Five star Fisher trounced Punjab United in their Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division encounter.

Three days earlier, Punjab beat the Fish to progress to the quarter finals of the FA Vase. The Gravesend based club also defeated them in the first league match between the two teams earlier in the campaign, and completed the double over them last season.

It appeared that this game may be going the same way when they opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Chris Edwards delivered a deep free kick, Roman Campbell headed it back across goal, and Jack Hopkins hooked it home for his sixteenth goal in all competitions this season.

However, six minutes later the hosts levelled. There looked little danger when it fell to Sha’mar Lawson thirty-five yards out. He thought differently, though, and struck it sweetly into the top corner giving Owen Bushell no chance. 

Then, two minutes later, Fisher scored again. Tom Jones’ original shot was blocked as far as Armani-Jordan Martin and he drilled it into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Anthony Adesite flicked a clearance on and Campbell hit his shot beyond the far post for the visitors before Martin was felled by a poor challenge and had to be replaced by Lorenzo Duncan. He fitted in at right back with Jack Gibbons moving into right midfield.

Adesite hit a shot that lacked power and Isaac Ogunseri saved easily before Lawson again tried his luck from distance but his curler flew well over. As half time approached, Bushell made a comfortable save when Duncan stooped to head Gibbons’ cross goalwards.

Early in the second period, Bushell beat out a shot by Gibbons before Punjab went close when Ogunseri pushed an Edwards cross onto the inside of the near post and clawed it out before it crossed the line.

Seven minutes after the restart, Fisher added a third. Alex Kozak played Jones in and he dinked it over the out-rushing Bushell. Six minutes later, Jones added a fourth when his low free kick appeared to go through the defensive wall and into the bottom corner.

Another Lawson shot went just beyond the post before Adesite drew a good save out of Ogunseri.

In the seventieth minute, Fisher added a fifth when Duncan turned on the edge of the penalty area and fired home.

After that, the game became disjointed and the chances dried up until the closing minutes. Alfie Moynes had a shot saved by Ogunseri just before the end of regulation time and Campbell got on the end of an Edwards free kick but couldn’t turn it home in time added on. Bushell had one more save to make from Fisher substitute William Johnson-Cole before the referee brought proceedings to a close.

Victory moved Fisher up three places to ninth, four points outside the play-offs with two games in hand. Punjab remain in sixth, now just one point ahead of the Fish. 

Fisher: Ogunseri, Gibbons, Adams, Macaulay, Darwish (Ojeman 62); Mbuenimo (Jumo 73); Martin (Duncan 26), Lawson, Kozak; Jones (Katonia 77); Kamara.

Sub not used: Salgado.

Goalscorers: Lawson (12), Martin (14), Jones (52), (58), Duncan (70)

Yellow cards: Gibbons (10 simulation), Jones (21 foul), Mbuenimo (45 high foot)

Punjab United: O. Bushell; Lewin-Thomas (Okechukwu 46), W. Bushell (Johnson-Cole 73), Ratcliff, Gill (Singh 66); J. Campbell; Edwards, Hopkins, Adesite (Scudder 59); Ottaway (Moynes 66), R. Campbell.

Subs not used: None. 

Goalscorer: Hopkins (6)

Yellow card: Edwards (90+2 foul)

Referee: Chris Bowdery 

Assistants: Thomas Marshall and Tom George

Attendance: 166