Fisher 1-2 Holmesdale - We want to finish the season on a high, says Ross Mitchell

Fisher broke the deadlock immediately after the interval when striker Dwayne Cowan headed in his first goal for the club, but the Bromley based visitors won this local derby courtesy of two late goals from Michael McKenna and Wayne Robinson, which sealed only their fourth league win of the season to send Gary Davies’ side above Fisher in the bottom three.

Davies doesn’t do press interviews, so goalkeeper coach/club secretary Ross Mitchell expressed his delight of the team’s performance afterwards.

“I thought the boys’ performed magnificently, every single one of them,” he said.

“Our heads could’ve dropped.  I think they did for about ten minutes after we conceded the first goal but we bounced back and absolutely deserved the win.”

A disappointed Fisher boss Gary Lisney added: “I thought it was a fairly even game to be fair.  They had a fair amount of possession.

“Their position in the league doesn’t belie the football they play, it’s a little bit of a false position.  If they can maintain that sort of performance week in week, if they can, they’ll be alright.”

The Dalers have already travelled to play league games away at Norton Sports, Corinthian, Sevenoaks,  Beckenham, Deal, Erith Town, Lordswood and VCD Athletic, without success, but they belied their position in the bottom two with a very impressive performance against fellow strugglers Fisher.

Holmesdale used the width of the Champion Hill pitch to pass the ball around well, the only thing that was missing for the first 75 minutes was the end product, until McKenna and Robinson pounced to make it a very good night for them.

Fisher have now lost three games on the spin, whilst Holmesdale go into their biggest game of their history - a Kent Senior Trophy Semi-Final at Tunbridge Wells on Saturday - with one loss in their last seven games.

Fisher handed midfielder Marco Bianchi his debut, whilst Holmesdale handed two members of Dulwich Hamlet’s youth team, left-back Ethan Pinnock and midfielder Nicholas Gonsalves their debuts and Pinnock looks likely to progress with an assured display.

Lisney said: “Marco’s been out of football for a fair old time.  I think that’s his first competitive game that he’s played for a number of months so it will take him a few games to bed in and a few games to get his match fitness and sharpness back.  He’s a good standard player, a quality player.  I’ve known him for many, many years and I’ve got a lot of time for Marco so he’ll be a good addition for u when he gets up to speed.”

Mitchell added: “Ethan and Nicky are both from Dulwich Hamlet’s youth team.  Both came in and both settled in very well and are great additions to the squad.”

It was Gonsalves who had the game’s first chance of the game as his ambitious right-footed drive from 35-yards rolled into Adam Lisney’s hands after 10 minutes.

Eight minutes later and it was the turn of Holmesdale keeper Darren Ibrahim to make his first save of the contest.

Louis Sprosen sprayed the ball out to Dexter Babalola and his cross from the right wing was met by an acrobatic overhead kick from Cowan, from the edge of the penalty area, which looped comfortably into the former Ashford Town keeper’s hands.

Holmesdale thought they had broken the stalemate in the 27th minute when a fine pass from McKenna released the quiet Badar Mohammed, who slammed a low left-footed drive into the bottom near corner but the goal was chalked off for offside.

Fisher were being dominated during the first half, but they almost grabbed the lead when lone striker Cowan stole the ball off Holmesdale skipper Ricky Hardie and after cutting into the penalty area he was forced wide and his low right-footed shot from a very tight angle was blocked by the stocky keeper’s outstretched leg at his near post.

Robinson squandered a good chance for Holmesdale when he latched onto a ball over the top of the Fisher defence but he dragged his left-footed shot agonisingly wide of the foot of the far post.

On the balance of play of the first half, Fisher grabbed the lead against the run of play, just 34 seconds into the second half.

Luis Rozan floated over an excellent free-kick with his left-foot from the left flank and this was met at the far post by the unmarked Cowan, who headed down and into the far corner from eight-yards, leaving Ibrahim rooted to the spot.

Lisney praised his goalscorer, but says he wants more from him.

He said: “Dwayne’s done brilliant for us since he’s been in.  He’s got a bit more of a presence up front than we’ve had previously.  Perhaps didn’t have his best game tonight but that’s the life of a forward I guess.

“He’s played much, much better than that in other games and not got on the score sheet and tonight didn’t have his best game and get’s himself a goal.  If we can get both together, we’ll be laughing!”

Lisney revealed what he said to his players’ during the interval.

“I just gave them a bit of a gee-up really,” he said.  “We didn’t play as well tonight as we have done or performed anywhere near to our levels over the last three games but that happens in all standards of football.”

Mitchell admitted: “Free header.  I think we hadn’t come out of the changing rooms.  Poor goal to concede and we’ll learn from that quick.  That won’t happen again!”

