Fisher 1-4 Wingate & Finchley - We're going back to the drawing board and get it right at training so we're prepared well for the Kent Youth League season, says Fisher manager Travis Rochester

Fisher 1 – 4 Wingate & Finchley
Location	St Paul's Stadium, Salter Road, Rotherhithe, London SE16 6NT
Kickoff	16/08/2024 19:30

FISHER  1-4  WINGATE & FINCHLEY
The FA Youth Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Friday 16 August 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from St Paul’s Stadium

FISHER youth team manager Travis Rochester says he’s going to take a lot of positives from their FA Youth Cup exit at the hands of Wingate & Finchley in his first game in charge of the club’s Kent Youth League side.

Wingate & Finchley are two levels higher than Fisher at first-team level with the North London outfit currently in ninth-place in the seventh-tier Isthmian League Premier Division with three points from their opening two games.

Fisher, meanwhile, are nineteenth (second-from-bottom) in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having lost all three of their tenth-tier games under Ajay Ashanike, who joined Rochester in the home dug-out tonight.

Jonny Georgiou’s side, who play in the nine-team Eastern Junior Alliance U18 Brown Division, finished last season’s campaign in third-place in the U18 Yellow Division, while Fisher finished second-from-bottom in the Kent Youth League North Division.

Wingate & Finchley raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 22 minutes, courtesy of two clinical strikes from striker Jayden Ndi and Daniel Uriciuc, who played behind him.

However, impressive left-winger Tolu Junaid, 17, pulled a goal back for the home side five minutes before half-time.

Fisher were reduced to 10 men in the 77^th minute when sixteen-year-old right-back Sonny Tylee was forced off with an ankle injury and all five substitutes were already on the pitch.

Wingate & Finchley exploited Fisher’s now back-three with pacey attacking midfielder Zhaine Miller, 15, coming off the bench to score two breakaway goals to set up a home tie against Romford in the FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round during the first week of September.

“In all fairness, I think we started slow, defiantly started slow.  I think we grew into the game as it continued,” said Rochester, 27, who was part of now departed Darrell Queeley’s management team at tenth-tier Forest Hill Park last season.

“I defiantly think we could’ve been more ruthless with the chances we had considering we created so many in the first half.

“Wingate played really well. It was very unfortunate with the injuries, but I do believe in the second half we were very lackadaisical, and the effort wasn’t the same.

“I was very disappointed with one or two individuals but all in all it was a great experience for the boys. A lot to take back, a lot of positives and I’m just grateful for the experience really.”

Rochester added: “The FA Youth Cup means a lot to me. Simple for the fact that it is an opportunity to showcase your talents to the fans and to potential other clubs and scouts who were there. It’s a great opportunity to the boys.

“It means everything, a lot of them are really hungry to try to get into that pro game, so they’ve been working hard.”

Fisher created their first opening after only 170 seconds when Junaid played the ball in from within the left-channel towards the far post where fellow winger Tylan Balli swept his shot across the diving goalkeeper Luca Smith to push the ball towards safety.

“We definitely had a couple of early chances. I do feel like we could’ve been more ruthless in those situations,” admitted Rochester.

“We were under it for the first 20 minutes or so, so it’s just something that we’ve got to work on really.”

Junaid broke down the left again and played left-back Caden Havell-Olding on the overlap and his cross from within the left-channel was pushed away by the 16-year-old visiting keeper and Balli volleyed over the Wingate & Finchley bar.

Wingate & Finchley clinically snatched the opening goal when it came their way with 12 minutes and 14 seconds on the clock.

Jediah Appiah, who pulled the strings in midfield, played the ball along the artificial turf into Theo Behe, who played in striker Nidi in behind Fisher centre-half Billy Buckle before poking his left-footed shot past the advancing keeper and nestling into the bottom right-hand corner.

“I think we could’ve defended better.  I also feel like it was a wake-up call as well, considering before that we had chances to be in front,” added Rochester.

Wingate & Finchley doubled their lead with their next attempt on goal, 21 minutes and 56 seconds on the clock.

The ball was worked out to left-wing-back Jordan Neaimi, who whipped in a quality low cross into the six-yard box where Uriciuc got in behind Fisher centre-half Max Gibbons to dink the ball over the diving goalkeeper Lorenzo Di Cesare to find the far corner.

“In all honesty, I was very frustrated.  We were under it but we still managed to create a lot of chances, but I believe they could’ve been converted into goals,” added Rochester.

“Fair play to Finchley, the two opportunities they had, the first two, they put them in the back of the net.  That’s ideally what we want your boys to do really and make the game a lot easier for you.”

When asked whether he felt his side would claw themselves back into this Extra Preliminary Round tie, Rochester replied: “I believe in my team and I did think after the second goal it’s make or break, the next action kind of makes or breaks it.  We had to get together as a unit, show our character and I think personally towards the end of that first half we got back and we managed to pull one back.

