Fisher 5-0 Tunbridge Wells - I know I can get to that Step Four level and I know I should be at that level but now I want to get my club into that level and that's all in my head now, says Fisher boss Ajay Ashanike

Fisher 5 – 0 Tunbridge Wells
Location	St Paul's Stadium, Salter Road, Rotherhithe, London SE16 6NT
Kickoff	25/04/2026 15:00

FISHER  5-0  TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 25 April 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from St Paul’s Stadium

FISHER manager Ajay Ashanike says he is feeling proud after finishing runners-up in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division and securing the reformed club’s highest league finish.

The breathtaking attacking play that Fisher produced during a scintillating opening 20 minutes here at St Paul’s Stadium today had the home fans in the sun-kissed crowd of 377 purring with delight and it makes them favourites to join champions Whitstable Town in the Isthmian League next season.

Fisher raced into a three-goal lead inside the opening 13 minutes with former England schoolboy international and former Everton youth winger Rafael Garcia, 23, scoring twice and left-back Lorenzo Duncan scoring his 23^rd goal of the season with a stunning strike.

Fisher brought on attacking pair Chibeuze Echam and Festos Kamara in the second half and Echem scored with his first touch and Kamara scored against his former club to notch his 20^th goal of the season.

Tenth-placed finishers Tunbridge Wells (48 points from 36 games – 14 wins, six draws and 11 defeats) hit the post on two occasions and finish their campaign on a run of five without a win.

Fisher created 16 goalscoring attempts (12 of them on target), while Tunbridge Wells created 17 attempts, although only three of them were on target during an open, entertaining game in Rotherhithe.

“To start where we finished off is absolutely crazy! I think the first game of the season (a 2-0 win at Tunbridge Wells), it was really hard for us and to finish where we are now is something I’m proud off as manager of this club,” said Ashanike, who guided the club to fifth last season before losing 2-1 at VCD Athletic in the Play-Off Final.

“I can’t do nothing else but thank the boys for everything that they’ve done this season. They’ve taken this club to a different level.

“The club didn’t think we could top what we did last season but they’ve come in this season and they’ve rolled their sleeves up and ready to go and I’m really, really proud of them.”

Ashanike has achieved this highest finish without a playing budget a marvellous achievement where other clubs are paying their ninth-tier footballers around £150 per week!

“Do you know what it is, it’s not been easy but the club brought into what we want to do six years ago and the boys have brought into what we want to do as well,” explained Ashanike.

“I looked at the journey from six years ago, we’ve still got at least three of them still in the squad and everybody else going to do something good for themselves but the benefit of what the club gambled on - which is me - six years ago shows at the club today and it’s something that I’m proud off.

“We made six changes, two of them was forced to make but it just shows you the squad we’ve got.  I told you at the start of the season we’ve got a 22-man squad and they’ve come in and they’ve done really, really well.  They wanted to do it and they’ve done it.”

Fisher made six changes to the side that were held to a goal-less draw away to Larkfield & New Hythe last weekend, while The Wells made five from their 1-1 draw at home to Corinthian.

Fisher were without their 18-goal attacking midfielder Tom Jones (bruised foot), and full-backs Jack Gibbons (ACL) and Conor Darwish was serving a one-match ban.

Tunbridge Wells, meanwhile, were without Muiz Alaka (stomach), Matthew Black (hamstring), Jacob Feasey (ACL), Ollie Hyland (work commitments), Lucas Murrain (work commitments in Doha), Owen Punselie (Sunday League suspension), Kazzeem Richards (broken ankle), Michael Samson (work commitments) and Rory Ward (attending a wedding).

Reflecting on his highest defeat as Tunbridge Wells manager – the club’s worst performance since losing 5-1 at Chatham Town on 9 October 2021, Steve Ives said: “Very disappointing! However, I guess from our point of view, we’ve got to look past this 90 minutes. Erith & Belvedere failing to win means that we secure tenth place, which considering the objectives and being realistic is probably a reasonable return on the season.

