Kentish Football 
Fisher 6-1 Chichester City - I felt a little bit more comfortale tonight, says Fisher boss Firkins
Monday 22nd August 2011
FISHER 6-1 CHICHESTER CITYFA Cup with Budweiser Extra Preliminary Round Replay
Monday 23rd August 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Champion Hill Stadium
FISHER boss Steve Firkins utilised his squad rotation policy to devastating effect as his side outclassed Chichester City to record their highest victory and to book a trip to Lingfield in the Preliminary Round of The FA Cup.
Firkins made six changes to the side that drew 2-2 at Oaklands Park just two days earlier, and despite being without his first choice strike force of Danny Hunt (groin) and Peter Afolayan (knee), who have scored seven goals between them in the first three games of the season, Fisher made light work to beat their winless, struggling Sussex County League top-flight opponents at the second time of asking.
Left-winger, Kennickson Jarrett-Elliott, opened the scoring after just nine minutes as Fisher punished Chichester City with a high-tempo start, and Steve O’Donnell, 29, scored the first of his three goals in the 22nd minute, before Chichester pulled a goal back through midfielder Joe Briggs.
Richie Monan swept home a third before the break, before O’Donnell scored the decisive fourth Fisher goal five minutes after the interval, before right-back, Adam Wadmore smashed home a fifth, before O’Donnell completed his hat-trick with sixteen minutes left.
Their reward is prize money of £750 and a trip to another Sussex County League side in Lingfield, who have former Brentford star, Nicky Forster, 37, in their ranks as a striker, on Saturday, 3rd September.
“We felt we should’ve finished the game off on Saturday. We missed a number of chances and it cost us in the end,” said Firkins, after the new club’s first ever win in the FA Cup and their record victory.
“A lot of things we’ve heard about this side, I thought that they were a decent little side to be fair. They took us to the wire Saturday and for a good hour out there (tonight) they competed and battled us.
“At three-one, I just felt the next goal was the decisive one. If they score one obviously they get their tails up and make things difficult for us and we emphasised that in the changing room at half-time.
“The next goal had to come from us to give us a little bit of breathing space and that’s what done it – the fourth goal - and then we went on from there.”
Firkins added: “But credit to them. They kept going, they kept trying to play. I didn’t think they was a bad little footballing side to be fair to them. They tried to knock the ball about and competed well. I knew they’ve had a couple of poor results in their opening campaign but I’m pretty certain they’ll turn (that around). They’re an energetic young side anyway.”
Chichester City just couldn’t live with Fisher’s wing play, and the Kent League side came out of the blocks with a high tempo and deservedly opened the scoring inside nine minutes.
Wadmore hurled a throw from the right which wasn’t dealt with by Harry Street in the air and Jarrett-Elliott sent a looping header into the top left-hand corner from four yards at the far post.
“It was a much better performance tonight,” said Firkins.
“I felt a little bit more comfortable, I must admit. I felt a little bit more at ease going into tonight. It’s a Cup game our track record (with Greenwich Borough) the last few years’ has been pretty poor. We had the Extra Preliminary Round last year with South Park, we had loads and loads of possession and ended up losing 2-1.
“I just wanted to get over that first round and look forward to the next round, so we’re through that one and I think we’re playing Lingfield.”
Visiting goalkeeper Tom Boyle made a comfortable low save to deny Jarrett-Elliott from scoring with a low left-footed drive from 30-yards after Monan touched a free-kick into his path.
Jarrett-Elliott was giving right-back Shamus Wiggans a torrid time with his power and pace down the left and he cut inside after receiving a pass from Ellis Wilson-Joseph and cracked an angled left-footed drive which sailed over.
Yet another Wadmore throw set up another chance for Fisher, which was flicked on by skipper Frankie Warren, but Mark Sisson could only head into Boyle’s hands from eight-yards.
Despite all that pressure, Chichester City almost grabbed an equaliser when Jack James shrugged off the attentions of Wilson-Joseph and released striker Rhys Watling through on goal – his low right-footed shot left keeper Danny Firkins rooted to the spot but his shot bounced off the foot of the left-hand post.
Firkins said: “People will look at that and think maybe, but there were a few moments there, touch and go and they went through early on and I think it was 2-0 and they hit the post and those moments change games. If that goes in, it’s a different game.”
However, Fisher immediately went up the other end of the pitch and just 48 seconds later – in the 22nd minute – they went 2-0 up.
Jarrett-Elliott was released down the left, murdering Wiggans for pace, and he produced an excellent left-footed cross across the face of goal and the onrushing O’Donnell hit a sweet, low, first-time shot with his right-foot which nestled into the bottom right-hand corner from six-yards.
Chichester fought back, however, pulling a goal back just five minutes later.
Substitute Harry Gilbert sprinted down the left flank, winning a foot race with Danny Tipple and he cut the ball back to Mike Turvey, who pulled the ball back to the onrushing Briggs, who bent a first-time low drive around Firkins to find the bottom far corner from 25-yards.
Despite that set-back, Fisher stepped on the gas and restored their two-goal advantage when Monan scored in the 36th minute.
Wadmore once again threw the ball into the penalty area, the ball was flicked on by O’Donnell, the ball bounced off an outstretched Chichester leg and Monan reacted, turned and rolled a right-footed shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the six-yard box.
