Fisher 3-1 Sutton Athletic - If the boys can actually pull this off and go to the cup final that tops off the season, says Fisher boss Ajay Ashanike

Fisher 3 – 1 Sutton Athletic
Location	St Paul's Stadium, Salter Road, Rotherhithe, London SE16 6NT
Kickoff	07/03/2023 19:45

FISHER  3-1  SUTTON ATHLETIC
Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup Semi-Final First Leg
Tuesday 7 March 2023
Stephen McCartney reports from St Paul’s Stadium

FISHER manager Ajay Ashanike says if his boys can actually pull off a place in the Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup Final it will top off the season.

This was Fisher’s 19^th cup tie of the season and they travel to Hextable for the Second Leg in 21 days’ time with a two-goal advantage.

Right-winger Emmanuel Shoderu scored with a couple of clinical finishes to put Fisher two goals up inside the opening 31 minutes on a chilly night in Rotherhithe.

However, Sutton Athletic’s talisman Arlie Desanges swept in his 22^nd goal of the season early in the second half.

Fisher left-winger Andres Felipe Losada Tobon drilled in a late 30-yarder to give Ashanike’s men the advantage going into the Second Leg.

The winners will meet Ashford-based side Kennington or Gillingham-based Hollands & Blair in the Final, which will be played on Whitstable Town’s artificial pitch on Monday 1 May (14:00).

Fisher have beaten Bermondsey Town (5-1), Phoenix Sports (3-2) and Stansfeld (7-1) – all at home – to reach this stage of the competition for the third time.

This was Sutton Athletic’s first away tie after beating Tunbridge Wells (2-1), Tooting Bec (4-2) and Punjab United (3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw) at Lower Road.

Fisher went into this game sitting in ninth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table with 39 points on the board from their 28 games, while Daniel Kelly’s side are in tenth-place with 37 points from 27 games.

“I thought we were very good first half,” said Ashanike.

“They kept a lot of large possession of it but again we were effective.  Like I said to everyone, it’s not about looking pretty, it’s about winning football matches and the boys dug deep first half to get us 2-0 up.

“They gave me what they give me every week. I can’t complain to the boys.  They gave me hard work, they gave me commitment and we got that high performance at all time and that’s what they’ve given me every single week.”

Sutton Athletic should have drawn first blood with a decent chance inside the opening eight minutes.

Theodore White’s sublime 50-yard diagonal pass towards the left channel saw Conor Evans cut inside his man before drilling a low 14-yard shot towards the bottom near corner, only for the ball to be blocked by Fisher’s left-back Conor Darwish.

“It was good positioning from the young man. He’s been doing really well for us Conor, since he’s been in the team from January and I can’t really complain about that.  That’s normal to us, to see what he can do now,” said Ashanike.

The start of the game was end-to-end and Fisher were the more direct of the two sides, using five long throws from striker Malaki Coker.

Coker hurled his first throw into the box and big targetman Eniyelayefa Amgbaduba flicked the ball on and visiting goalkeeper Joe Hyde dived to his left to flick the ball towards safety.

“It’s something that we’ve been working on. We didn’t know that Malaki had (a long throw) and we saw it in training one time and now we use it to our advantage and it’s working for us.  We can’t be basic, we have to find a different game plan and we’re doing really well with it,” revealed Ashanike.

Amgbaduba was enjoying his tussle with Sutton Athletic centre-half Michael Fenn during the early exchanges and his flick-on released Tobon, who cracked a right-footed half-volley towards the bottom near corner from 25-yards, which forced Hyde to dive to his right to tip around the post.

“Andres has come in from Rusthall. I’ve known Andres since he was 17. He played for me at Aveley and I know exactly what he can bring in,” said Ashanike.

“We just have to get him fit. My coaching staff are doing really well to get him to where he is now and he’s not even 100% yet and there’s more to come from the young man himself.”

Fisher took the lead with 19 minutes and 24 seconds on the clock.

The impressive Tobon produced a sublime quality 30-yard through ball which split open three Sutton players on the edge of their penalty area to play in Shoderu, who skipped past the advancing Hyde and kept his composure to slot his left-footed shot into the empty goal from 10-yards.

“Manny had a point to prove. He went to Holmesdale, it didn’t really work out for him. He played alright at Holmesdale and he’s come back here and he’s got a massive point to prove and I think it showed everyone that he’s actually good enough to play in this team as well, so he’s put himself in the market really well for himself,” said Ashanike.

