Fisher 6-3 Petts Wood & Holmesdale - It's the hardest decision because I know I'm not coming back if I do go this time, says Fisher manager Ajay Ashanike, who weighs up 'massive' offer from Maldon & Tiptree

Fisher 6 – 3 Petts Wood & Holmesdale
Location	St Paul's Stadium, Salter Road, Rotherhithe, London SE16 6NT
Kickoff	22/09/2026 19:45

FISHER  6-3  PETTS WOOD & HOLMESDALE
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Tuesday 22 September 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from St Paul’s Stadium

FISHER manager Ajay Ashanike says he is going to make the hardest decision on Wednesday whether to accept a massive, massive, massive, massive, massive offer from Maldon & Tiptree to become their new manager.

The Isthmian League Premier Division club approached the 37-year-old, Aveley, Essex-based Ashanike on Saturday evening, following Fisher’s 3-1 win over Erith & Belvedere at Park View Road and said during the post-match press conference that he was going to sit down with his assistant manager Jordan Darwish and let the Essex club chairman know at midnight (Tuesday/Wednesday) of his decision.

Fisher remained at the top of the ninth-tier Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table – (20 points, six wins, two draws and one defeat) after humiliating Petts Wood & Holmesdale at St Paul’s Stadium, to extend their unbeaten home form at the fortress.

The Bromley-based outfit are second-from-bottom in the table with seven points (two wins, one draw, three defeats) and dropped into the relegation zone. 

I asked Petts Wood & Holmesdale joint-manager Andy Constable for an interview before the game, which is this website policy, where I always seek out a manager before the game and say to them ‘Good Luck, speak to you later.’  However, Mr Constable said ‘sorry, I’ve got to shoot,’as he walked towards me (as I waited for him post-match outside the dressing rooms) and offered me an interview with a committee member instead.  I found this situation to be disrespectful, especially as I have taken the time out at my own expense to report on this game and publicise his club. I guess football manager's now like seeing themselves on social media/You Tube nowadays and not a football website that has been established since 2003 through hard work, dedication to the game and many sleepless nights. But as that person wasn’t on the team sheet as a member of the management team, I declined.  I didn’t ask Peter Nolan for a post-match interview due to his negative approach towards me during his time managing Sutton Athletic, which being autistic affects my anxiety levels. Now back to the amended match report.

The only Petts Wood & Holmesdale player who can come out of this poor performance with any credit was right-winger Mecca Maxime-Samuels.

Fisher were simply outstanding during the first half, racing into a 4-0 lead, with former Dundee striker Euan Mutale, 22 and strike partner Festos Kamara both scoring, before brilliant right-winger Temi Alaka and Kamara added to their lead.

The away side didn't make any changes at the interval and former Bearsted winger James Bessey-Saldanha added a fifth goal before the Dalers’ brought on four players from the bench and switched to a back three, which changed momentum in their favour.

An own-goal from Fisher’s left-sided centre-half Donald MacAulay and striker Charlie Clover’s seventh goal of the season gave the scoreline a flattering look.

Kamara notched his hat-trick – from the penalty spot – to take his tally for the season to five goals, before the battered Dalers’ scored the ninth goal of the Game of the Season with substitute attacking midfielder Fyn Rutherford scoring from a cross following a three-man corner routine.

“Nine goals, value for money. Honestly, St Paul’s on a Tuesday night is a nightmare for anyone to come to in the first place but for the neutral to come in and see nine goals is something else isn’t it, so credit to both sides and credit to all the players and a massive thank you to all of the fans that turned up to watch it.  It was a big crowd today, so all we can do is say thank you and I hope they all enjoyed it,” said Ashanike.

Holmesdale’s former Rusthall goalkeeper Reece Hobbs was penalised by referee Ashley Overbury for picking up a back pass but he dived high to his left to prevent Fisher left-winger Tyrese Briscoe drilling in the resulting right-footed free-kick with 104 seconds on the clock, which set the tone.

