Kentish Football 
Fisher 5-2 Tonbridge Angels - It's early days yet, admits Fisher boss Steve Firkins
Wednesday 20th July 2011
FISHER 5-2 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday 20th July 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Champion Hill Stadium
FISHER manager Steve Firkins kept his feet on the ground after his side humbled Tonbridge Angels in his second game in charge.
The south Londoners finished in last place in the Kent League last season but installed Firkins in the summer and he has brought his entire Greenwich Borough coaching staff and squad with him to Champion Hill. Only one player of last season’s Fisher squad, Raphael Akala, featured tonight, although striker Steve O’Donnell will feature at East Grinstead on Saturday.
Tonbridge Angels, who were humiliated 10-0 by League One side Brentford at the weekend, welcome League Two side Gillingham on Thursday night, so boss Tommy Warrilow sent a reserve side to play Fisher and reserve team manager Colin Blewden took charge of team affairs.
It was a night to forget for the Angels, as goalkeeper Lewis Jones failed to turn up due to an accident in nearby Peckham, so Fisher done their opponents a favour and allowed youth team keeper, Billy Hensman, 18, to play in goal for Tonbridge.
Blewden explained: “He got stuck in Peckham somewhere. He got stuck in a car accident and they shut the road and unfortunately we had to borrow their under 18 goalkeeper. It was good for us they allowed it. He’s done a good job for us, coming in and not knowing anyone. It’s one of those things unfortunately.”
Firkins added: “I thought he (Hensman) done well to be honest with you. We’ve only just got links with the under 18’s from Fisher and I invited him along tonight. I want to take him along (to East Grinstead) on Saturday and he’ll train with us tomorrow night.
“All I wanted to do with him was to have a little part in the squad, sit on the bench, warm up and down. Unfortunately for them their keeper got involved in an accident a couple of miles down the road so he wasn’t able to turn up.
“I take my hat off to the kid. He had a lot of guts to go out there and do that. He’s come to sit on the bench and he’s ended up playing 90 minutes for Tonbridge Angels!”
Hensman didn’t make a good impression early on as Fisher raced into a 3-0 lead inside only 18 minutes, as lively striker Peter Afolayan scored twice and left-back Danny Tipple also beat Hensman as Fisher outclassed their in-experienced opponents.
Striker, Alwayne Jones, 21, was Tonbridge Angels’ best player by miles and he knocked on Warrilow’s door with two goals - a header in the 43rd minute to pull a goal back – and a fine strike in the 68th minute, but Nathaniel Bell immediately scored for Fisher and Danny Hunt scored to make it 5-2 in Fisher’s favour to record the club’s highest ever win in their current guise.
The Fisher boss admitted it was “a good start” to his reign at the club, having beaten Barkingside 2-0 in their opening game at the weekend.
Firkins said: “We’re not looking into it too much, it’s early days yet. The pleasing thing about it is we’ve got a lot of good touch players, which is what we like and I was quite impressed with some of the lads who went on second half. Young Jamie Taylor looked impressive, done the simple things and I think there was a lot of good performances.
“I’m not reading too much into it. It’s just good to get up and running again. “
There was just one Tonbridge Angels’ player who featured in the nineteen man squad that faced Brentford at the weekend and Alwayne Jones has impressed in both games.
“He was our biggest threat for them tonight,” said Blewden, 45, afterwards.
“He scored two good goals, the keeper made a great save to stop a hat-trick and I think stepping up from the reserves last year he’s got a good chance of making the Tonbridge first team.
“I like him, he’s got a good attitude and he’s worked hard in pre-season.”
But it was Fisher who impressed on a miserable wet night in East Dulwich.
Hensman was seen having an introductory handshake with central defender Charlie Dix before the kick-off, but the Angels’ defence went to sleep to allow Afolayan to open the scoring after just 42 seconds.
Michael Jones outpaced Charlie Slocombe and Matt Harden to reach the by-line and he cut the ball back for Afolayan, who swept a right-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner from eight-yards, leaving Hensman rooted to the spot.
The combination of Michael Jones, Afoloyan and Tipple caused the Angels’ defence problems for when they were on the lush, wet playing surface, and Michael Jones called Hensman into making a low save as the ball zipped off the wet pitch after the midfielder tried his luck from 30-yards.
Fisher doubled their lead inside nine minutes when George Kendall released Tipple with an excellent long ball and he slipped the ball through and Afolayan’s trickery saw him ghost past three challenges before slotting the ball past Nick Hollyoak on the line, his shot skimming the left-hand post – a reward for such an excellent goal.
Tonbridge almost grabbed a goal back when Hollyoak whipped in a corner from the left and Jones’ stooping header was nodded off the line by Micah Banton.
But Fisher went up the other end of the pitch and made the score 3-0 – after eighteen minutes of enthralling football on their part.
Michael Jones burst down the left beating a couple of shell-shocked Tonbridge defenders and he cut the ball back for left-back Tipple, who stroked a right-footed shot past a stranded borrowed goalkeeper to find the far corner.
Tonbridge appeared to look like a team of strangers and a lack of strength-in-depth looks to be a problem for Warrilow if he has to rely on the players on show tonight in Blue Square Bet (Conference) South.
Fisher tore apart their opponents at ease and were finding time and space all over the park – and goal number four should have followed in the 21st minute.
Full-back Banton and Richie Monan combined down the right and Banton clipped the ball into the penalty area and Afolayan smashed a right-footed drive high into the side netting.