Fisher doubled their lead with 30 minutes and 45 seconds on the clock, following a well-worked set-piece.

Central midfielder Michael Sarpong chipped a right-footed free-kick close to the centre-circle into the box.

It was obvious his target was Amgbaduba at the far post and he easily knocked the ball down and on a plate for Shoderu to stoop to flick his header past Hyde from four-yards.

“Between Michael and Eni, they’re coming up with some absolutely crazy combinations between them on free-kicks and it worked again for us today,” said Ashanike.

“I think that’s the fourth time that they’ve combined together to get us a goal.  Michael’s set-pieces are absolutely outstanding and Eni is such a threat up top. 

“Eni hobbled off.  He’s twisted his ankle badly. We’ve just put some ice on it to see how it’s going to come out tomorrow and we’ll asses it but we’ve got so many injuries, we can’t afford to have anymore.”

Visiting keeper Hyde took a whack in the 37^th minute, as he was slow coming off his line after Sarpong floated the ball into his penalty area but as his manager Kelly or his coach Tristan Cropley declined an interview post-match (despite agreeing to do one pre-match), the extent of his knock is unknown.

“It was play our way, keep going for more goals because I believe if we sit off and we start to defend something, we don’t know how to do it so we just have to be on the front foot and that’s exactly what I said to them (during half-time),” said Ashanike.

“They didn’t really listen to it because the other team came out with guns blazing and I knew they were going to come out guns blazing and give everything that they’ve got for their gaffer.

“We matched it and we defended really well but I would’ve liked a bit more high press from them and get the ball higher up the pitch.”

Sutton Athletic brought themselves back into the tie by pulling a goal back six minutes and 19 seconds in.

Sutton Athletic are a side that play-out-from-the-back and often lost possession the closer they got towards to the halfway line.

They went much more direct in the build-up to the goal as Evans lost the ball inside his own half and won it back again and produced a quality 40-yard diagonal ball over to right-winger Neil Spencer, who played in a low cross for Desanges to sweep a first-time right-footed shot past Samuel Amedu from six-yards.

Ashanike said: “He’s a top player, he’s a top, top, top player. He won’t be in this league next season, 100%.  He’s such a good player.

“It’s something we spoke about.  You stop him from scoring, they can’t score.  He scored against us when we played against them at their place. 

“They tried that diagonal ball all day long and I think that’s the first time they done it on Conor Darwish’s side and they got it though and they scored from it.”

Neither side could create a worthwhile goalscoring chance until the 28^th minute when Fisher’s holding midfielder Lewis Duberry unleashed a fierce right-footed drive from 35-yards towards the centre of the goal and Hyde made a comfortable save at chest height to beat the ball towards safety.

Ashanike spoke of his pride that Duberry has been called up for International duty for Montserrat for their CONCACAF Nations League games against Haiti (25 March) and Guyana three days later.

“It’s his birthday today, he turned 20, the young man has got a massive future ahead of him. I don’t see how he’s going to be at this level next year.  I’ve got to work my socks off to make sure he gets out of there and put himself in the shop window,” said Ashanike.

“Lewis is class. Since he’s come in I think we’ve only lost two games. He’s been the rock in midfield and we’re going to miss him for the Second Leg now he’s on international duty.

“It’s a massive honour to be managing an international player and for Fisher, it’s massive for us as well. We’ve just got to boast about it and that gives us a platform to say we can look after this kind of player and for any young players, Fisher is the way to come.”

Fisher won the corner count seven-to-two and were never going to score with their penultimate flag-kick inside the final 20 minutes.

Right-back Sumithran floated the ball in from the right and Sarpong met the ball with a glancing header which went harmlessly wide of the goal.

Sarpong hit a first-time 25-yarder flashing across Hyde and past the far post from 25-yards after substitute targetman Luke With hooked a pass over to Tobon, who cut in from the left and created the opening.

Sumithran and Duberry linked up before the ball released substitute Darnelle Bailey-King, who whipped in a cross from the right by-line.  Sarpong took a couple of touches before sweeping a right-footed shot towards goal, which was palmed away by Hyde, to his right.

Fisher deservedly increased their lead by scoring a third goal with 39 minutes and 20 seconds on the clock.

Sumithran whipped in a cross from the right and the ball appeared to have travelled a long way as it came out to an unmarked Tobon, who drilled a right-footed angled drive across Hyde to find the bottom far corner from 30-yards.