“I think up until the end of the half, we were really competing, towards the middle of the second half we was ok and then it wasn’t on it anymore really.”

Rochester explained why four of his attacking players (Frankie Woods, Junaid, Balli, Gabriel Anyanwci and Johnathon Obeng) failed to press Wingate & Finchley’s three-centre-halves while they played the ball confidently around the back during the first half.

The away side’s back three (Juan Fernandes Quejada (left), Daniel Sokoli (centre) and Hayden Henry Xsaviour (right) often played the ball around before hitting the ball long towards left-wing-back Neaimi.

“We did a bit of research on them and what our game-plan was ideally is their full-back was very good on the ball. If we go to press, it’s going to create a lot of space in behind, so what we wanted to do while the centre-half got rid of the ball, we wanted to go and press the wide men.  That’s what we wanted to do but I don’t feel we did it well enough and it’s something that we’ll improve in the future,” explained Rochester.

Fisher won the corner-count by 5-0 and Havell-Olding’s outswinging corner from the left-flank was met at the far post by a free-header from centre-half Buckle, which he steered through a crowd of players and past the right-hand post.

Uriciuc fed central midfielder Behe, who drilled a right-footed shot from 25-yards, which stung the fingers of the Fisher keeper in the 33^rd minute.

Fisher pulled a goal back with 39 minutes and 47 seconds on the clock, courtesy of Buckle sliding in to halt a Wingate & Finchley attack.

Buckle slipped the ball down the centre for Anyanwci, who played the ball out to Junaid, who cut into the penalty area before sweeping his left-footed shot across keeper Luca Smith, the ball kissing the foot of the far post before nestling into the back of the net.

“It was a great movement because like I said previously, we had a lot of chances and we’ve been working and working and I thought we got a lot of joy down Tolu’s side, so it was inevitable at some point that we were going to get a goal and I think we really deserved that because we worked really hard for it,” added Rochester.

Fisher went close to restoring parity with the last kick of the first half.

Tylee played the ball down the line for right-winger Balli to cut into the middle before cracking a left-footed drive towards goal from 22-yards, which Smith made a comfortable low save.

“What I said to the boys at half-time is we were under the cosh for the first 20 minutes, even though we created chances and what I noticed was when we were getting back on the ball into possession, we was very eager to get forward and play,” said Rochester.

“What I said to the boys was when we get the ball back, let’s calm down, let’s get on it and can we play?”

Appiah slipped the ball past a high-line Fisher back four to put Naidoo through on goal but his left-footed angle drive was comfortably saved by Fisher’s 17-year-old goalkeeper Di Cesare, positioned on his six-yard line after only 79 seconds.

Fisher swiftly went up the other end and space opened up for Buckle to try his luck from 30-yards but Smith dropped down to his knees to make a comfortable save just 16 seconds later.

Fisher then upped their tempo and desire levels, with both sides a threat on the counter-attack in an end-to-end encounter.

Fisher striker Woods dropped deep before playing the ball out to Junaid, who cut inside before playing the ball back to Woods, whose right-footed low drive flashed through the legs of his running marker Behe and was comfortably saved by Smith.

The impressive Appiah released substitute right-wing-back Theo Bonderenko, who cut the ball back to the impressive Uriciuc, who played a one-two with Naidoo before drilling his shot into the side netting.

“It was definitely tight in spells for the first 10 or 15 minutes or so of the second half and yes, I just think Wingate took over to be honest with you,” added Rochester.

Wingate & Finchley were to be denied a goal on the hour-mark when skill from Uriciuc resulted in Tylee being sold a dummy on the corner of the six-yard box before his shot from a tight angle was blocked by the legs of Fisher keeper Di Cesara.

“I think Lorenzo had a good performance. I do feel he could’ve made better decisions in one or two but overall, I don’t think it was a bad performance at all.  Definitely a lot of positives for him to take from it and things that he can go back and work on,” added Rochester.

Fisher central midfielder Anyanwci broke before releasing Woods down the left and after cutting inside his right-footed effort was saved low down by Smith, the busier of the two goalkeepers.

Ndi made a 20-yard pass to put Naidoo through on goal but his 15-yard angled drive was comfortably saved by Fisher keeper Di Cesare as the second half reached the half-way point.

Fisher left-back Havell-Olding bundled over Uriciuc and Ndi’s resulting left-footed free-kick from 28-yards arrowed over the crossbar, aiming for the top right-hand corner.

Fisher’s players were dropping like flies with the trainer coming on to the pitch to treat players on five occasions, which resulted in second half stoppage time lasting 10 minutes and a couple of seconds.

