Fisher 1-1 Croydon Athletic (4-5 pens) - We've given them a run for their money, says proud Lisney

Wednesday 31st March 2010

FISHER 1-1 CROYDON ATHLTIC
(After extra time - Croydon Athletic won 5-4 on penalties)
London Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Wednesday 31st March 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Champion Hill Stadium

FISHER boss Gary Lisney was disappointed that his bravehearts were denied a lucrative trip to AFC Wimbledon in the semi-finals of the London Senior Cup - as they went out on penalties to an under-strength Croydon Athletic side.

The Kent League hosts threw their bodies on the line throughout the 120 minutes of football on a sticky playing surface at Champion Hill, and when striker Cedric Abraham scored his first goal of the season, the dream was alive.

But Croydon Athletic striker Gary Noel broke the home side’s resilience to equalise after 80 minutes and the game was later settled by a sudden death penalty shoot-out.

Fisher, who defeated Cray Wanderers on penalties in the last round, suffered as both Lloyd Boateng and Abraham missed, and Nathan Green fired home the 12th spot-kick as the big-spending Ryman League Division One South club went through 5-4 on penalties.

When asked how he felt at the final whistle, the Fisher manager told www.kentishfootball.co.uk that he was proud of his players.

“Mixed emotions really I guess,” he said. “Very, very disappointed to be out of the Cup, obviously a big game in the next round for the winner, so good luck to Croydon.

“But I’m extremely proud of my players to be fair. They worked their socks off, they worked very, very hard and we played a bit as well so that was pleasing.

“We had a couple of good chances, but no miraculous last minute goals. We had a couple of chances second half of extra-time so we might have won it in normal time and extra-time.

“It went to penalties, but tonight weren’t our night!”

The Rams fielded just four first teamers that were named in the sixteen-man squad that took to the field against Dulwich Hamlet just 48 hours earlier in Joe Howe, Daniel Waldren, Noel and Jacob Erskine, but it was wingers Moses Odubajo (making his debut having signed on work-experience from Leyton Orient) and Taurean McDonald-Roberts that impressed.

A tight opening 20 minutes with Fisher snapping at the heels of their opponents, it was McDonald-Roberts who nearly broke the deadlock when his drilled shot (after some trickery) beat goalkeeper Adam Lisney, only for the ball to bounce off the foot of the right-hand post.

Fisher’s first shot on target was weak, striker Luke Coleman, who had one of his quieter games, drilled a poor shot into Mark Fox’s arms from a couple of yards outside the penalty area.

Lisney spilt Noel’s shot on the turn at the near post and then parried a smashed shot from McDonald-Roberts, who showed his tricks inside the penalty area, before getting his shot away.

But Fisher - with only Lordswood below them in the Bulmers Cider Kent League table - stunned their visitors by breaking the deadlock after 37 minutes.

Skipper, Kris Hollidge, who led by example at right-back, delivered a cross towards the edge of the penalty area, which Louis Sprosen attempted to flick on for Abraham, who excellently hooked a looping shot over Fox to find the top far corner of the net from 12-yards.

“He’s done alright for us,” Lisney said of his goalscorer, who played for Fisher Athletic during their ill-fated last season in Blue Square South last term.

“He’s been here for the last few weeks. He worked very hard for the team, which is important, of course, so he’s done alright and I’m glad he got on the score sheet.”

With something to fight for, Fisher were reliant on keeper Lisney for keeping the lead intact at the break, tipping over a dipping curling effort from talented McDonald-Roberts and getting down low to his right to deny visiting skipper Waldren scoring from 35-yards.

Croydon threw bodies in attack for the second half, exploiting Fisher down both flanks but excellent crosses into the penalty area weren’t finished off.

The Fisher side battled for every ball, but Croydon Athletic should have levelled after 72 minutes when Lisney did superbly to beat out Waldren’s curling 22-yard free-kick, which was heading towards the far corner.

Croydon Athletic’s pressure was finally rewarded, as they levelled after 80 minutes.