“It set the tone, the first attack. Like I said, football is like a boxing match. The first jab always lands and if it lands then you’ve got to punish them,” said Ashanike.

“The alarm bells should’ve started ringing for them but if that was me, I would’ve changed the way we played straight away but they wanted to be brave. They wanted to be strong and wanted to come forward and if you come forward against us, you get punished.”

Holmesdale’s left-back Jayden Boulton was poor for the 53 minutes that he was on the pitch as Alaka produced an outstanding display in attack and Holmesdale’s slow centre-half Ryan Mahal was often hitting long balls out of defence towards no one.

Fisher counter-attacked with left-back Kaylam Burgess playing the ball out of defence to a deep Mutale, who split open two defenders to put the pacey Alaka through on goal and he skipped past keeper Hobbs and rolled a right-footed shot towards goal, only for Holmesdale centre-half Michael Fenn to get back on his line to clear the trickling ball off his goal-line (7:49).

“Temi has been a nightmare for any defence since he’s come in and there’s more levels that he can get to. We believe there’s more in him and we’ve just got to keep tapping into what we believe is there for him,” said Ashanike, who has a reputation for giving talented hungry players their big chance.

“Temi has come from Ilford, previously he was at SE Dons and we knew him from SE Dons where they showcase their games on You Tube and he went over to Ilford and we spotted him and he was one of the targets that we wanted to get in this season and luckily we got him in.”

Some sloppy defending from Fisher inside their penalty area gave the impressive Maxime-Samuels his chance but his left-footed curler from the corner of the penalty area flashed around the far post.

Fisher opened the floodgates by taking the lead with 12 minutes and 8 seconds on the clock.

Alaka was inside the Fisher half and he fed the ball to right-back Jack Gibbons who travelled over the halfway line and into the final third and wasn’t pressed and whipped in a quality delivery into the penalty area.  Mahal fluffed his clearance and Mutale hooked his right-footed half-volley past Hobbs to find the near corner from inside the six-yard box to score his seventh goal for the club.

“Look, Euan’s there, he knows why he’s there, just to get himself fit, so he can be at that level that he should be, which is Step Two (currently on dual-registration with Jay Saunders’ Folkestone Invicta in National League South).

“Euan was playing Step Seven last season with (Essex Alliance League side) CSM and one of my cousins is the gaffer there and he’s called me to talk to me about Euan and I’ve gone to watch him at Step Seven and I just believe that he can do it and he’s come here to get games.

“He’s got himself a move to Step Two but he needs to get himself fit. We’ve got him back on a dual registration, which is good for us and he’s scoring.

“But before that I called it, it was going to be a goal because that’s the pattern that comes in training, so before Jack even gets it, I said to Jordan (Darwish, my assistant) ‘that’s a goal’ because I knew the movement we had and we were more than capable of scoring that.”

Boulton opened the gate once more and Alaka’s deep cross from the right came out to Bessey-Saldanha, who cracked a stunning left-footed rasping drive against the underside of the crossbar from 16-yards, before Hobbs stepped to his left and grabbed hold of the ball with Alaka ready to pounce (14:41).

Bearsted manager Kevin Stevens deployed Bessey-Saldanha as a winger but Ashanike has given him the number eight shirt and a central midfield role here.

“We can spot a difference, what a player can bring to us at a club. We’ve been playing against him and he’s been playing out wide and we spoke about it saying we can play him in an eight in midfield.

“Jack Gibbons was a right-midfielder and we turned him into a right-back. Conor Darwish is a left-back and we changed him into a centre-back, so we do move players around and because they’re good footballers, we can play them anywhere on the pitch.”

Dominant Fisher doubled their lead with 20 minutes and 46 seconds on the clock.

Gibbons was some 35-yards from his own-goal and rolled a free-kick back towards former Corinthian goalkeeper Zacharias Akinde, who drilled a long ball upfield.