Boyle pulled off a fine block to deny O’Donnell from scoring with a fierce right-footed drive after the Fisher striker latched onto Kobi DeGraft-Johnson’s ball out of defence.
Chichester central defender, Rowan Wallis came up from the back to meet Wiggans’ free-kick towards the far post wide from six-yards and the Fisher defence stood off Briggs, who rolled a weak right-footed shot from distance into Firkins’ gloves, before Firkins blocked Watlings’ shot on goal from an acute angle inside injury time.
Once Fisher scored the decisive goal to make it 4-1 after 50 minutes, they were then allowed to turn on the style by a Chichester City team that travelled to East Dulwich by train and were derailed by some quality football from their hosts.
Visiting keeper Boyle made a fine reflex double save, firstly beating Jarrett-Elliott’s shot and clawing away O’Donnell’s follow up, before Wilson-Joseph fired the rebound wide, but Fisher were not to be denied for long, as O’Donnell smashed a left-footed shot into the roof of the net from eight-yards.
Despite most of the action being played at the opposite end of the pitch, Fisher keeper Firkins excelled halfway through the second half.
Briggs’ drive from the left was destined for the net, until Firkins stuck out a strong left hand to block, before he used his legs to block a rebound from substitute Tom Groom, who had a second bite of the cherry, but his shot was gathered by the keeper.
It was 5-1 to Fisher in the 68th minute when left-back Tipple joined in with an attack when he cut in from the left, slipped the ball through to Wilson-Joseph, who laid the ball off to Wadmore, who smashed a right-footed rasping drive across Boyle into the top far corner from inside the penalty box.
“I was more pleased for Adam as he didn’t get on Saturday and he was obviously disappointed,” revealed the Fisher boss.
“He’s a good lad and I’ve known him since he was eleven when he was released by Millwall and he played for me all through his youth and he’s a fantastic lad and he can hit a ball that boy! That goal, I thought it was one of the best worked goals that I’ve seen for a long time.
“There was a number of goals out there tonight that you can actually say goal of the season.
“Adam took it like a man Saturday. He didn’t get on. He warmed down with the players’ at the end of the game and I had a chat with him Saturday night and we had a couple of beers and I already made the decision to play him anyway. I was really, really pleased for him.”
O’Donnell completed his hat-trick six minutes later. Wadmore released substitute Nathaniel Bell sprinting down the left and he cut the ball back from the by-line and O’Donnell fired in his hat-trick with his right-foot from eight-yards.
Firkins said: “The thing is, we know Danny Hunt has loads of place. He scored a hat-trick against Greenwich Borough the other night and the same as Peter Afolayan. They both had little knocks so I wanted to rest them anyway but I know I’ve got a good striker in Mark Sisson, who hasn’t scored tonight, but I think his link up play between Steve and the midfield was exceptional.
“Steve O’Donnell is a good striker. We’ve seen him in training and he’s someone really useful to have in your squad, so yes, it’s going to be a problem for me on Saturday.”
Further chances were created by Fisher, as Mark Sisson looped a left-footed shot over from six-yards after Chris Hubbard was released down the left flank. O’Donnell then stabbed a right-footed volley just wide of the left post and then steered a weak shot into the keeper’s gloves after Hubbard and Tipple combined down the left.
Outclassed Chichester, however, kept going and created a couple of chances inside injury time.
Turvey’s right-footed daisy-cutter was saved low by the Fisher keeper, who saved his best for last as the Fisher defence went to sleep after Boyle pumped the ball straight down the middle and Watling’s drive glanced off Firkins’ legs.
The club will bank £750 in prize money following their exploits tonight and with no bookings it was a very good night for the Kent League club.
Firkins said: “Again, every few quid helps. Not a bad gate for a midweek, you’ve got Man United and Tottenham on the box. It all helps out. We’re all just looking forward to the next round now. We’ll look forward to play against Lingfield.”
STAT ATTACK
Fisher striker, Danny Hunt, has scored four goals already this season and joins the likes of Charlie Sheringham (Dartford), Andy Pugh (Welling United) and Lee Barnett (Corinthian) on that number.
Fisher: Danny Firkins, Adam Wadmore, Danny Tipple, Frankie Warren, George Kendall, Kobi DeGraft-Johnson, Richie Monan (Nathaniel Bell 58), Ellis Wilson-Joseph (Billy Walton 73), Steve O’Donnell, Mark Sisson, Kennickson Jarrett-Elliott (Chris Hubbard 74).
Subs: Peter Afolayan, Jamie Turner, Billy Hensman
Goals: Kennickson Jarrett-Elliott 9, Steve O’Donnell 22, 50, 74, Richie Monan 36, Adam Wadmore 68
Chichester City: Tom Boyle, Shamus Wiggans, Steve Cotton (Tom Moore 69), Harry Street, Rowan Wallis, Sam Doran (Tom Groom 64), Joe Briggs, Jack James, Mike Turvey, Rhys Watling, Lewis Edwards (Harry Gilbert 26).
Goal: Joe Briggs 29
Attendance: 75
Referee: Mr Martin Lehane (Bexleyheath)
Assistants: Mr Andrey Lashchikov (Clapham, London SW11) & Mr Anthony Quinn (Twickenham, Middlesex)
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd