City 2 Fisher 5 (aet)
City bowed out of the Kent Premier League Cup at the first hurdle as they fell to an extra time 11-8 aggregate defeat at home to Fisher. They were within a couple of minutes of victory in normal time before Fisher snatched a dramatic equaliser. However, they will justifiably point to an incident midway through the second half as the decisive one as once again a match referee controversially took centre stage.
Visitors to the Safety Net Stadium who expected to see the two sides continue where they had left off from the first leg were left disappointed as the first half was something of a scrappy affair with neither side able to dominate. City got an early warning when Michael Scott was booked after just 2 minutes for bringing down flying winger Nathaniel Bell and Jamie Turner’s resultant free kick skimmed Connor Quinn’s crossbar. The hosts slowly got into their stride with a Jake Gess 20 yard free kick safely gathered by Billy Hensmann and the visitors keeper was then sharply off his line to deny Michael Smissen.
The best chance of the opening quarter fell to Fisher’s skipper Turner who latched on to Jamie Taylor’s defence splitting pass only to drag his shot past Quinn and wide of the far post. With 21 minutes on the clock Quinn was again in action blocking a Mark Sisson shot with his left foot before seeing his defence scramble the ball away. Two minutes later it was City’s turn to press as Wayon Anderson fed the ball in to Chris Elliott who took a touch and then hammered a 25 yard strike straight at Hensmann. The keeper was again called in to action after 34 minutes when Anderson beat two defenders before unleashing his own 25 yarder that Hensmann did well to push away. City skipper Smissen had been pretty quiet during the first period but it was he who edged his side ahead two minutes before the break. Picking the ball up midway into the Fisher half he ran across the edge of the visitors penalty area. Elliott made a run down the left wing looking to create space but Smissen decided to ignore him and instead sent a left foot shot skidding across Hensmann and into the far corner.
The goal seemed to instil an extra zip into City’s play and they were comfortably the better of the two sides at the start of the second half. Two minutes in and, after Sam Baker had been taken down by the Fisher full back, Joe Kennett leapt to meet Macauley Murray’s free kick only to send the ball narrowly over. On 58 minutes Elliott was denied when Hensmann dived full length to tip away his 30 yard drive. Four minutes later the game was level. Jake Gess played Anderson in on the right seemingly with an opportunity to shoot. He unselfishly looked to lift the ball into the better placed Elliott but managed only to find Hensmann’s hands. The keeper then quickly drove his side on eventually finding Bell wide on the right. As he advanced on goal he ran across the path of Sam Baker and tumbled in the penalty area. Referee Welsh who in fairness had had an excellent game up to that point awarded the spot kick and Turner slotted home the equaliser.
It took City only two minutes to re-establish their advantage. Renford Tenyue jinked his way past two defenders before unleashing a goal bound shot. The ball struck Kenickson Jarrett-Elliott’s and Referee Welsh had no hesitation pointing to the spot again. Whilst this seemed a tad harsh Kennett showed no sympathy stepping up to beat Hensmann with ease. City then went in search of a killer third goal. After 71 minutes Smissen went on a direct run that took him past three defenders but his shot was fired straight at the keeper. The turning point in this enthralling tie came 5 minutes later when Tenyue embarked on another of his pacey forays down the right wing only to find his way blocked by a defender, illegally according to the assistant referee who waved his flag. The referee thought otherwise and decided to wave play on. Unfortunately he took exception to something that Gess said or did and brandished a second yellow card, immediately followed by a red. City knew that they would come under the cosh for the next fifteen minutes or so and they defended manfully denying Fisher any real sights of goal.
From somewhere the officials managed to find 7 minutes of added time and it was during the third of those that the equaliser arrived. A cross from the left wing was targeted at Ellis Wilson-Joseph but the defender was a little fortunate as the ball appeared to first flick off Baker’s before hitting Wilson-Joseph’s head and past the stranded Quinn. 2-2 meant an aggregate score of 8-8 and extra time.
City came out more interested in not conceding and thereby progressing on away goals. To be honest despite their numerical advantage Fisher did not really appear to have an idea of how to break down City’s stubborn defence. They became frustrated with each other and were restricted to efforts from distance that failed to test Quinn.
Into the second period and Fisher came close to scoring a goal that would deserve to settle any game. Fisher won a corner on the City right. With most players crowding into the penalty area the ball was instead lifted over towards Turner some 35 yards out. He stretched and caught the ball perfectly on the volley but watched in dismay as it crashed against the inside of the post and out to safety.
Moments later City’s cause took a further turn for the worse when having already been somewhat pedantically booked for knocking the ball away replacement Scott Punton received a second yellow card for an innocuous looking foul.
Could City hold out for another 9 minutes with just 9 players? The answer was a decisive no. First James Junior fired home a free kick through a crowd of players and beyond Quinn’s despairing dive before City found themselves caught out on the counter attack as both Turner and Junior helped themselves to seconds.
City will feel justifiably aggrieved to have been knocked out of the competition in this manner but must look to bounce back next week when they visit third placed Erith & Belvedere.
City; Connor Quinn, Michael Scott, Sam Baker, Joe Kennett, Grant Bagley, Renford Tenyue (TJ Moncur), Macauley Murray Scott Punton, Jake Gess, Michael Smissen, Wayon Anderson, Chris Elliott(Sean Armstrong). Unused Subs: David Woodward.