“They were clinical. I think our defending was very questionable as well. I think the first 15 minutes, they killed the game, haven’t they? Let’s be honest. In amongst it, Rhys (Bartlett’s) hit the post, so I think there was plenty of chances.

“I read out at half-time eight good chances. We’ve had eight opportunities to score a goal that we’ve had and we haven’t hit the target on one of them, so I think that tells you everything you need to know.

“I think even the second half I can remember Regan (Corke) going through and putting it wide, he apologised. I think Joffy’s (Jonathan Shea) has come on and had a couple of opportunities and Ashton (Malyon-Chantler) hits the post, so they were ruthless and we were toothless!”

Tunbridge Wells created the first opening but Fisher goalkeeper Daniel Carpanini, making only his second start of the season, made a comfortable save after only 15 seconds when midfielder Bradley Austin’s right-footed drive from 30-yards was never going to bounce into the bottom right-hand corner.

Fisher took the lead with only two minutes and 33 seconds on the clock, with a well-worked sweeping move.

Carpanini stroked a goal-kick out to high right-back Donald MacAuley, whose sublime touch inside his own half brought the ball down and under control before playing the ball inside to attacking midfielder Armani-Jordan Martin, who played a first time ball to release winger Jake Lovell down the right.

Lovell easily dominated Tunbridge Wells’ left-back Ben Martin-Coward for the 62 minutes that he was on the pitch before suffering from cramp and being withdrawn and put it on a plate for Garcia at the near-post, who stabbed his first-time right-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner from three-yards.

“Our game plan was just to play football – be ourselves – don’t take anything for granted. Forget the league table, the league table doesn’t mean nothing if you don’t go out and play every week. Nothing changes for us. We were just ourselves today. Patches we looked great and patches we looked really bad but no one plays 90 minutes of football when it’s perfect but the boys done really well,” said Ashanike.

“We knew if we stick to our patterns we will pick anyone out and that’s what we’ve done.  We stick to our patterns every single time and with Carpo training with us every week shows that he knows the game plan as well really well and he moved it really well but again the movement off the ball and the passing was absolutely immense from the boys today.”

Ives added: “That’s how they score a lot of their goals isn’t it? It’s no secret, they get around the ball, round the side of you. They put low crosses into the box and they get runners coming in and it’s probably a tough afternoon for Ben (Martin-Coward) at left-back and likewise Macca obviously struggling, so that played into their hands a bit didn’t it really.”

Tunbridge Wells should have been level with only three and a half minutes on the clock but striker Rhys Bartlett failed to score his seventh goal of the season.

Jack Gallagher – who played behind the front two – headed the ball into the right-channel for striker Regan Corke, who cut inside and put it on a plate for Bartlett at the near post, who swept his first-time shot across the keeper and against the inside of the near-post before Carpanini grabbed hold of the ball.

“It’s unlucky, inside of the post as well. That’s got to go in doesn’t it, to give us a chance,” admitted Ives.

“You just need something to go in because all the momentum’s going, despite the fact I didn’t think we were playing terrible going forward. We looked off it defensively and you just need something to go in just to change the momentum because they had it a little bit too much their own way.”

Ashanike added: “You can’t go into a football match not thinking the other team’s not going to create a chance. They’ve done well and they huffed and puffed but I thought we were the better side for 90 minutes anyway.”

MacAuley – a central defender playing at right-back - switched the play over to the quiet Sha’mar Lawson, who released a high Duncan down the line, who played the ball back to Lawson, and his right-footed angled drive from 30-yards was comfortably held low to his right by George Bentley, who made six saves.

MacAuley drilled a pass down the line to release Martin, who easily got in behind Tunbridge Wells’ centre-half Tom Penfold and his low right-footed shot towards the bottom near corner was blocked by Bentley’s left-leg.

Dominant Fisher doubled their lead just 35 seconds later, with 11 minutes and 39 seconds, following Martin’s short corner from the right.

The mesmerising hosts produced a sweeping move involving Martin and striker Garcia, who drilled a low right-footed angled drive across Bentley to nestle inside the bottom far corner.