Arlito Legisi (54 minutes) and Buckle (64) were both forced off the pitch with concussion but it was the loss of Tylee in the 77^th minute that was the major blow as Fisher had to finish the game with 10 players.

“Someone’s said that he damaged something in his ankle and he was struggling to walk on it,” revealed Rochester, when asked about Tylee’s situation.

“He done a lot of stretches in the warm-up and he felt ok but after that happened, he said he couldn’t really walk anymore and couldn’t continue.”

The home side went three at the back (Harvell-Olding, substitute Jamie Bowes and Max Gibbons) and Wingate & Finchley sensed blood after a couple of Fisher chances.

Firstly, Harvell-Olding roamed forward and space opened up before unleashing a left-footed 30-yard drive, which was palmed away by Smith, diving to his right.

“We tried to manage the situation the best we could in the moment and yes very unfortunate but I think we did the best that we could in terms of managing, having less men,” said Rochester.

“We had a couple (of long-range shots) but I don’t think any really tested the keeper but in that situation you just have to go for it really. I didn’t see why not.”

Then, in the 85^th minute, Fisher substitute central midfielder Simon Stphen drilled a deep free-kick towards the back post with his right-foot and Junaid looped his header just over the crossbar.

Wingate & Finchley killed the game off by scoring their third goal of the night, timed at 41 minutes and 24 seconds on the clock.

Sixteen-year-old talent Uriciuc slipped in Miller in behind Gibbons and the pacey kid drilled his right-footed shot towards goal.  Di Cesare appeared to have made the save with his legs, but he allowed the ball to cross the goal-line in the centre of his goal.

“That’s just an unfortunate situation that happens with keepers sometimes. There’s not much you can really do about it. He done his best to get down but unfortunately it slipped through him but that happens in the game sometimes,” said Rochester, refusing to blame his goalkeeper for his costly error.

Ndi’s 25-yard shot was comfortably saved by the Fisher goalkeeper, before Wingate & Finchley scored a flattering fourth goal with 43:43 on the clock.

Bowes opened the gate as he allowed a long through ball along the deck to go past him and Miller raced through and skipped through the advancing goalkeeper before slotting into an empty net.

“Yes, that was very frustrating but at the same time I do think it was deserved for Wingate,” said Rochester.

“They were on us for the 10 minutes before getting that third goal and I could definitely see the next goal coming, so yes it was frustrating but I did see it coming.”

Fisher substitute Sayne Scott tried to score from 25-yards but his shot was saved by Smith down on his knees.

Skill from the threatening Miller saw him turn his man outside the box before playing in Appiah straight down the middle and his left-footed drive was pushed away by the diving Di Cesare.

Seconds later, Ndi then laid the ball off for Bonderenko to lash his first time right-footed drive over the Fisher goal.

“What I take out of it, there is a lot of positives. There is a lot of things to take back.  I learn a lot of things about myself and about the players so what we are going to do, we’re going to go back to the drawing board and get it right at training, so we’re prepared well for the season.”

Rochester’s side open their Kent Youth League campaign with a trip to Dulwich Village on Sunday 8 September (10:00).

“This is my first season at Fisher. I took the position not too long ago, so I’m still coming to terms with things but I’m really enjoying it.  Really supportive staff, it’s a great club to be apart of.

“The aim is for us to push as many 18s into the first team as possible, to show that the youth system works.  I think that’s something to really be proud off, especially as a non-league club, locally as well.”

Fisher: Lorenzo Di Cesare, Sonny Tylee, Caden Havell-Olding, Arlito Legisi (Ebubechukwu Ofulue 54), Max Gibbons, Billy Buckle (Jamie Bowes 64), Tolu Junaid, Gabriel Anyaanwci (Bobby Russell 71), Frankie Woods, Johnathon Obeng (Simon Stephen 66), Tylan Balli (Sayne Scott 66).
Subs: Arif Arogundade, Harry Norton

Goal: Tolu Junaid 40

Booked: Simon Stephen 84

Wingate & Finchley: Luca Smith, Myles Williams-Thomas (Waled Khudamorad 83), Jordan Neaimi (Theo Bonderenko 83), Daniel Sokoli, Juan Fernandes Quejada, Hayden Henry Xsaviour, Jediah Appiah, Theo Behe, Jayden Ndi, Calum Naidoo (Zhaine Miller 74), Daniel Uriciuc (James Thrilling 87).
Subs: Aaron Downes, Ruben Kibrom, Emre Coban

Goals: Jayden Ndi 13, Daniel Uriciuc 22, Zhaine Miller 87, 89

Booked: Hayden Henry Xsaviour 36, Jayden Ndi 37, Juan Fernandes Quejada 85

Attendance: 148
Referee: Mr Amari Taylor
Assistants: Mr James Reid & Mr Geoffrey Jamieson