A poor headed clearance from Holmesdale’s substitute centre-half Muhammad Buhari allowed Fisher to play sublime one-touch triangle passes involving Bessey-Saldanha and Gibbons before releasing Alaka down the right and he put in a low cross into the centre for Kamara to sweep his first-time right-footed shot past Hobbs from inside the six-yard box.

“Look, we are alive in the  box. Anything that goes in the box, we’re always alive for it and the boys are showing that they are goals in this team and it’s never going to be a boring game when you come to watch Fisher and we just showed that today,” admitted Ashanike, who revealed that he was without Tyrone Mbunimo (ankle) and Conor Darwish (dead leg).

Ruthless Fisher scored their third goal of the night with their next shot on goal, with 24 minutes and 35 seconds on the clock.

Briscoe cut a short corner from the left flank to Alaka who cut into the penalty area before drilling a stunning right-footed blockbuster screaming over the stranded Hobbs in off the underside of the crossbar, beating the former Rusthall keeper at his near-post.

Ashanike said: “Everything’s Temi’s touching is just turning into gold. He’s cut inside and absolutely hit it and it’s hit the crossbar and goes in.

“Temi is very desperate for goals. He loves goals, he loves assists and he’s just an honest player and that’s what we always try to bring in there, just honest footballers that just want to get their head down and play and I’m really chuffed for him that he’s got himself a goal again today.”

Holmesdale showed some character after the half-hour mark and started having a bit of a go.

Oliver Andrews floated in a cross from the left touchline towards the middle where their only player of the night – Maxime-Samuels rose above his marker and glanced his towering header across Akinde and past the far post.

Right-back Frank McCormack launched the fourth of his seven long throws into the Fisher penalty area and the ball fell to Clover from inside the crowd of players and his deflected angled drive flashed across Akinde and past the far post.

Akinde pulled off an outstanding TRIPLE SAVE with less than 10 minutes before the interval.

Holding midfielder Ben White shrugged off Kamara inside the Holmesdale half before switching the play to release Maxime-Samuels, who charged down the right and put in a low cross towards the near-post.

Clover had two bites of the cherry, which were both kept out by Akinde, one of them diving low to his right, before he got swiftly up and got his frame over to the other post and somehow kept out Andrews’ diving downward header.

“Again, losing Isaac Ogunseri (to Folkestone Invicta) was a massive blow for us but to Step Two, so we can’t really complain,” said Ashanike.

“Zach has come in from Corinthian and he’s got his head down and worked really hard and I’m impressed with him the last few games.  He had a little tough time because when you come to Fisher, we play differently to a lot of teams and you have to learn quickly and look at what he’s doing now – he’s absolutely outstanding!”

Fisher swiftly broke down the left with Mutale who played in Alaka, whose flicked shot was kept out by Hobbs at his near-post just 59 seconds after Akinde’s heroics.

Holmesdale were hit on the counter-attack as they had a throw-in inside the Fisher half before the electrifying hosts swiftly went up the other end to score their fourth goal of the night with 42 minutes and 9 seconds on the clock.

Fisher’s holding midfielder Aaron Archibald drilled a left-footed ball down the line to release Kamara, who was being pressed by Buhari.

Kamara held off the number 12 (who had replaced the injured Fenn) and drilled a brilliant left-footed angled drive across Hobbs to find the bottom far corner with a clinical strike.

“That was a good strike, looking at it from the way it left his foot. A good strike from the boy.  These boys have got technical ability in the team and we work hard with it and look they can go as far as they want but they just need to stay focused,” added Ashanike.

Mahal launched a long ball out of Holmesdale’s defence straight down the middle of the pitch and Conor Evans laid the ball off to Clover, whose low right-footed drive which was destined towards the bottom left-hand corner was parried by Akinde low to his right before comfortably gathering the ball (46:40).