Ashanike said: “Great finish! We knew Rafa’s got this. Rafa has taken a long time to get the best out of Rafa. We’ve had to work hard on Rafa to make sure that his performing.

“I thought (during our 1-0 win at Whitstable Town on 4 April) he was the best player on the pitch out of all the players that played on that pitch that day but we’ve got good depth to the squad.

“I don’t know what to say about the boys today, absolutely just proud of them.”

Ives added: “I mean they’re clinical as much as they’ve hit the target. I feel like they’re able because of their pace and their quality, they’re able to get round you and then put the ball into areas where it people are arriving unmarked, it’s pretty much bread and better to finish it really.

“The issue we’ve got is they’ve got people running into the box desperate to get on the end of it and we’ve got people not showing the same level of desire to get back and stop it but our defensive unit has been sort of tested pretty much since Christmas.”

Like London buses outside, you wait 12 minutes for a couple and a third one arrives just 70 seconds later.

Fisher raced into a three-goal lead (12:49) when Duncan and winger Alex Kozak linked up down the left, Duncan cut inside and into space and cracked a sublime right-footed curler across and over the flat-footed Bentley and into the top far corner from just inside the corner of the penalty area.

“Lorenzo is something special, he’s something special,” hailed Ashanike.

“We played against Lorenzo last season and even though we beat Corinthian he stood out to us as a centre-midfielder but in pre-season we just saw something different in him and he can play full-back.

“To be able to score the amount of goals that Lorenzo’s scored this season as a wing-back, it’s something I’ve never ever heard off in football, especially in non-league.

“I’ve never heard of a left-back scoring 23 goals! What a finish. You’ll think he’s a striker – even some strikers couldn’t finish like that. Outstanding player, really outstanding!”

Ives added: “I remember it well. They obviously played a lot of short, fast corners but it’s just unbelievable how naïve we were to seeing that’s what they were going to do and getting bodies out there.

“Now, to be fair to Lorenzo, he’s done well with that but you’re giving him a completely unopposed strike at goal. Alright, he’s still got to bend it in the top corner but someone’s got to get out and make his life more difficult.”

Ives explained the reasons behind hooking his awful right-back Joshua McArthur-Nolan after just half-an-hour after being torn apart by Duncan and Kozak.

“Macca done his hamstring against Hythe (a 5-0 home win on 31 March), hasn’t played since. He trained on Thursday for the first time and said ‘he felt good to go’ but I didn’t feel like he looked like he could sprint.

“Obviously a lot of Fisher’s attacks comes down the wingers. I said to him ‘are you having trouble running mate?’ and he went ‘yes, I can’t sprint’ so I said to him ‘why didn’t you tell me that in the warm-up?!’

Tunbridge Wells just couldn’t get in behind Fisher’s two dominant centre-halves of Adejola Lahan and stand-in skipper Michael Sarpong, as their shots were often long range and off-target, with the unmarked Bartlett tricking one past the right-hand post from 30-yards.

Fisher – who won the corner count by seven-to-four with their first six coming in the opening 23 minutes – played another one short by Martin to Kozak before Martin’s right-footed angled drive from 20-yards forcing Bentley to fly to his left and push the ball towards safety with 15:28 on the clock.

“I thought he done really well today Bentley.  If you keep testing the keeper, you’re going to find a weakness and that’s what we did today. We found his weakness but overall I thought he had an outstanding game to be fair to him,” added Ashanike.

A sloppy pass from McArthur-Nolan inside the Fisher half went straight to Martin, whose long pass along the deck released Garcia in behind Tunbridge Wells’ centre-half Ryan Hine and he laid the ball off back to Martin, who placed his right-footed shot across Bentley and just past the foot of the far post (20:16).

Tunbridge Wells then started to show desire and character to create chances of their own but all six were off target.

Jack Gallagher threw his fourth of six long throws into the Fisher penalty area, the ball was cleared out to Austin, who took a touch before hitting his left-footed drive which sailed just over the crossbar from 16-yards.

