SCEFL Premier Division

Fisher 1 - 0 Punjab United
Saturday 9 October 2021 - 15:00St Paul's Stadium, Rotherhithe SE16

Fisher 1-0 Punjab United
Saturday 9 October 2021
SCEFL Premier Divison

Goal scorer: Courtney Swaby (16)
Attn: 236

What a change a week makes! Last week it was big coat weather today it was Costa Del Rotherhithe. Shorts T-shirts and suncream in glorious conditions at St Paul’s. Always great to see Chipie & Jindhi before kick off. The heart & Soul of Punjab United who leave no stone unturned in search of a positive result for their side.

Fisher had Sam Fitzgerald and Jacob Katonia unavailable today due to suspension. In place of them were Aaron Glasgow returning from a hamstring injury. And Julio Da Mata who was promoted from the bench.

With a couple of minutes on the clock Lee Weemes won a free kick 25 yards from goal. Up stepped left winger Isaac Thompson who sent his curling effort over Max Ovendens crossbar. Punjab quickly went up the other end and forced a corner for themselves. Temi Oladejo headed clear for Fisher at the near post.

Lee Weemes and Hugh Samuels got themselves involved in a good old fashioned test of strength as both players looked to dominate one another. Eventually the ref blew for a free kick. Both players smiled and shock hands. Punjab put together an excellent team move that swept the length of the pitch. Resulting in a corner that was eventually poked wide.

The games only goal came in the 15th minute when Max Ovenden raced from his line to cut out a through ball Courtney Swaby was trying to get on the end of. Swaby beat Ovenden in a foot race. Swaby then deftly looped the ball towards goal from 20 yards out to put Fisher in front. 1-0

Fisher next had a sight of goal when Sarpong rolled the ball to his left from a free kick. Temi Oladejo let rip from 30 yards. Ovenden got down to his right to save well. Punjab earned themselves a free kick deep on the left hand side that was wasted. Both sides are getting the ball down and trying to play.

A free flowing move from Fisher almost saw them add a second goal through Weemes. His effort beat Ovenden before the ball was hacked off the line by Maximus Gayle. Swaby,Thompson and Da Mata the men involved in getting the ball to Weemes. Another long range free kick this time hammered in from Michael Sarpong was well saved once again by Ovenden.

Punjab’s Will Johnson-Cole got himself in front of Luke Thomas as he raced into the box. As he looked up and tried to slot past Carpanini. It was Carpanini that saved well with his foot before the ball was worked to the edge of the box and at the feet of Arun Surman who tried to catch Carpanini out with a deft lob that Carpanini caught easily.

With 35 minutes gone Luke Thomas earned the games first yellow card. With two sides that are fully committed to the cause and not holding back with any challenges it will be interesting to see if both sides can keep eleven me on the park. The Punjab free kick that followed was pumped to the far post. The header from Ramsamy hit the side netting.

Sarpong who was putting on a masterclass in the engine room split the Punjab back four into pieces with a fine ball towards Swaby. Ovenden well placed raced from his line again to clear his lines under pressure. Shortly before half time Coker was fouled leaving Swaby to send over his set piece from the right. Once again Ovenden was on hand to collect easily.

HT – Fisher 1-0 Punjab United

With no subs made at half time it was going to be more of the same from both sides. Blood & thunder all over the park. Punjab earn an early corner that is comfortably cleared upfield. As Chipie screams for more from his players in the dugout. Luke Thomas charges down the right before playing a pass to Swaby who uses his pace well to get away from his marker before getting a shot off that’s well saved by Ovenden who is having a busy day in the Punjab goal.

With Fisher only one goal to the good and the game going from end to end. A second Fisher goal will be needed to put Punjab to bed I feel. Punjab are not out of this game by any stretch and send a shot just wide of Carpaninis upright. The old stager Vines with effort. Who had a decent tussle with Glasgow & Adewunmi.

Luke Thomas then smashed a side foot volley into the gardens behind the ground as he ghosted in on the blindside after a cross field ball from left to right. Punjab won themselves a corner that Carpanini collects well. Punjab will not go away as they continue to press for an equaliser.

Fisher showed they wanted all three points when Coker made a tackle on the halfway line that any defender would have been proud of. Having won the ball Coker touched the ball to Swaby who pokes the ball away from Gayle who fouls Swaby and picks up a booking. Weemes had earned himself a rest, Udo replacing him up front.

Isaac Thompson was having a fine game. His intelligent use of the ball on display for all to see. It was Thompson’s neat reverse ball to Coker that won Fisher a corner. The corner fell to Thompson all alone in the box. Thompson fired over on the half volley when he should have opened his Fisher account.

Down the other end Dan Carpanini gets down to save well at his near post. A real let off for Fisher. Courtney Swaby with an outrageous piece of skill down the right sent Jordan Campbell this way & that before Campbell sent Swaby sprawling. The ref Booked Campbell for the foul. It was Swaby who took the free kick sending the ball into Ovendens arms.

Vines should have had Punjab back on level terms when he headed over from inside the six yard box. A cross from the right that cut the entire Fisher back four out. Christian Udo set Swaby away with a smart back heel down the left. Sadly for Swaby he couldn’t stop the ball from going out of play. Smart link up play all the same.

It was Udo in the thick of it again as he manages to get away from his marker through a series of dummies, slips,trips and brute strength. One things for sure it’s never dull when Udo is on the field. Malachi Coker makes way for Ossai as Fisher send on some fresh legs in a bid to grab a match clinching second goal. Punjab miss another golden opportunity to equalise when well placed Dawson fails to hit the target.

Julio Da Mata making his 50th appearance for Fisher wins the ball in midfield and slips the ball out to Thompson on the left. Thompson instead of thrashing the ball into an area looked up and played a square ball across the box to sub Seaman who cut inside his marker before unleashing a rocket that cannoned back off the bar. Punjab with time against them race down the other end and get another effort on target but The keeper is once again on hand to keep the ball out.

With 6 minutes injury time added on everybody in black & white looked to see the game out to clinch a much needed three points. Dan Carpanini was forced to rush from his line to clear a Punjab through ball.

Udo worked himself into a shooting position inside the box before falling over the ball. Whoever Udo still got a shot off that had to be saved by Ovenden. Thompson also managed a late strike on target before the ref brought proceedings to & end.

A great advert for Scefl league football. Fisher where made to work hard for the three points today.

FT – Fisher 1-0 Punjab United
NLC MOM – Dan Carpanini (Fisher) growing in stature.

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