Fisher are desperate for FA Cup prize money, says joint-manager Billy Walton

FISHER joint-manager Billy Walton says he is desperate to beat Selsey in The FA Cup on Saturday.



The Fish have suffered back-to-back defeats during the first week of the new Southern Counties East Football League campaign.

They crashed to a 6-1 defeat away to Ashford United on Saturday, before losing 3-0 at home to Phoenix Sports on Monday night.

Fisher crashed to the foot of the table after two goals from Enoch Adjei and Ricky Freeman’s second of the season put Phoenix Sports to the summit for 24 hours.

But Lingfield – who suffered an 8-1 defeat on their league debut at Holmesdale on the opening day of the season – replaced Fisher on Tuesday night after Lingfield lost 2-0 at Tunbridge Wells.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s trip to Selsey in The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

The Football Association hand the 184 winners of this weekend’s ties £1,500 each in prize money – and Walton wants his side to earn their first win of the season down on the Sussex coast.

Walton revealed on Monday night that the club cannot afford to train for more than an hour a week because it costs them £80 per hour to hire a local 3G pitch – and this means the team cannot last the full 90 minutes because they run out of steam.

“We’re going to take a nice coach load down there,” said Walton, who will be joined in the dug-out for the first time in a competitive fixture by Simon Halsey, who has been on holiday for the past two weeks.

“I’m sure we can go down there and win. I’m sure we can win every game. I do believe that.

“I’ve said to the players, one win, everything changes. Everyone’s happy and smiling. Let’s hope its Saturday!

“It’s a long way to go for us. I don’t really know nothing about Selsey. Normally I know something about our opposition but I know nothing about them so we’re going into the unknown and all we can do is play the way we play and are they good enough to stop us?

“That’s what we’ll do and we’ll set up and play the way that we do. Hopefully the individual errors will be cut out and we can get a result.”

Fisher have unveiled the signing of goalkeeper Adam Highstead, who was on trial at Ryman League Division One South newcomers Whyteleafe in pre-season and played against the Fish for Lordswood last season.

Former Lordswood boss Halsey snapped up the goalkeeper during his holiday and will make his debut on Saturday.

Mike Daramola, Troy Abbey and Richard Morgan have also returned to the club.

No player gets paid at Fisher and winning the prize money will be a shot in the arm for the club.

“As I said to you last year that’s just massive for us, it’s a massive thing,” said Walton.

“How can I say it? It is pressure because we are desperate to win it. I don’t want to be too desperate to pass it (the pressure of winning) on to the players we desperately need that money.

“If we win and we get that money it will be great because we need it, unless there’s someone out there who wants to help us and back us and give us a bit?”

Selsey, like Fisher, have lost their opening two league games.  They lost 2-1 at home to St Francis Rangers on Saturday and followed that up with a 3-1 midweek defeat at Chichester City.

Any replay will take place at Dulwich Hamlet’s Champion Hill Stadium next Monday, 18 August (7:45pm).

Visit Fisher’s website: www.fisherfc.co.uk

Selsey  v  Fisher
The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 16^th August 2014
Kick Off 3:00pm
At High Street, Selsey, West Sussex PO20 0QG