Corke and central midfielder Matthew Dunmall linked up inside the Fisher half before the ball was worked to the impressive Christopher Lawal – who has rejected Rusthall’s approaches this season – and he was left unmarked and his right-footed drive from 35-yards bounced past the right upright.

MacAuley’s pass into holding midfielder Samuel Owusu, saw him pressed by Lawal in midfield and he drove straight down the heart of the pitch and from inside the D he dragged his right-footed shot past the left-hand post.

“If you can’t finish any of the numerous chances we had, it just made their life way too easy hasn’t it,” admitted Ives.

“Rhys put a really good cross in on the right and there was no one arriving who should’ve done and that’s the difference. 

“Like I said at half-time, we’re putting crosses into the box and there’s no one there. They’re putting crosses into the box and they’ve got two or three bodies arriving at full pace.

“Let’s be honest, they’re a good side, they’re second in the league after 36 games because you’re consistently good. We are inconsistent.

“I’m very down. I hate losing games of football and it will take me a little while to just get an actual perspective on the situation. No one would’ve expected us to come here and win today but I’m disappointed to lose, so it’s my biggest defeat as manager of Tunbridge Wells, so that’s disappointing.

“However, I think we’ve made more than enough chances to score two or three goals. We’ve hit the post twice and Reg (Corke) has to bury that one.”

Gallagher and Bartlett then linked up to work an opportunity for Austin, who drilled his right-footed drive screaming across the keeper and just past the far post from 22-yards, as Tunbridge Wells knocked on the door before the interval.

Ashanike added: “If people are shooting from outside the box, that’s why we’ve got a goalkeeper. If they score from outside the box then we’ve got a problem with keepers. As long as we’re not opening the gap and people are going through one-on-one, I’m happy with that.

“If you shoot through the bodies the keeper’s are meant to save it, so I’m not going to give credit to keepers by saving shots that they can see from far away. That’s their bread and butter, they do that in training every week anyway.”

Both manager’s expressed their thoughts at the interval.

Ashanike added: “I was gutted with the chances we were missing. I think we had three chances we should put away in the first half and to come in 6-0 up in the first half, which is a bit greedy but I just want the boys to be able to do what we work on 24-7.

“That’s what a good team does. If you look at the teams that have been in this League in the past like Faversham, Sheppey and Chatham, they don’t miss chances like that, so if you want to be apart of the good teams in this League you have to be able to finish your chances.”

Ives – who doesn’t get paid by his club - questioned his players’ character and desire levels during some soul-searching inside the visitor’s dressing room.

“We’ll keep some of what was said inside the changing room but at the end of the day, if you’re going to miss that many chances, you’re just going to make it too easy for the opposition.

“I just talked about the people who are giving up their day, giving up their time and giving up their season to come and support us, volunteers, people that have paid money and I just said they just deserve to at least see a bit more pride and a bit more passion.

“I actually thought in the first 20-25 minutes of the second half, I thought we were showing most of the impetus, most of the intent to go forward.  The argument would be they’re 3-0 up, but we just didn’t score though.

“We still had plenty of chances where people got into the box. People were trying to walk it in. People seemed reluctant to shoot, it’s probably why we’re tenth isn’t it Steve? At the end of the day, we’ve not got clinical goalscorers and we let in soft goals.”

Bentley was forced into making a diving save just 96 seconds into the second half when Lovell cut into the box down the right, reached the by-line and cut the ball back towards Kozak, who drilled his left-footed shot towards the near corner, only for the 25-year-old stopper to beat the ball away at his near-post.

“He was busy today, for me he was man-of-the-match for them. He was the best player for them today,” said Ashanike.

“He stood up really well, without him today it could’ve been absolutely embarrassing for the club but look, Tunbridge Wells are a team I really, really respect. I love the management team and they obviously don’t deserve what’s been going on at the club but good luck to Steve and his coaching team and his team and see what they can do next season.

“I’ll be keeping an eye on them as well but they’re a good side but we were just the better side today.”

Tunbridge Wells should have got on the scoresheet shortly afterwards (2:15) when the 19-goal striker Corke missed a glorious chance.

