Ben Lewis and Sam Tydeman will miss the first three games of the Ryman Premier season after they were both sent off in Maidstone’s pre-season fixture at Fisher.
After thirty entertaining minutes of this game, Lewis and Sean Batts appeared to square up to each other on the edge of the box. When the referee, Mr James Garrett, called Lewis and Sean Batts over it was expected that the players would just be spoken to, or at the worst been asked to be substituted. Unfortunately though, Garrett made the bizarre decision to brandish the red card to both players. With the two sides incensed, Sam Tydeman made his feelings clear to Garrett and promptly joined Lewis back in the dressing room.
Unsurprisingly, the three red cards totally ruined what was, up until that point, a lively pre-season game and one that The Stones were leading thanks to Andy Martin’s first goal for the club on five minutes.
United had started the game brightly and on ten minutes, Simon Austin had a difficult half volley chance from an acute angle but his shot went past the right hand post. Nick Hegley and Austin were working well down the left hand side together and the duo combined again on eighteen minutes when Hegley squared the ball to Austin who was in space inside the box but Austin fired his drive into the left hand side netting.
Fisher did not create their first opportunity until the twenty seventh minute when Sean Batts showed good strength and pace to plough deep into United’s half. Batts found the influential Ross Gaynor who sent in a cross that Pat Mullin could only partially clear and the chance fell to Gaynor who had run in from the left hand side but his shot was wayward.
With a man advantage following the dismissals, Fisher began to increase the pressure on Maidstone and Mullin made two excellent saves inside two minutes to firstly deny Matthew Batts and then Gaynor. However, Mullin could not prevent Gaynor from firing in the inevitable equaliser on the stroke of half time.
During the break, Fisher manager Wayne Burnett sportingly withdrew Jason Thompson to even the sides up at nine apiece and within two minutes of the restart The Stones were awarded a penalty after Nathan Paul was fouled. Substitute Mo Takaloo assumed responsibility of the penalty and planted his effort to the right of Chris Lewington but the Fisher keeper guessed which way the shot was going and he managed to deny Takaloo his second goal of the season.
There after, Fisher totally took charge of the game and on fifty minutes, some neat build up play from the home side ended with Matthew Batts curling the ball just wide. However, nine minutes later, Athletic finally edged in front when Gavin Heeroo went past Paul and substitute Kane Rice before drilling the ball past substitute keeper Michal Czanner.
Czanner then twice saved well from substitute Jamie Martin but Fisher finally wrapped up the game with just a minute remaining when Loe Gohann crossed for Matthew Batts to finish from close range.
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