Ashanike said: “Holmesdale are no mugs, honestly, they’ve come here and they gave us a good game tonight, a tough game and credit to their manager and coach, they just carried on going because a lot of teams might’ve folded after 4-0 but they kept their shape and their character and there’s a lot of experience in that team and they just showed the character and they huffed and puffed, which every team should be doing anyway when they’re that low on confidence.”

It was a surprise when Nolan and Constable made no changes at the interval as their players’ performance was way below par for this level of football.

“Honestly, do you know what, I think that was one of the toughest talks that we’ve had this season – is to just stay focused and if you can score four, they can score four and just stay focused and the boys carried on driving and we got the result,” added Ashanike.

Fisher notched their fifth goal of the night just 188 seconds into the second half, following a throw-in beside the corner flag down Boulton’s side of the pitch.

Gibbons threw the ball short to Bessey-Saldanha, whose brilliant and outrageous right-footed shot on the turn from the corner of the penalty area, screamed into the far corner of the net, leaving Hobbs humiliated once more.

“James is outstanding! Outstanding! We are so blessed to have someone like him in our club and I just hope he just carries on the form that he’s carrying on,” said Ashanike.

“He can embrace the new position that we’ve put him in and he’s just taking it in his stride – absolutely brilliant, a joy to watch because when you lose people like Tom Jones and you’ve managed to sign somebody else like that as well with that quality and hard work and honesty and gels with the team really, really well, it’s a blessing and I enjoy watching him every week.”

Nolan and Constable waited until the 53^rd minute to hook Boulton, Andrews, Joel Wakefield and Evans, changed shape and started to have a go – but the damage was already done.

“They did have a go, honestly, they had a lot of a go! They were brave, they didn’t care about the goal-difference, they just went for it,” said Ashanike.

“Look, AC (Constable) and Peter (Nolan), they know exactly what they were doing. They knew if they can get a couple of goals, it would be hard for us and we might panic – but we’re not that team no more!

“If you come out and you expose yourselves, we’ll punish you and they’ve come out and they’ve exposed themselves and they jabbed but when we were jabbing two, they were jabbing one.”

Anthony Musoke came on to play on the left-side of a three-man defence beside Buhari and Mahal, two sat in front of them in Ben White and McCormack to offer more protection.

Rutherford, who played behind Clover, played a part in Holmesdale’s first goal of the night, timed at 11 minutes and 13 seconds on the clock.

Rutherford played a low ball out to Maxime-Samuels, who raced into the channel and fizzed in a low cross towards the near-post which was turned into his own goal by MacAulay (bottom right-hand corner) from inside his own six-yard box.

“That was Temi’s fault. Temi lost his man in midfield and we allowed them to go forward when everyone else was out of shape,” said Ashanike, who like me was impressed with Maxime-Samuels’ work tonight.

“Mecca’s a top player. I don’t know why he’s still at this level. He’s a top, top player. Mecca should be playing at least Step Three, Step Two and that’s the ability the boy’s got but he’s still young and there’s time for him to move on but I’m really impressed with him and he’s a player I’ll keep my eyes on in the future.”

Gibbons floated a right-footed free-kick into the Holmesdale penalty area where substitute striker Mekhi Clarke jumped above Mahal to steer his header across the keeper and past the far post.

Clover scored 23 goals for Rusthall last season where their fans often sung his name from the terraces but his goal tonight (18:56) was greeted by silence, as Holmesdale pulled a second goal back. 

Substitute Marley Sablier played a low ball into a crowd of players inside the penalty area and Clover took a touch before clinically drilling a low right-footed shot across Akinde into the bottom far corner in a one-v-one.

“Charlie’s always be sniffing in the box for 90 minutes. Like I said to Donny and Rob (White), they’ve got to be alive for 90 minutes because he will be alive for 90 minutes. It doesn’t matter if his team’s losing 10-0, he will want to get that goal, that one goal to get his team back into the game. He’ll always try and do it and he’s done it again today. An old school striker, give him a chance and he will put it away, so credit to the boy.”