Gallagher threaded a fine through ball along the deck to put Corke in behind Owusu and between the two centre-halves in the middle of the pitch but he placed his right-footed shot past the foot of the left-hand post.

“That’s got to go in and Reg knows that,” admitted Ives.

“I said to him, you owe me 20 goals, so you need to score today and he would’ve get a better chance really would he but look, Reg has been our most consistent attacking threat. He’s been one of our most loyal players. He optimises the club really, so I can’t be critical.”

Ashanike added: “He’s a guy who comes here and scores against us every single season and we have to make sure that we can keep him at bay and we’ve done really well today especially on Lorenzo’s side as well.

“We made him defend more than he was attacking, which was good, so we took his strengths away from him and he was doing more of his weakness and we benefited from it.”

Lawal was left in space some 35-yards out and he cracked a right-footed drive straight down Carpanini’s throat while aiming for the roof the net but the Fisher keeper saved at the second attempt in the middle of his goal.

Jonathan Shea came off the bench in the 66^th minute and impressed for Tunbridge Wells and with his second touch of the game he drilled a speculative right-footed drive past the left-hand post from 30-yards out, another example of poor long-range shooting.

Tunbridge Wells struck the post for a second time with 24:38 on the clock, following a well-worked move.

Substitute right-wing-back Daika Montague travelled over the half-way line before switching the play with a diagonal pass out to Shea on the left, who worked the ball to the other side of the penalty area to Corke, who slipped the ball along the 18-yard line to substitute left-wing-back Ashton Malyon-Chantler, who cut on to his right-foot to drill his rasping drive against the top of the near post from 15-yards on the angle.

Ives said: “I think Joffy actually popped up in the box a couple of times and he just couldn’t get the ball out of his feet. He didn’t quite have that gear change. They’ve got some lively players over two or three years and are very quick and manipulate the ball very quickly. We didn’t really have that today did we?

“Chris done well. He toiled away. It wasn’t his day in terms of end product. I probably say that Ashton came on and caused them some problems. I thought he was an outlet. I thought Daika (Montague), when he first came on was an outlet for us as well.

“But look, we’re picking through the bones of a 5-0 defeat so there ain’t too many positives that we’re going to find is there?

“I tell you now, they had significantly more shots on target than us.  It is woeful, our finishing was woeful.

“The other day I was looking at the teams in the play-offs have got at least three players in the mid to high double figures of goals scored. We’ve got Reg (Corke) on 19 and our next highest goalscorier is D’Aarmando Lawrence, who’s not kicked a ball for eight weeks, on 12.”

Ashanike added: “Do you know what, I thought Tunbridge Wells done really well today, result aside. At stages they made us panic. They moved the ball really well side-to-side. They were patient on the ball. You could see the chances they tried to create but we were just too strong for them especially in the heat as well. We were more fitter than them. I think that’s what comes down to it. It was our fitness levels that got us through.”

The Wells’ fourth and final flag-kick was played short by Malyon-Chantler to Lawal, who fizzed in a low cross from the right towards the near post for Gallagher to get in front of his marker to poke his first-time shot past the base of the right-hand post.

Fisher finished the game on the front foot, however, scoring their fourth goal with 31 minutes and 9 seconds on the clock.

MacAuley drilled a long ball out of defence to send Kamara charging down the right before he put it on a plate for Echem at the near post to rifle his first time right-footed shot into the top right-hand corner from a couple of yards out to score with his first touch and only 45 seconds after entering the 3G pitch.

“First touch – I’m go glad for him.  At the start of the season he broke his foot against Jersey. We’ve waited a long time to get Chib back and to get him back and start scoring (three goals) as well is something that he should be proud off,” said Ashanike.

“We’ve missed him dearly.  We’ve missed him massively this season.  Even though we’ve finished second, you could still tell we’ve missed his presence, his attribute, what he has and whatever happens next season, he’s going to be a good force in whatever League we’re in next season.”

Ives added: “I mean both of their goals came at a point where we’ve been forced to change to three at the back and let’s be honest, it was three at the back, it wasn’t five at the back!

