Fisher’s great start to 2022 continued this weekend, with a comprehensive 2-0 home victory over Erith Town. Goals from Katonia and Traore helped secure the three points for Fisher.
On paper it looked a tough one for the Fish, with Erith up in fourth while Fisher were down in 14th prior to kick off. Fisher started the match trying to take the game to Erith, looking to win the ball high and break at speed regularly.
It was Fisher who created the first opening as a long throw routine on the left eventually fell to Jacob Katonia who fired high and wide from a tight angle inside the box.
It was that man Katonia again with the next Fisher opening. Some great work from Thompson down the right, who constantly had his man’s number throughout, saw him race past Ben Wilson and cut it back to edge with Katonia waiting; the forward had his shot deflected and it ended in a comfortable save for the Erith keeper.
There was a fierce competitive nature on display, summed up by De Brito Moco who picked up an early yellow for a crunching tackle, leaving the centre mid on thin ice for the best part of 70 minutes.
Erith’s first half chance came after 20 minutes. With the ball worked down the left it was eventually cut back to Malik Nosike who was unmarked 20 yards out and he looked to curl one into the top right, but his shot went narrowly over.
Just a couple minutes later Erith hit the woodwork, a free kick from around 30 yards was hit brilliantly from Wilson on his left foot, his curling effort clipped the outside of the post as the Fisher faithful behind the goal let out a sigh of relief.
After a bright opening 20 for Fisher the game fizzled out for the rest of the half, with it becoming a midfield battle and a constant turnover in possession with neither side able to get a hold of the ball.
High Drama Second Half
Fisher came out looking to seize control much like they did in the first half, with a noisy Dockers End cheering them on. Thompson nearly scored directly from a corner in the opening minutes of the second half.
Fisher finally made their positivity count just before the hour mark. Michael Sarpong, who was playing away from his usual central midfield role at left back, came back inside onto his favoured right foot and played an incredible switch to Thompson down the right who had got in behind the full-back, Thompson raced down the channel and squared it across goal where it rather fortunately was bundled into Katonia who headed home from a couple of yards.
The afternoon went from bad to worse for Erith as they are reduced to 10 men after a second yellow was shown to Jason Goodchild for a late firm challenge on Sam Fitzgerald.
Fisher made their extra man count with a goal just before the 80th minute with an incredible first touch from Traore. Having just come on seconds before, he raced forward and was found on the edge of the box where he brilliantly curled into the bottom left. Quite the impact sub for Fisher.
It took over 80 minutes, but Erith eventually created a big chance with centre back Jonah found in the box after staying up from a free kick, he fired from the left across goal looking for the bottom right which Fisher stopper Taylor tipped away, and then had the awareness to get up and smother the onrushing Erith player to produce a stunning double save.
The early booking for Brito Moco came back to bite Fisher as he lost the ball late in the game and brought his man down, perhaps in frustration, leaving the ref not much choice but to show the midfielder his second yellow card for a cynical foul.
The Bosses Thoughts
Fisher maintained their good performance and saw out the rest of match giving them a great three points, with boss Ajay Ashanike saying, ‘the boys carried out the task as we asked so credit to them all. Something has clicked since the new year with the squad performing at a higher level than before.’
He also had this to say on make-shift left back Sarpong: ‘Our left back Temi Oladejo picked up a knock just before the game. We all know the job he (Sarpong) can do. He mastered the role really well I’m proud of how he’s been playing this season. For me he was man of the match.’
