760750090 1-0, Rob Brown, 1st minute

Deal Town started to play themselves into the match, and a long throw into the box was nodded down only for the shot on the turn to be blocked by Pat Geddis’ head. From the resulting corner, Richie Hamill had to clear a header off the line as he manned the right hand post. The pressure continued, but Dan Flemming was resolute at the back, making a clearance after a break down the Fisher right, then pulling off a fantastic tackle inside the box to prevent a cross.

Deal were on top in these early stages despite Fisher’s lead, and two further corners ensued but Mott and then Campbell-Palmer were able to deal with them for the Fish. It took until the 21st minute for Fisher to threaten the Deal goal, a dangerous low cross having to be gathered by the opposition keeper at his near post.

Having started off as a very pleasant afternoon, the heavens opened on 25 minutes. Fisher were coming more and more into the game, and on 28 minutes Campbell-Palmer dribbled into the box under pressure before losing the ball, but the ref pulled play back for a Fisher free kick just outside the box. The low free kick was cleared, Fisher regained possession but the Deal keeper was equal to another low cross.

An acrobatic flying clearance inside his own six yard box by Flemming was needed to clear the danger for the home team on 33 minutes, before Deal went down to 10 men a minute later. The ref went to book the player for a foul, but it was his second caution and out came the red, handing Fisher the man advantage.

Fisher tried to capitalize immediately, and a short corner down the right to Mott was returned to Hamill whose swerving cross was headed narrowly over, although the flag had gone up in any case. Mott then popped up at the other end, blocking a shot inside the box after a long Deal free kick into the box had been headed partially clear by Flemming.

With five minutes left before the break, Rob Brown tried to thread the ball into the box and only a desperate lunging tackle prevented the ball from finding its target. Deal were still in the game, however, and Mudiagha Wanogho produced some excellent defending as he first blocked a shot from outside the box, then was back in position to clear when the ball was crossed back in from the Fisher right. The rain was bucketing down, and the referee’s half time whistle was no doubt welcomed by both sides!

Half time: Fisher FC 1-0 Deal Town. Rob Brown’s cool finish was the difference between the two sides at the break, in a cagey match of few real opportunities. Half time stats courtesy of our resident statistician, @throssfilms:

The second half continued much in the same vein as the first: the sides were evenly matched, with neither being able to unlock the other’s defence. On 53 minutes, Deal had the first shooting chance of the half, after being awarded a free kick some 35 yards from goal, but they blazed well over. This seemed to liven up both side, and a minute later the Deal keeper made a fantastic save as he got down low to stop a deflected shot from Campbell-Palmer.

On 57 minutes, Mathieu Ramsamy broke into the box down the Fisher left, but his low cross was blocked. A minute later, Harvey Brinkley tried again from the other side after being fed by Brown, but the ball was turned behind for a Fisher corner with Ramsamy waiting to pounce at the back post. Campbell-Palmer got his head to the corner, but the keeper was able to gather.

Right on the hour mark, Fisher got that second goal. Richie Hamill advanced into the midfield and rolled a low ball into the feet of Campbell-Palmer on the edge of the box. He turned his man and smashed home in off the bar for his first goal in the black and white. A great strike – see it again here thanks to @John84Green: https://www.instagram.com/p/BqAgGH3FtIA/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=1oxe5pga3dxzj 2-0, Campbell-Palmer, 60 mins

The goal knocked the stuffing out of Deal, and Fisher pushed to extend their lead. Lovely play on the right saw Rob Brown tee up Trey Small inside the box but his flashing drive went just wide of the angle of post and bar on 64 minutes. Dean Harrison rang the changes as Fisher saw the game out, Ramsamy being replaced by Chandler Kasai, then Afo Soyemi-Olade coming on for Campbell-Palmer.

On 79 minutes, Soyemi-Olade had a chance to get on the scoresheet, Hamill finding Kasai down the left wing and the winger’s cutback to the edge of the box being met by the onrushing Soyemi-Olade, but his shot went narrowly wide. Hamill then won a corner down the Fisher left, and his set-piece was met by the head of Flemming but the ball drifted past the right hand post. Shortly after, Rob Brown went off in Fisher’s final change, with Martin Begg coming on.

With three minutes left on the clock, it should have been a third goal for Fisher: a delicious cross from Hamill found Mott unmarked at the back post with an empty goal, but he couldn’t connect cleanly. Right on 94 minutes, Deal were awarded a free kick a long way from goal, but a decent attempt swerved only just wide of Dan Wheeler’s right hand post.

Full time: Fisher FC 2-0 Deal Town. A comfortable win in the end for Fisher, helped of course by the man advantage. Another three points, another clean sheet, and no doubt another happy dressing room! Full time stats courtesy of @throssfilms:

Sponsors’ man of the match: Saturday’s match was sponsored by @cloudo85, @SteveDobbie and @Bigblue9James. They chose Fisher’s left-sided maestro Richie Hamill as their man of the match: he played his part in another clean sheet, assisted the second goal and was a constant threat going forward in his left back role.

Fisher 2-0 Deal Town
Saturday 10 November 2018
SCEFL Premier Division

Fisher:
Rob Brown 1
Kush Campbell-Palmer 60

Attn: 108

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