“Ben my left-back has gone down with cramp (62 minutes), which isn’t ideal against Fisher, particularly when you’ve got two forwards playing at wing-back, so it was basketball at the end.

“I know it’s not a pre-mediated plan bit the situation is the situation. One full back gone off injured and the other one’s gone off with cramp.

“I think we made a game of it but they’re lethal, fair play to them, they’re lethal!

“I think the lad who came on and scored the fourth, has just come back from injury? Fair play to him because I remember him from the first game of the season and I remember he was playing us at the Culverden and he was a real handful.”

Bentley produced a world-class save to leave Sarpong in a state of bewilderment following the home side’s final corner (33:56).

Martin swung the ball in from the right towards the back post and Sarpong’s header was excellently clawed out by Bentley one handed, diving to his left and clawing the ball out with the ball sailing in the air behind his body.

“Captain for the day. Yes, I don’t know how he saved that,” admitted Ashanike.

“Michael done really well. Kept us composed and that’s what we wanted from training on Thursday. His composure from the back on how great he is on the ball is something outstanding.  His pass range, his composure, his little passes, his talking. Michael’s an all-round footballer but what lets him down is what happens outside football.

“Michael can play as high as anyone else. I keep saying this to everybody else. Out of all the boys that have moved on, I think Michael’s still the best one since I started six years ago. His understanding of the game is on another level and I just hope he can get his head down and finish the job that he’s started with us this season.”

Ives added: “That was a great Save! Your keeper has got to make some good saves at some point in time hasn’t he, or what’s the point? 

“I think our ratio of shots to goals conceded is way too high if I’m honest, particularly when you compare it to our shots to goal ratio at the other end but that was a good save.”

Duncan played the ball behind the Wells defence (Ryan Coltress) and Garcia exploded back into life to easily cut inside Hine before putting it on a plate for Echem, who swept his first time shot looping over the crossbar from seven-yards.

Bentley was at fault for Fisher’s fifth goal of the game, timed at 40 minutes and 59 seconds, with MacAuley picking up another assist with a ball down the line.

Kamara charged at substitute Coltress, who offered no protection, before cutting into the box and from a tight angle, Kamara drilled his low right-footed shot towards the bottom near corner, and Bentley got a hand to the shot but couldn’t prevent the ball nestling inside the bottom near corner.

“When Festos has got you lined up like that from the edge of the box, he’s something different,” warned Ashanike.

“He wants to shoot, you’ve got to have strong hands to save it and what a shame from Bentley, he couldn’t. He thought he was going to cross it, caught him out near post, which was really good.

“Festos was really hungry, obviously he’s playing against his old team and the boys were giving him stick all week but today he had the last laugh. He done really well and just looking forward what he can do next really.”

Ives added: “Festos is a good mate, a good lad, he took his goal well. Let’s be honest, Bents should save that, he’s apologised.  He should save that, whether it’s because Festos is an old mate, but that’s probably the only one that Bents can take any blame for so he hasn’t had a bad day or a bad season but Festos, good lad.”

Ashanike explained the thought process of substituting Carpanini for Isaac Ogunseri (40:16) with Ogunseri joining the home faithful in clapping the second-choice goalkeeper as he walked off the pitch.

“We decided to rest Isaac as well. Isaac’s had a lot of games this season. He’s come on loan from Folkestone and doesn’t train with us, he trains with Folkestone.  We just can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for us this season, looking after Isaac and allowing us to have him for our season.

“Carpo’s been at training every single week without fail and to know that you’re not playing on a Saturday but you’re there to help the boys out on a Thursday night, you deserve that standing ovation.

“For me to take him off, so everyone knows that we appreciate him.  It’s not easy for a goalkeeper when you’ve got a number one and he doesn’t train with you but you’re coming to every training session in the freezing cold, his attitude has been spot on, spot on.”

Fisher are a fit team and they almost rattled in a sixth goal (45:56) when Sarpong hit a long ball out of defence and the outstanding Martin’s sublime first time right-footed chip sailed over Bentley’s head and clipped the left-post from 25-yards, by which point the home fans in the stadium were in a frenzy of what brilliant football that they had just witnessed.