Tonbridge Angels pulled a goal back three minutes before the end of a disappointing first half.
Hollyoak swung in a right-footed free-kick from the left touch-line and Alwayne Jones rose unchallenged at the far post to plant a powerful header across Danny Firkins to find the far corner.
Fisher made five changes at the break, Tonbridge three, and the Angels looked lively early on in the second half.
Jake Hope released fellow substitute, striker Joe Walker through on goal, but Firkins got down low to make a routine save as the ball flashed across his goal-mouth.
Alwayne Jones showed his physical presence when he met Charlie Dix’s free-kick with a back post header, leaning over his marker, but heading down and wide.
But he pulled a goal back in the 68th minute, curling a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which gave Firkins no chance as the ball nestled into the far corner.
But Tonbridge’s joy was short-lived as Fisher immediately went up the other end of the pitch and made the score 4-2 just 49 seconds later.
Michael Sisson was released down the left and he cut the ball back to Hunt at the near post who caressed the ball across the face of goal and Bell hooked a right-footed shot across Hensman to find the far corner.
It seemed that Hunt was going to be outdone by his team mates but he persevered and got on the score sheet in the final sixteen minutes.
Tipple – whose performance would have warranted a man-of-the-match award – released the striker through on goal, who shrugged past Hope, before Hunt smashed a low right-footed drive underneath the diving Hensman.
The goalkeeper made a morale boosting save to thwart substitute Kenny Jarrett-Elliott from scoring with a low 30-yard drive which zipped off the soaked turf.
Alwayne Jones was denied a hat-trick when Walker played the ball across the face of the penalty area but Firkins came swiftly off his line to deny the striker the headlines.
“Well, we knew it was going to be a tough game, obviously it was their first team against a very young reserve side, five under 18’s, and first year Ryman (Youth League players) so we brought a very young side,” explained Blewden afterwards.
“We didn’t do ourselves any favours going a goal down after 42 seconds so we made it a battle, an uphill task, but what I was pleased with was the response. They didn’t lie down and give in. In fact we played the ball around well at times, scored two good goals, possibly could’ve had another one and there was a lot of positives out there.
“Some of the lads’ have learnt a lot tonight, what’s needed to play at a decent level of non-league football and they’ll learn from it.
“It’s our first outing on an eleven-a-side, full sized pitch so it’s good for them to get out, get a pre-season friendly out of the way and now we can work on the things we’ve picked up on and it’s something to go into the next game.”
Whilst Blewden was pleased with his side’s display, the worrying thing is only Alwayne Jones looks capable of stepping up to the first team squad – a massive jump from Suburban Premier League football to Conference South.
“I don’t think they’d be anyone coming out of the reserves into the first team this year but we’d be looking to progress them next season,” said Blewden.
“Certainly they’ll be one or two who are not strong enough but they are technically good enough and they’ll do a job coming on as sub. The trouble is the gap’s got bigger now between the reserves and the first team after they got promoted so it’s probably a case of getting some loan players in rather than rely on reserve players.”
The Fisher team are basically the Greenwich Borough side who finished in fifth-place last season in a black and white striped kit – and the Fisher faithful can look forward to watching Borough’s trademark “carpet football.”
“A bit disappointed tonight, we’ve conceded the two goals, that’s something we’re going to work on tomorrow night,” reflected Firkins.
“Other than that, attacking wise we looked pacey, we popped the ball about. There’s quite a bit to do, we’re still giving the ball away a little bit too cheaply, I think, in certain areas, but I’m quite pleased.”
Firkins is still targeting a top three-finish – although his number two, Billy Walton says they are good enough to go on and win the Kent League title this season.
Firkins said: “I hope the (Fisher fans) see we are a good footballing side and we’ve got something to look forward to hopefully.
“I’m not being detrimental to the fellas from last year, they had a hard task last year, but I think we’ve proven ourselves in the Kent Premier League that we can sustain a top six (finish), which we have done over the last three years.
“Like I said, I’d like to build a squad to compete in the top three and challenge the top two. Whether we’re good enough to do that, we’ll soon tell.”
On Tonbridge Angels’ team selection tonight, Firkins said: “Of course, we’d like to play their first team. For me it would’ve been a good yard stick how far we’ve progressed. We understand they’ve got a big fixture against Gillingham tomorrow night and no doubt we’d do exactly the same.”
Fisher: Danny Firkins, Micah Banton (Kenny Jarrett-Elliott 67), Danny Tipple, Frankie Warren, George Kendall (Adam Wadmore 46), Kobi DeGraft-Johnson, Richie Monan (Chris Hubbard 46), Jamie Turner (Jamie Taylor 46), Peter Afolayan (Michael Sisson 46), Danny Hunt (Raphael Akala 75), Michael Jones (Nathaniel Bell 46).
Goals: Peter Afolayan 1, 9, Danny Tipple 18, Nathaniel Bell 69, Danny Hunt 74
Tonbridge Angels: Billy Hensman, Charlie Slocombe (James Bowd 46), Nick Hollyoak, George Crimmen, Charlie Dix (Ryan Chapman 66), Matt Harden (Joe Walker 46), Brett Millham (Ollie Brown 72), Ryan Waterman, Alwayne Jones, Lewis Howell (Cameron Millham 76), Jack Leighton (Jake Hope 46).
Goals: Alwayne Jones 43, 68
Attendance: 72
Referee: Mr Steve Perry (Bexleyheath)
Assistants: Mr Alasdair King (London SE8) & Mr Jeff Lenthorn (New Eltham, London SE9)
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