Erith Town 1-0 Fisher

Kent Senior Cup (Preliminary Round), Wednesday 22nd September 2021

Match Report: Jack Hayman, The Non League Chronicles

A mixed Fisher side containing several debutants bowed out of the Kent Senior Cup at the first hurdle with defeat away at SCEFL high flyers Erith Town.

A strong Dockers side began the brighter and had the first chance on 11 minutes when a good ball from the right hand side found Alfie Eldridge unmarked at the back post but he could only head over when well placed.

The visitors did have the ball in the net on the quarter-hour via Dennis Asante. A bit of a pinball after a corner eventually found the forward who poked home but the linesman raised his flag having judged him to be offside.

Eldridge looked lively throughout and he had an effort deflected wide from the edge of the area on 19 minutes after he’d beaten a man and cut inside only to find Sam FitzGerald ready to concede the corner which was eventually cleared.

Eldridge was at it again soon after Erith broke on Fisher and a great ball from the left hand found him but he could find Tommy Taylor who stood tall to block the initial effort before getting up and denying the follow up from Harry Gamble with a big hand. A glorious double save from the man in goal.

Soon after, however, Eldridge broke the Fisher resistance. Ezekiel Adesanya lost the ball just inside the Erith half and The Dockers quickly broke. Cherradi at left back was found wanting as Eldridge turned Adewumni & FitzGerald who’d come across to cover and fired low past Taylor into the far corner with a textbook finish for 1-0.

Soon after Ryan Mahal tested Taylor again at a corner with a good header but the Fisher No. 1 again came up trumps with a good stop.

As the half wound down Fisher did create a couple of half decent chances a good long ball found Adesanya who fired just centimetres over from a narrow angle. Moments later Khadean Campbell, another making his debut, beat a couple of men with some good footwork but fired straight at the keeper.

HT 1-0

The first chances of the second period fell to the Fish as Ezekiel Adesanya cut back from the byline and forced a good save out of Jack Moore in the Erith goal. The ball was recycled and Dennis Asante had a good chance blocked on the line at the near post as Fisher just couldn’t breach the always stubborn Erith back line.

Erith responded quickly and a defence splitting pass found Harry Gamble in the clear but he could only bend wide of the left hand upright when well placed after Taylor came and narrowed the angle.

Fisher introduced the always lively Courtney Swaby and within a couple of minutes he picked up the ball on the left hand side and beat a man before firing a whisker over the bar with an effort that looked to have been helped on its way by Moore in goal.

The game went a bit quiet for 15-20 minutes as a Fisher side that were obviously unfamiliar with each other struggled to gel and create.

The last real Fisher chance came on 81 minutes when Swaby supplied debutant Oeunnow who fired just wide and into the side netting at the near post.

Erith went close soon after to adding a second when a Fisher clearance was deflected off of Erith substitute Jay Baker and towards goal forcing Tommy Taylor to make an excellent low diving save down to his right to deny the home side.

FT 1-0

Certainly not a classic, but Erith through and deservedly so on the night in all fairness. They look their usual stubborn selves and it’ll be hard for anyone who goes to the Erith Stadium to come away with anything.

MOTM: Tommy Taylor (Fisher) Superb performance from Fisher’s number 1 particularly in the first period as he made several good stops.

Erith Town: Moore, Nash (McClean 53), Jeffrey, Ash, Mahal, McDonagh, Gamble, Nosike, Eldridge, Power (Baker 77), Oduguwa,(Goodchild 60)

Subs: McClean, Gokou-Siakouri, Lawrence, Goodchild, Baker

Scorer: Eldridge (24)

Fisher: Taylor, Thomas, Cherradi, McCrudden (Mensah 60), Fitzgerald, Adewumni, Seaman (Swaby 61), Osso, Asante (Oeunnow 55), Campbell, Adesanya

Subs: Swaby, Oeunnow, Mensah, Da Mata, Oundoo

#UpTheDockers #WeAreErith