“Outstanding! The pass from Michael Sarpong from the back was absolutely outstanding and to have the composure to take it the first time over the keeper’s head is something you see in the pro level,” said Ashanike.

“Armani’s special. He’s one of the boys that we’ve missed when he went to Hythe last season. I thought if Armani was here for the whole season we would’ve given the League a good go, but we can’t dwell on it.

“We’ve got to make sure we get our head down and make sure we carry on working hard.”

League season over.  Whitstable Town (87 points from 36 games) will now look on to see which club will join them in the eighth-tier Isthmian League South East Division next season.

Fisher (68 points – 20 wins, eight draws and eight defeats) will meet fifth-placed finishers Punjab United (63 points – 18 wins, nine draws and nine defeats) at St Paul’s Stadium on Tuesday night.

The other Play-Off Semi-Final on the same night will be between third-placed Rusthall (65 points – 19 wins, eight draws and nine defeats) and Larkfield & New Hythe (63 points – 18 wins, nine draws and nine defeats).

There will be no extra time in the Semi-Finals but the Final on Bank Holiday Monday at the club that finished the highest in the table could be settled by Extra Time and then a penalty shoot-out, if needed.

“The League is finished, no one cares no more. This becomes a cup game now and any of those four can win and we’ve had battles with them before and we know it’s not going to be easy in a little mini-tournament,” said Ashanike.

“We’ve just got to make sure that we do what we can do in our power to make sure we go through.  The four teams that are in there now are very, very good sides and any of us can win it and there’s no shame in whoever doesn’t win it.

“This League is very, very competitive and that’s something I’ve found out and all I can say is I’m so proud of the League we’re playing in. It’s a really, really tough League but were going to be at full force on Tuesday night. I know Punjab are going to be at their full force.  What happened in the League doesn’t make no difference now.

“It’s something we’re looking forward to and I hope they’re looking forward to it as well.”

Stadium owners the Millwall Community Trust are pulling out all the stops to ensure the pitch is raised off the ground to suit Chipie Sian’s ugly brand of direct brand of football of long balls in the air and long throws coming from the arms of Chris Edwards and Stephen Ratcliff.

No wonder no one supports them at the Elite Venue, which currently fails ground grading criteria, including not having any toilet facilities inside their clubhouse.

Ashanike said: “Everyone says how ugly their football is but it works for them. If you go shopping and you want to cook something, you’ve got to get the recipe and Chipie’s gone out and he’s got the recipe that works for him.  I’ve gone out to get what works for me. On the day it’s who wants it more. Who’s got the most sauce to finish the cooking?”

Fisher hold the advantage as no one likes coming to St Paul’s, especially in rush hour on a Tuesday night.

“I think we’ve lost three games all season at home.  This place is a bad place to come to, especially on a Tuesday night. You’ve got to be prepared really well. Dulwich have come here, Wingate & Finchley have come here to come unstuck. We’re just a different animal under the lights and we are going to be up for it and I hope that everyone else will be up for it as well.”

When asked what it would mean to deliver promotion to Fisher who operate miracles without a playing budget, Ashanike insists he wants to go one better than last season.

“I think you asked me this last season and I said it wasn’t about promotion because that’s the first time we tasted that but to lose in that final last year, last kick has given me the hunger to do well.

“Like I said, when I left (for seven games to manage Basildon United in the Isthmian League Division One North during the 2023-24 season) to search for Step Four because I know I can get to that level.  I know I should be at that level but now I want to get my club into that level and that’s all in my head now. I’m not looking to go anywhere else to go and do it. I want to do it with my club and I’m really looking forward to the Semi-Final.”

Ashanike, who is keeping his team selection close to his chest, refusing to reveal who will don the famous black and white striped shirts, was asked how the game will be won and lost during a concussion suffering aerial battle.

