Tonbridge were outclassed in their toughest game so far this summer. On a miserable night in which the weather was about as good as the result, Fisher showed they will be one of the favourites to win the Ryman League Premier Division this season. The home side’s performance was not that bad, they can merely be grateful that teams this good won’t be coming to Longmead Stadium for league games this season. A 4-3-3 formation saw Jay May added to the strike force from Tuesday’s match, Darren Smith move to a right-back slot and John Beales in an unusual left-back position, and Danny Lye return to his more natural centre-midfield spot.

Nick Barnes, wearing the captain’s armband, floated in a free-kick in the opening minutes but the incoming Jay May could not quite reach it. Warren Haughton in attack is starting to improve after a slow start and he had his best game so far, it won’t be long before he breaks his duck. Haughton made a run down the left-wing and turned a defender before launching a shot at the top corner which keeper Will Packham turned around the post. Hamid Barr, making his first appearance at Longmead Stadium since “quitting football”, was running the midfield for Fisher and he had a shot turned onto the post by Jerome John.

Fisher took the lead after 27 minutes with Damian Scannell scoring the first goal conceded by Jerome John for Tonbridge. Scannell made a run through the midfield before unleashing a screamer into the top corner off the crossbar. Barr should have doubled the lead shortly after when he faced an open goal on the rebound but somehow managed to put his shot wide. It was another former Angel that would make it 2-0, Lenny Piper who played three games in January on loan doubling the lead.

Barr made amends for his earlier mistake by converting the third on 59 minutes, and could have made it four but was foiled by Jerome John when attempting to round the keeper. Tonbridge tried to get themselves back into the game and Luke Piscina should have scored when Nick Barnes set him through on goal with only the keeper to beat, unfortunately his attempt to lift the ball over him saw it curl just away from the post. Fisher scored a fourth through substitute Anthony Riviere on 74 minutes but Tonbridge were able to secure a consolation goal on 81 minutes. Piscina lofted a free-kick into the box and substitute Ollie Miles towered over the Fisher defence to head home.

Report by: Dan Couldridge

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