“Andres has been outstanding. He scored on Saturday so he’s got that confidence boost as well. He came off the bench on Saturday and he got his start today and he put a chance away and he’s worked his socks off.  There’s more to come from Andres, there’s more to come from him,” added Ashanike.

Sutton Athletic showed some character to try to claw themselves back into the game but too often they played the ball backwards and sideways and managers' who play this way hardly change their tactics when chasing the game.

Connor Watson lost the ball on the edge of the Fisher penalty area and White’s right-footed shot on the turn trickled just past the foot of the left-hand post from 18-yards.

Spencer played a lovely through ball from inside the Fisher half to put Desanges through on goal but Amedu dived to his left to beat the ball away with eight seconds into stoppage time gone.

“Sam is a top, top, top notch keeper, a different level. We got him from Leyton Orient when he was younger at Tower Hamlets and today he shown his quality.  We missed him a lot when he was injured and he’s come back and he could’ve kept a clean sheet all day long but we lack concentration,” added the Fisher boss.

Spencer played a short pass inside to Sutton Athletic’s right-back Harry Lawrence, who bent his cross around the flat-footed goalkeeper and only just past the foot of the far post.

Fisher striker Coker cut in from the left at the other end and drilled a right-footed shot towards the bottom near corner, which was saved by Hyde at his near post.

Fenn was guilty of a glaring miss with 51:35 on the clock and he knew it as he held his head in his hands in despair.

Evans swung in their final corner from the left towards the back post and the centre-half stuck out his leg to poke the ball just past the foot of the right-hand post.

“It would’ve been a second leg that we didn’t want, like 3-2.  It would’ve been cagey for us but Luke With lost his man at the far post but he didn’t score but we’ll live and learn from it,” added Ashanike.

Fisher had the final chance of the game when Sumithran floated in a cross from the right towards the back post but Sarpong’s downward header bounced wide.

Fisher have now secured three wins on the bounce, having beaten Punjab United (1-0) and Lordswood (4-0) in the league but Sutton Athletic failed to reach the heights of their 4-4 draw at league leaders Erith & Belvedere at the weekend.

Andy Constable’s side remain at the summit with 68 points from 29 (of 38) games and Phoenix Sports (54 points from 26 games), Deal Town (54 points from 28 games) and Erith Town (52 points from 26 games) are chasing them down.

Phoenix Sports welcome Erith Town in a vital clash on Wednesday night.

Fisher are next in action next Tuesday, 14 March, welcoming Deal Town here.

“I don’t think we’ve lost to Deal at home. I don’t want to jinx it, touch wood, I don’t think we’ve lost against them (here) since I’ve been manager,” said Ashanike.

“When we go to their place, it’s totally different but when they come on the 3G pitch I fancy ourselves against anyone over here any day.

“My target is to beat what we did last season. We’re on course for it. Our goal tally is looking really better than what we did last year, we’re not conceding as many goals as we did last year, so we’re on course for our target.

“As long as we beat what we did last year, I’ll be more than happy and if the boys can actually pull this off and go to the cup final, that tops off the season for me.”

Looking ahead to the Second Leg, Ashanike replied: “We just have to be the same. Nil-nil, it’s just another game to us. It’s a game we have to go and win. If we win we’re through to the final and we’re not going to go there and defend. We’ll still play our game.” 

Fisher: Samuel Amedu, Inesh Sumithran, Conor Darwish, Lewis Duberry, Luke Thomas, Joseph Adewunmi, Andres Felipe Losada Tobon, Michael Sarpong, Malaki Coker, Eniyelayefa Amgbaduba (Luke With 64), Emmanuel Shoderu (Darnelle Bailey-King 80).
Subs: Nader Zeddini, Prince Imoru, Anthony Connor

Goals: Emmanuel Shoderu 20, 31, Andres Felipe Losada Tobon 85

Booked: Malaki Coker 49

Sutton Athletic: Joe Hyde, Harry Lawrence, Dominic Vincent-Edwards (Callum Flynn 77), Theodore White, Michael Fenn, Richard Gregory, Jacob Kalonda (Ross Obazee 89), Connor Watson (Daniel Watson 89), Arlie Desanges, Conor Evans, Neil Spencer.

Goal: Arlie Desanges 52

Attendance: 133
Referee: Mr Myles Hewson
Assistants: Mr James Beadle & Mr Thomas Marshall