“If we don’t turn up, if we don’t turn up. If we feel like we’re playing in the League. I don’t think we’re favourites. The League position says we’re favourites but if you go to a cup game there’s no favourite but because we’re at home, we’ve got to make sure that we’re on time, make sure that we’re ready for the battle, make sure that we’re ready to compete like we always do and we should be ok. I think we can get over the line, if we turn up but we have to turn up.”

For Tunbridge Wells, meanwhile, Ives has guided the club to ninth-placed and tenth-placed finishes and will let the dust settle before deciding his future.

“I mean I always personally want to progress to justify the amount of effort put in and we finished ninth last year so we haven’t managed to do that but we also got to view it from the lenses last season was the worst season in the club’s history, probably and this season was very much a season of stability.

“The people that run the club they told me ‘just don’t get relegated this year,’ so when you’re looking at it like that, if that’s what I’ve been told ‘don’t get relegated’ and obviously the budget was reigned in for that situation, to finish tenth is not a disgrace.

“It’s a big football club isn’t it but so is Hythe (who finished rock bottom on 20 points) so being a big football club doesn’t get you anywhere.

“Yes, we’ve got to have a think now. We’ve got to have a re-group. Do we want to go through it again being mediocre? It’s a hard one.

“We’ve literally just finished, the last kick of the ball, it’s not the best time to be making decisions but I don’t like standing in the middle of the pitch having lost 5-0 listening to the opposition celebrating and the fans saying ‘can we play you every week?’ It doesn’t really motivate you to want to do it again.

“I’m thinking we need to let the dust settle. We need to get the end-of-season awards over and done with.  We need to then, in the cold light of day, sit down with the people that run the club and just understand what their expectations are next season. What their able to do to back that up and then depending on those answers we’ve got to make a d decision whether that’s something that we’re on board with or not or whether there’s someone better to do it because maybe I’ve got to look in a mirror?

“I don’t know mate. Answer me a question? Do you think Tunbridge Wells finishing tenth is acceptable? Knowing what we’re doing or do you think we’ve underachieved?

“I’ll be inclined to agree (that Ashanike at Fisher and Ives at Tunbridge Wells have worked miracles this season to finish where they have), without blowing my own trumpet…

“I don’t know, probably like yourself, you sit down in the cold light of day and you think have you got the motivation and the energy to do this because you give up a hell of a lot of your time, I give up a hell of a lot of my time, none of us get paid for it, so we’re doing it for love.

“I’ve got to think is it in the best interests of Tunbridge Wells Football Club that will come down to my mindset. If I’ve got the hunger then I will suggest my record would say I’m a pretty safe pair of hands.

“But I feel like I don’t want to be just a comfy pair of slippers just easy for the chairman to put on because it doesn’t cause him too much grief and we do ok.  I don’t want to do just ok.

“I’ve got to be realistic, I’m not going to get it (bundles of money to challenge for promotion next season).  There’s whispers of 3G pitch but it’s not going to be next season. It’s going to be the season after that at best – so it’s do you want to spend another 40 weeks of your life in case.”

Fisher: Daniel Carpanini (Isaac Ogunseri 86), Donald MacAuley, Lorenzo Duncan, Samuel Owusu, Adejola Lahan, Michael Sarpong, Alex Kozak (Chibueze Echem 76), Sha’mar Lawson (Tyron Mbuenimo 62), Rafael Garcia, Armani-Jordan Martin, Jake Lovell (Festos Kamara 74).
Sub: Jacob Katonia

Goals: Rafael Garcia 3, 12, Lorenzo Duncan 13, Chibueze Echem 77, Festos Kamara 86

Booked: Armani-Jordan Martin 90

Tunbridge Wells: George Bentley, Joshua McArthur-Nolan (Daika Montague 30), Ben Martin-Coward (Ashton Malyon-Chantler 62), Christopher Lawal, Ryan Hine, Tom Penfold, Bradley Austin (Zead Massood 76), Matthew Dunmall (Jonathan Shea 66), Rhys Bartlett (Ryan Coltress 66), Regan Corke, Jack Gallagher.

Attendance: 377
Referee: Mr Alex Gordon
Assistants: Mr Kevin Gosnell & Mr Ashley Barnes