Boateng failed to deal with a bouncing ball inside his penalty area and Noel drilled a low hooked shot to beat Lisney at his near post.

The boss was disappointed with the way that Croydon Athletic got back into the game.

He said: “It came from a mistake from us. The ball’s taken a little of a dodgy bounce. Lloyd sort of miss-judged it. That happens in football. I’m sure every single goal that’s scored in football in every single game you can always trace it back to a fault or a mistake somewhere but the players have worked extremely hard and I’m very, very proud of them.”

Fisher tried to snatch victory at the death with Bryan Glover’s deflected shot rising over the bar from close in (following Jamie Lawrence’s corner towards the far post from the right) and from the resulting corner, Boateng fired into the side netting.

Fisher’s grafting efforts was rewarded by forcing extra-time, but Croydon Athletic appeared to be the fitter side and Waldren drilled a shot into Lisney’s arms again from fully 35-yards inside a dominant first period for the visitors.

Fisher created a couple of good chances during the second period to snatch the victory.

Coleman’s dipping right-footed free-kick from 30-yards called Fox into making a routine save, but they really should have wrapped the game up when Fox made his most crucial save of the game.

Anthony Glover was released through on goal by Abraham but the sky-blue shirted Fox won the dual by saving the low shot with his legs as he advanced off his line.

But Fisher’s luck with penalty shoot-outs ran out as both Boateng and Abraham (who missed the sudden-death eleventh penalty) both had their efforts saved by Fox.

Lawrence, Jimmy Beauchamp, Bryan Glover and Coleman all converted for Fisher.

Former Fisher Athletic player, Joe Howe, was denied by a fine save from Lisney, but it didn’t matter as Noel, Waldren, Erskine, Marco Biachini and Green all held their nerve from 12-yards as Croydon Athletic deservedly booked their place in the last four.

Lisney felt a pay-day at AFC Wimbledon would have been an award for everybody at the club.

“It would’ve been a great reward for everybody who works really hard behind the scenes, from Martin (Eede) onwards,” he said.

“But it wasn’t to be but it’s not like they’ve trounced us and given us a spanking or a lesson. We’ve held our own, we’ve competed. It just wasn’t to be our night tonight.

“I think I’ve said to you before, Tim (O’Shea) and Neil (Smith) are friends of mine. I was confident they were going to give us the respect that we were due and they did and best of luck to them in the next round.

“I hope they go on and win it now, because they’ve knocked us out!”

But Lisney added: “I’m very disappointed tonight, of course, but I’ll give it 48 hours and I’ll reflect on it and think we’ve done ourselves justice and perhaps we’ve given people a few surprises along the way.

“We’ve had a great cup run and we’ve given teams in league’s above us runs for their money and all in all it’s been ok.”

Fisher: Adam Lisney, Kris Hollidge (Anthony Glover 97), Mark Lewis, Jimmy Beauchamp, Lloyd Boateng, Bryan Glover, Louis Sprosen (Luiz Rozen 73), Jamie Lawrence, Cedric Abraham, Luke Coleman, Elstrom Die (George Savage 77).
Subs: Declan Thompson, Danny Baldwinson.

Goal: Cedric Abraham 37

Booked: Jimmy Beauchamp 7, Kris Hollidge 66, Bryan Glover 104

Croydon Athletic: Mark Fox, Marco Bianchi, Nathan Green, Matthew Man (Jamie Beveridge 73), Joe Howe, Jacob Erskine, Moses Odubajo, Daniel Waldren, Antoine Vitalis (Rob Depeazer 46), Gary Noel, Taurean McDonald-Roberts.
Subs: Steve Thomas, Ricardo Spencer, Zak Henry.

Goal: Gary Noel 80

Booked: Taurean McDonald-Roberts 82

Attendance: 71
Referee: Mr Ben Wright (Walworth, London SE17)
Assistants: Mr Paul Howard (Finsbury Park, London N4) & Mr Alun Davies (Islington, London N1)