The rest of the game was like watching a game of basketball.

Fisher went route-one when Akinde’s big kick sailed over the head of Buhari and Kamara (who was now playing as a number nine now that Mutale was admiring the game from the dug-out) cracked a right-footed half-volley high over the crossbar when he had Hobbs to beat. Kicking the perimeter fencing in frustration.

“I thought he could’ve done better than that, a lot better than that but he’s done well. He’s got himself a hat-trick today and well done to the boy,” added Ashanike.

A long ball from Archibald from inside the Fisher half released Clarke and his left-footed drive from 20-yards was comfortable caught in Hobbs’ midriff (24:23).

Holmesdale cracked the crossbar (26:22) when McCormack’s short throw in from the left went to Mahal, who played a 20-yard pass inside to the unmarked Sablier, but the Dulwich Hamlet loanee cracked a right-footed drive against the crossbar from 25-yards.

Ben White skipped past MacAulay inside the Fisher half before slipping the ball to former Fisher and Hythe Town winger Armani-Jordan Martin, who drilled a stunning right-footed drive against the far post from 25-yards (31:13).

“What a hit! What a hit by those boys. They are absolutely special, especially Armani, Armani’s special and gutted that we lost him (to Hythe Town last season) but Armani’s getting his pay day, he’s getting paid. If we’re not competing with budget wise, who am I to stop them from going for their money but good luck to them,” said Ashanike.

“It could’ve been 5-4 and if they’re pushing more, we would’ve punished them more so we wasn’t at threat at any point at all in the game.”

Fisher centre-half Robert White travelled and played the ball out wide to substitute winger Jake Lovell, who embarrassed Musoke within the right-channel and cut onto his left-foot before delivering a deep cross towards the back post.

The ball was brought down under control by Kamara, who was fouled by McCormack inside the six-yard box close to the by-line and referee Ashley Overbury pointed to the penalty spot (34:06).

Designated Fisher penalty taker MacAulay grabbed hold of the ball and looked over to the Fisher dug-out and threw the ball to Kamara, who put the ball on the spot and emphatically notched his hat-trick, rifling his right-footed penalty into the left-corner, despite Hobbs diving to his right and getting fingertips to the penalty, as Fisher scored their sixth of the night with 35 minutes and 14 seconds on the clock.

“I believe if I put you on a penalty, no matter what the scoreline is, no matter who’s there, I believe Donny should’ve taken it. But look, they’re grown men, they can control what they do on the pitch. As long as it goes the way I want it to go, I’m not moaning about it but if it doesn’t then somebody has to pay for it,” explained Ashanike.

“Donny is a penalty taker at the club and he’s decided to give it to Festos but if it went a different way, then Donny would’ve heard a lot from me.

“Festos is a top player and my job was to keep him here in the summer with all the interest outside the League and we’ve managed to keep him and he’s enjoying his football and that’s what we have to ask for, come here and enjoy your football.” 

Martin took Holmesdale’s sixth corner from the left and played it short to Sablier, who cut inside and drilled his right-footed shot high and wide and into the trees behind the goal.

The referee bizarrely awarded another corner, which Martin took on the other side of the pitch and played it short to Sablier (who impressed when he came on) and an unmarked Rutherford floated in a right-footed cross some 25-yards from goal, which sailed over Akinde’s head and into the top far corner of the goal, for Petts Wood & Holmesdale’s flattering third goal, with 38 minutes and 3 seconds on the clock.

“That shouldn’t have been a goal! Zach should’ve done so much better on that. That’s the area I’ve got to start working on with him and start talking to him about but that should never have happened,” admitted Ashanike.

“Look, the game was done and we knew the game was done. The boys took their foot of the gas and they should be more professional than that. They made the game look a bit more respectful than it should be and it is what it is. It’s three points and that’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter how many goals you score, as long as you get three points, that’s all that matters.”

