Fisher 0-1 Sevenoaks Town - We're by no means the finished article - Little

Tuesday 20th October 2009

FISHER 0-1 SEVENOAKS TOWN
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Tuesday 20th October 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Champion Hill Stadium

SEVENOAKS TOWN assistant manager Joe Little says his side are going through a transitional period - despite leapfrogging Fisher to climb into seventh place in the Bulmers Cider Kent League table tonight.

An own goal from Fisher defender, Simon St Aimie, separated the two sides in a game that produced woeful finishing for the 88 spectators present at Champion Hill.

But former Millwall academy manager, Little, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk for the very first time, said he was pleased with the capital gain.

“We dug in a little bit in the second half,” he said. “We had plenty of chances but to be fair they had one decent chance in all.

“We were a lot more professional and it was good to keep the first clean sheet of the season.”

In what was a game of little quality, Sevenoaks created the first chance, inside the opening four minutes when midfielder Joe Creasey found Fisher goalkeeper, Adam Lisney with a right-footed drive from just over 30-yards.

Maybe the lengthy injury to Oaks’ defender Lee Demartelaere (who was stretchered off following a delay of nearly ten minutes after being elbowed on the side of the head) took the stuffing out of both sides.

After the game restarted, Fisher squandered what proved to be an excellent chance to break the deadlock after 23 minutes.

Daniel Westerman whipped in an excellent cross from the right and the visiting defence failed to pick up Raphael Akala, who made a late run into the box at the far post, but the midfielder smashed a low drive wide.

Sevenoaks’ best chance of the first half arrived in the 39th minute when striker Bill Shinners (wearing yellow boots) fed winger Chris Walker down the left and his excellent cross was met by a looping header from Shinners, which goalkeeper Lisney did excellently to tip the ball onto his crossbar, before reacting superbly to thwart the follow-up shot from Alfred Keroma.

Sevenoaks were grateful to goalkeeper Sean Funnell for keeping Fisher at bay, a minute before the ten extra minutes added on for Demartelaere’s injury.

Jamie Lawrence delivered a free-kick from the right and Elstrom Die smashed a shot against the post, before Funnell pulled off two back-to-back saves to thwart both Wayne Grant and Lloyd Boateng as the ball pinged around the penalty area.

And during the lengthy period of time added on, a Fisher corner from former Sevenoaks player Kris Hollidge was cut back to the unmarked Lawrence, whose right-footed drive flew just over - and at the other end, Danny Twin’s right-footed free-kick from 30-yards, dipped just over Lisney’s crossbar.

With the game desperate to explode into life, Sevenoaks keeper Funnell made a comfortable save after Akala raced past three Sevenoaks defenders before cracking a drive on target early in the second half.

Sevenoaks missed a gilt-edged chance when Toby Webb’s cross from the right was met by the unmarked Keroma, who headed into Lisney’s grateful arms from just three yards out when he looked destined to break the stalemate.

But Sevenoaks clinched the points with 22 minutes remaining when nippy winger Walker reached the by-line and his low centre was supposed to be stabbed over the line by Shinners from close range - but Fisher defender St Aimie slid in to divert the ball over the line instead.

Miss-firing Grant could have snatched an equaliser for Fisher, but the striker went for power and not accuracy as his shot flew over the Sevenoaks crossbar, and with it, ended the home side’s four-match unbeaten run.

The Sevenoaks camp were delighted with the victory.

“We’re pleased with the result, especially away from home,” added Little.

“I still think we’re in a period of transition. The manager (Simon Jones) has brought in (new players), we’re trying to change a few things to make us a bit more of an outfit to go and compete really and try and get us up the league as high as possible.

“We’re no means the finished article, it’s a learning curve. There’s a lot of new players trying to bed in at the moment so yes, it’s a bit disappointing at times but we’re just trying to affect things that we can affect and be better in every game.”

Little, 28, who has previously coached Fisher Athletic’s youth sides, as well as spending three-years as a professional coach with Millwall’s academy set-up, says there’s more to come from Sevenoaks Town.

“The lads have played a reasonable standard so with all due respect to everyone who’s here, every week we’ve got to better the last so we want competition for places.

“We’ve got some great young players here who deserve to be in the side, who I think deserve to be in the side and will continue to be in the side if they’re performing.”

For Fisher manager, Gary Lisney, who was also taking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk down the players tunnel at Champion Hill, he felt his amateur side should have got more out of the game.

Fisher stole three points in a 1-0 win at Beckenham Town at the weekend, and Lisney said, “It’s a funny old game at times. Perhaps we arguably didn’t deserve all three points on Saturday and perhaps we did deserve something out of tonight.

“Perhaps they had a bit more possession than us but I think we probably had the better chances than they did.

“We had a couple of decent chances in the second half as well, so I think we probably deserved something out of the game but we’ve got nothing but football evens itself out during the season.”

With 11 points from 11 games this season, Lisney gave his views of his side’s campaign so far.

“I’m pleased with the last few weeks,” he said. “We were on a bit of a roll with four unbeaten, that’s come to an end now and it’s all about how we react to that. It’s about can we go on another winning run now and see if we can get three points in our next league game.”

He added, “The club started from absolutely nothing six months ago or how long it was and we’ve got a team on the pitch that’s competing.

“The very fact that we’ve come off the pitch losing 1-0 (and feeling) disappointed just shows how far we’ve come in a short period of time.

“I’m sure we’re bottom budget wise. I don’t know how many teams are in the league, are like us, not paying, but we might be bottom of the league budget wise but we’re not bottom football wise.

“I can’t fault the players, the work-rate’s tremendous.”

Both sides return to action with home games on Saturday.

Sevenoaks welcome fourth-placed Erith & Belvedere - smarting from their embarrassing home defeat to Sporting Bengal United at the weekend - whilst Fisher welcome league leaders Faversham Town in the first leg of their Kent League Cup tie.

“I’d be honest, I think every game at this level is tricky,” warned Little, ahead of Sevenoaks’ next match.

“Every team brings their own sort of thing to the party really so I’m finding that out as I’m new to this level.

“There’s always somebody difficult to play against, no matter what the team are.”

Fisher boss Lisney expects a tough examination when they play Justin Luchford’s league leaders.

He added, “They’’ll be strong, obviously they’re top of the league and comfortably so.”

Fisher: Adam Lisney, Kris Hollidge (Steve O‘Donnell 82), Mark Lewis, Bryan Glover, Lloyd Boateng, Simon St Aimie, Raphael Akala (Tasar Hassan 66), Jamie Lawrence, Wayne Grant, Elstrom Die, Daniel Westerman (Emile Dushku 76).
Subs: David James, Ricky McDonald.

Booked: Bryan Glover 21, Kris Hollidge 68, Elstrom Die 82

Sevenoaks Town: Sean Funnell, Toby Webb, Michael Cook, John Alegbe, Danny Ward, Lee Demartelaere (Ossie Bayram 17), Alfred Keroma (Joe Minter 66), Danny Twin, Joe Creasey, Bill Shinners, Chris Walker.
Subs: Euon Brown, Henry Goldsmith.

Goals: Simon St Aimie 68 (own goal)

Booked: Chris Walker 87

Attendance: 88
Referee: Mr Paul Gorvett (Erith)
Assistants: Mr Stephen Moore (Lingfield, Surrey) & Mr Ryan Whittiker (Bexleyheath)