Holmesdale responded and almost levelled when Jonathan Gallagher’s low drive from outside of the penalty box forced Lisney into making his only real save of the game, getting down low to his left to make a fine block.

Holmesdale pressed and it was no surprise when they went on to win the game, proving that there are no easy games in the Kent League and that anybody can impress on any given day.

Gallagher whipped in a cross from the left, which was glanced wide by Robinson, before Pinnock played the ball inside for substitute Sean Brown, but the former Erith & Belvedere man flashed a 35-yard drive wide.

Fisher called Ibrahim into making a routine catch as Rozan went for goal with a left-footed free-kick from 35-yards, before Holmesdale deservedly equalised in the 76th minute following a good move.

 Kevin George - although wearing a snood, was pulling the strings in midfield - laid the ball off to McKenna who released right-back Lee Scott (who started the game wearing the number 12 shirt) and he whipped in a cross which was met at the far post by McKenna, who glanced his towering header into the top left-hand corner.

Mitchell, who hailed the equaliser “a great goal,” added, “That was coming.  It was coming.  Crosses were coming in all the second half.  We were just waiting for one to get on the end of it.  McKenna finished it in great fashion.”

Fisher were hanging on as the men in yellow and green went for the kill.

George whipped in a cross and this was met by McKenna’s glancing header, which was gratefully caught by the Fisher keeper, before Gonsalves played the ball in behind the Fisher left-back Mark Lewis for Scott to cross again but this time McKenna nodded wide.

But Holmesdale sealed the points in the final four minutes when George chipped the ball over a flat Fisher back line and Robinson brought the ball under control with his chest before turning and caressing the ball into the top right-hand corner from the edge of the penalty box.

A happy Mitchell said: “Wayne, again, was threatening all game and I think he got his deserts.  He was blowing at the end there but he got his goal.”

Now that they have secured their first league win on their travels, that will give Holmesdale confidence going into their first semi-final as a Kent League club.

“It was important to get a good performance today and we done that and the result came with it and that takes us into Saturday nicely,” added Mitchell.

Lisney, meanwhile, bemoaned the fact that his side always leak goals inside the last twenty minutes of games and have now gone 15 games since keeping their last clean sheet.

“Story of our season, innit?” he said.  “We concede too many late goals but that’s because the players’ put a lot of effort in and I can’t fault the work-rate or the commitment of my players.

“We were a little bit sluggish in getting organised and we paid the price in the end.

“Holmedale are down with us and they are a pretty good side to be fair.  I see us and Holmesdale being very similar clubs really.  The main difference is Holmesdale have been together a lot longer. They are a lot more established in the Kent League and they’ve got players who are Kent League experienced.

“We’ve got a lot of youngsters, a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm but we haven’t got a lot of experience so every game stands us in good stead ready for the future.”

With only five wins and two draws to their name this season, Fisher are now only six points clear of bottom side Sporting Bengal.

Lisney admitted: “We’ve not won as many games as we wanted to win, of course.

“We haven’t performed particularly well tonight.  We’ve tried and there’s been lots of endeavour but we haven’t performed patricianly well so starting Saturday (against Lordswood at home) let’s get the performances right first of all and results will look after themselves.”

For Holmesdale, Mitchell wants his side to continue with their good run of form and to climb the table for their last remaining ten league games.

“We’ve taken points of all the top sides in the league and we just want to finish the season as high in the table as we can and finish the season on a high and I think we’re going to do that,” he said.

Fisher: Adam Lisney, Tamba Ngongue, Mark Lewis, Isa Bangura, Jimmy Beauchamp, Marc Hughes, Dexter Babalola, Louis Sprosen (Juan Ramirez 46), Dwayne Cowan, Marco Bianchi (Adrian Ma 81), Luis Rozan.

Subs: Simon St Aimie, Steve O’Donnell, , Joe Oatley.

Goal:  Dwayne Cowan 46

Booked: Mark Lewis 21, Dexter Babalola 75

Holmesdale: Darren Ibrahim, Lee Scott, Ethan Pinnock, Nicholas Gonsalves, Lyndsay Prescott-Kerr (Chris Steadman 58), Ricky Hardie, Jonathan Gallagher, Kevin George, Badar Mohammed (Sean Brown 66), Wayne Robinson (Chris Hatt 90), Michael McKenna.

Subs: Adam Woodward, Nicky Meta.

Goals: Michael McKenna 76, Wayne Robinson 86

Attendance: 80

Referee: Mr Graeme Ions (Westerham)

Assistants: Mr Brian Harvey (Bromley) & Mr Gerard Heron (Beckenham)