Over the last few seasons, I have tried to attend all of the B team games in the two local competitions for which they are eligible, the Middlesex Senior and London Senior Cups. These competitions used to attract teams from most if not all of the lower Football League Clubs, but as the schedule became more crowded for those teams, they are now largely non-league contests. This means that following the B team has necessitated a good deal of research into location and travel options. This season is no different, with the first round of each competition pitching us against Fisher FC and St Panteleimon FC, neither of which we have ever played before at any level.
As you all know, although I confess I didn’t, Fisher FC was established in 2009, after Fisher Athletic folded, and are based in Rotherhithe. According to their website the club ‘was originally named after the Catholic martyr Saint John Fisher. This makes Fisher one of the few sports clubs in the world to take their name from a person rather than place’. They are currently members of the Southern Counties East League Premier Division. Having consulted TFL journey planner, which promised a trip on a previously unknown bit of the Overground, I set off for St Paul’s Sports Ground unsure of what to expect. The first thing to strike me walking to the ground was the breathtaking contrast between the largely low level housing around me and the brightly lit skyscrapers of Canary Wharf looming above us from the other side of the river. Another area of London that, football apart, I’d never have reason to visit.
In the event, it proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening among what was apparently a record crowd of over 400, mostly “Fish” fans. We rather spiced things up by arriving with only 12 players for this London Senior Cup game, one a trialist, and the only substitute being a goalkeeper, and every tackle threatened to reduce us to ten men. It seemed to the little group of away supporters that we might have made a couple of substitutions if they had been available but in the event all eleven B teamers saw the game out. The team itself was heavily weighted towards defenders, with only Joe Adams, Wraynel Hercules, and Val Adedokun as recognisable front men, although the trialist may also have been a forward. The artificial pitch was another unfamiliar challenge which may also have helped even up things for “The Fish”.
What was immediately evident was the great family atmosphere at the ground and their very warm welcome was just the start of a typical non-league occasion where the football was not the be all and end all. The game itself was competitive for well over an hour, when the part-timers visibly tired, and, although we scored a really good opener mid way through the first half, a great run and cross from Adedokun slammed into the goal from outside the box by Dom Jeffries, we didn’t manage to add to it until Tristan Crama’s nicely taken turn and shot towards the end of the second half. A small group of home fans behind one goal kept up a constant level of noise throughout, with the full songbook of chants ranging from “Premier League, you’re having a laugh” to the ironic “we’d forgotten you were here”, as at no point did we hear any away support at all. All in very good humour and adding hugely to the enjoyment of a unseasonal warm evening. Fisher never gave up and neither did this section of the crowd.
When I got home I checked on the GPG to see if any of those who also made the effort had reported on the game. It only added to the night to discover a post on the match thread from someone behind the scenes at Fisher FC praising Brentford FC on their approach to the fixture, from the attitude of all those spoken to in our office, to the team who left the dressing room exactly as they found it.
All credit to everyone who ensured that we also left Fisher FC with nothing but good wishes for the rest of the competition and the reputation of our Club enhanced.
Unfortunately, I will be in Stoke next Wednesday and so will miss the trip to St Panteleimon in the next round. I thoroughly recommend the trip to all those looking for live midweek football, and probably looking for a new venue in Enfield too.