Fisher kept giving free-kicks away inside their half and Rutherford’s floated free-kick from inside the centre-circle was delivered towards the back post, which was knocked across goal by Mahal’s head and Clover smacked his volley over the crossbar (44:46).

Bearsted – held to a 2-2 home draw by Snodland Town tonight – arrive here on Saturday, sitting in fourth-place in the table with 13 points from their seven games and another brilliant game is on the cards at the weekend.

“That’s a team that I believe will push us to the limit as well. They’re a very good side and we just got to make sure that we’re bang up for it and we recover well and we should be ok,” said Ashanike, who was asked about being top tonight.

“If it’s play-offs, it’s play-offs. If we win the league, it’s win the league. Even if we don’t, we don’t. Just come out and enjoy football. Just showcase yourself, that’s all that matters and if you’re showcasing yourself, everything else will look after yourself.

“We don’t put pressure on them. As long as they come out and play with a smile on their face and enjoy the game, win, lose or draw, I will always be proud of them but they’ve just have got to enjoy it. As long as they’re enjoying it, we’re ok with them.

“We’re a target, we’re top of the league. But look, it’s early days in the season. I don’t care about all the noise outside, let’s just focus game by game and see where we are.  Look, we always have our target and as long as we achieve our target, that’s all that matters really.”

Seventeen or so minutes into the post-match interview, Ashanike dropped this bombshell.

“Honestly, for the record, everyone knows that I was approached by a Step Three side over the weekend. It’s a decision that myself and Jordan (Darwish, my assistant) have got to look at.

“On Saturday, we might not be here. We might be here but myself and Jordan have got two hours to decide with what we want to do with this club and this bunch of boys but whatever happens, I just want to thank the Fisher fans. If we do decide to move, it’s been a hell of a bloody ride, hasn’t it and if it carries on (here), I’m looking forward to it. If it doesn’t, I’m going to miss this place.

“But myself and Jordan have got to sit down and have a look at it and draw it up and see the benefit of us trying to move to that level. Are we ready for that level? It’s a question that we’ve got to answer.

“It could be my last night (as Fisher manager) tonight.

“We’ve had our ups and downs but I feel like every season we’ve progressed in the right direction.  We’ve always topped what we do the season before. I don’t know how we’re going to top last year’s one.

“Opportunities like this don’t happen all the time and I’m sure the fans will understand if I do decide to jump and go to that side, it’s closer to my house and my family.

“We’ve got two hours to decide what we want to do so I need to sit down with Jordan and see where we are.

“I don’t do it for money. I enjoy what I do. Look at the fans today, the joy on their faces.

“But what a way to say goodbye, if it is, but who says it’s going to be a goodbye? It might just be another opportunity. I’ve just got to weight it up really. I’ve just got to weigh everything up and see where we go with it.

“I’ve got to talk to the (Maldon & Tiptree) chairman at 12 o’clock tonight.”

Ashanike was then having conversations with a handful of Fisher supporters’ in the dark outside the clubhouse for a few moments – including former chairman Ben Westmancott – most likely drumming into the manager that Fisher is a special club and the place just won’t be the same without him here.

The words may have worked as at 22:30, Ashanike shook the hands with this group, saying to them, ‘see you on Saturday, see you on Saturday,’ hinting that he may be staying after all.

Ashanike was then asked for a second post-match interview and was asked whether he was staying at Fisher.

“It’s a good offer but like I said to you in the interview, not every opportunity is a good opportunity and I‘ve got to weigh it up like I said.

“But I’m going to speak to Jordan and the team tonight but my mind, this is home and I am happy here but obviously I’ve got to let my players be happy and give opportunities where I can and let’s just see what happens and like I said to the fans ‘I’ll see you Saturday’, lets see what happens.

“Ive made my decision in my head, yes. I’ve made my decision. Obviously, I need to speak to Maldon and see and let them know but I’ve made my decision in my head, I know what I’m doing.

“When I left Tower Hamlets seven years ago, I didn’t know what to do next. I came here and the faith that Jim (Maycock, club secretary) and Simon (Shipperlee, chairman) had for me was a blessing.

“I’ve worked hard. Going up levels was always what I want to do and I wish I could’ve taken off their twice now (having finished in the play-offs two years running).

“I’ve just got to asses it. Can we actually do it this season because if we can’t then there’s no point in me staying if I don’t believe I can get this club over the line because this club deserves to play Step Four.

“Fisher is a historic club, the fan-base, all the kids. As soon as I step into Southwark, I feel like a celebrity. It’s crazy, absolutely crazy. The committee is so close.  Any other club it’s not a hard decision (to leave) but this is a hard decision. This is a hard decision and we’re talking about a Step Five team and a Step Three team.

“My head has been spinning since Saturday night after the Erith & Belvedere game, after talking to them (Maldon & Tiptree). Let’s see what happens.”

A 5-1 defeat away to Brentwood Town tonight, leaves Maldon & Tiptree in 16^th place in the Isthmian League Premier Division table with nine points (three wins) from their opening eight games, three points clear of the relegation zone.

Ashanike revealed that if he does leave, then he will take his entire management team with him to the Essex outfit, which has new owners.

When asked about Maldon & Tiptree’s offer, Ashanike revealed: “Oh, it’s massive, massive, massive, massive, massive. They’ve offered me something just under what I get at work, so I’ve just got to think about it. I don’t need the money. I’m good, my family’s good but every little helps as well.

“It’s the hardest decision because I know I’m not coming back if I do go this time. I went to Basildon and it didn’t work out. I wish that path didn’t happen for me. I wish I didn’t go.  I wish I stayed. This opportunity comes now but because I’ve done it before, I know the door will be shut (I will not return to manage Fisher), so I’ve got to think about all my decisions really well.  I’ll put a statement out tomorrow of what I’m doing…”

Ashanike was in discussions with the chairman and club secretary upon my departure from the stadium.  The grass is not always greener and there is still a job to finish off here in Bermondsey at a club where the fans’ worship you and Fisher just won’t be the same club without Ashanike at the helm and talented gems out on the pitch. Please stay Ajay, please stay!

Fisher: Zacharias Akinde, Jack Gibbons, Kaylam Burgess, Aaron Archibald, Robert White, Donald MacAulay, Tyrese Briscoe (Jake Lovell 63), James Bassey-Saldanha, Euan Mutale (Mekhi Clarke 60), Festos Kamara (Alimamy Taylor Kamara 89), Temi Alaka (Rafael Garcia 75).
Sub: Michael Sarpong

Goals:  Euan Mutale 13, Festos Kamara 21, 43, 81 (penalty), Temi Alaka 26, James Bessey-Saldanha 49

Booked: Jack Gibbons 71, Rafael Garcia 90

Petts Wood & Holmesdale: Reece Hobbs, Frank McCormack, Jayden Boulton (Anthony Musoke 53), Ben White, Ryan Mahal, Michael Fenn (Muhammad Buhari 18), Oliver Andrews (Armani-Jordan Martin 53), Joel Wakefield (Marley Sablier 53), Charlie Clover, Conor Evans (Fyn Rutherford 53), Mecca Maxime-Samuels.

Goals: Donald MacAulay 57 (own goal), Charlie Clover 64, Fyn Rutherford 84

Booked: Ben White 54

Attendance: 238
Referee: Mr Ashley Overbury
Assistants: Mr Lewis Walmesley-Browne & Mr Paul Webb

Match Duration:
First Half: 47:02
Second Half: 50:07

An Apology:
I would like to sincerely like to apologise to Petts Wood & Holmesdale FC and to Peter Nolan about the tone of my original match report published in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Upon reflection, I have decided to amend this report and use a more balanced approach. Being autistic, sometimes it’s hard to use this balanced approach on nights like this as autistic people just see things differently to most people.  Once again, sorry to all those affected.