Clinical finishing gave Fernhill the three points against Thirroul on Saturday, keeping the Foxes right on the heels of the leaders in the WGC Cranes District League. Japanese import Kazuma Nagaishi found the net twice for Fernhill and hit the woodwork on two other occasions. Fernhill captain Marc Sergi scored one and provided the assist for two of his side’s goals. Chris Hobbs scored the home side’s other goal.

Matt Kellond gave the visitors hope when he equalised just after half time, but the Thunder rarely posed a serious threat to Akira Tatsubayashi in the Fernhill goal. The result leaves Thirroul in fourth spot ahead of Sunday’s fixture, but a lot of teams are closing in on them as the middle of the table becomes ever more crowded as we approach the half way point in the league season.

Fernhill went straight onto the offensive from the whistle, keeping Thirroul captain Daniel Bond busy in the opening exchanges. But there was nothing Bond or any of his back four could have done to stop Nagaishi’s opening goal in just the second minute. The Japanese forward powered through when the ball came loose on the edge of the area and drove the ball into the back of the net to give the Foxes a dream start.

That early lead could have been doubled moments later when Scott Muilwyk sent a free kick into the area from 30 yards out, but nobody got a touch and the ball rolled just wide of the upright.

For much of the next half hour the game was played out mainly in the centre of the park, with neither side creating many opportunities. Thirroul in particular were let down by poor distribution, especially in the final third, giving their target men Kellond and Luke Mittwollen barely a touch of the ball.

But just past the half hour, the visitors had their best chance of the first half. Tom Goodier sent over a corner from the right that Tatsubayashi failed to collect, leading to a goalmouth scramble and a final clearance off the line by Fernhill captain Sergi.

That close shave for the Foxes only spurred them into greater activity up front themselves.

Sergi, whose distribution from midfield was faultless all afternoon, sent Hobbs racing down the left flank and into the area. Josh Williams came out from his goal to challenge the Fernhill winger but was beaten for pace and had to look on as Tylor Snelgrove got back to clear for the Thunder.

Next it was Nagaishi who ran on to yet another through ball from Sergi. He beat his marker and fired past Williams, who this time was saved by the woodwork, with Bond getting back to clear once again.

The home side went in at half time looking good for their one goal lead.

The Thunder came out fighting for the second half and within three minutes had got the equaliser. Goalkeeper Williams was the provider as his long clearance went straight upfield to Kellond who unleashed a right foot shot that gave Tatsubayashi no chance.

For a few minutes Thirroul looked the more likely to score again. Peter Besnard sent in a free kick from the left which found Mitwollen at the far post and the Thunder forward rose highest but could not steer his header towards goal.

And it was totally against the run of play when Fernhill took back the lead in the 58^th minute.

Sergi was the man yet again. He started the move with a searching ball out to the left for Hobbs, but then raced into the area to meet Hobbs’ cross with a superb header into the bottom corner.

From that moment, there was really only one likely winner of this game.

Nagaishi was denied by the woodwork again after Muilwyk’s good work in the area, laying the ball off to the Fernhill striker, whose left foot shot took a deflection before bouncing onto the top side of the bar.

At 2-1 down, Thirroul coach Garth Bowley brought on Corey Haines-Grose to add some bite up front, but it was all to no avail.

With fifteen minutes remaining, the Foxes went two up. Nagaishi won a free kick down the left flank, which Sergi curled into the area, finding Hobbs free in front of goal. He steered his header past Williams for a 3-1 lead.

Five minutes later it was 4-1. It was Sergi again who set the ball up for Nagaishi, who scored the goal of the game, firing a superb left foot shot through a crowded area into the back of the net.

To Thirroul’s credit, they never gave up, even though the game was effectively over by then. And the best end-to-end action came in the dying moments of the match.

At one end, Williams pulled off a fine save to deny Fernhill a fifth; at the other, Thirroul substitute James Townson was kept out by a brave Tatsubayashi. And right at the death, Tatsubayashi again came out to take the ball off the toes of Haines-Grose as the Thirroul forward shaped to shoot.

Thirroul coach Garth Bowley was disappointed with the result, but pleased with how some of his new young players had performed. “Fernhill took their chances well and we didn’t create enough ourselves. At half time, we decided to try to keep possession more and build up slowly rather than trying the long ball and it worked well for us, but then when they got their second it set us back. We’ve had a lot of changes here in the last couple of weeks, but I thought our young guys did well.”

For Fernhill’s Dan McGoldrick, the result was just deserts after work in training on how to finish. “We’d been creating a lot of chances but not finding the net from open play enough, so I’m really pleased that the guys stepped up today and took those chances when they came. Defensively I’m really pleased, too, because we play as a unit, as a team, and it makes for a positive vibe through the club. But hats off to Kazuma (Nagaishi), who got the goal early on and then popped up for another late on.”

Fernhill FC – 4 (Nagaishi 2’, 82’, Sergi 58’, Hobbs 76’)

Thirroul FC – 1 (Kellond 48’)

Saturday 28 May 2016

Ray Robinson Field

Referee: Peter Ilcevski

Assistant Referees: Michael Bell, William Whitehouse

Fernhill FC: Akira Tatsubayashi, Anthony Oliver, Luke McDonald, Sean Poulton, Keiran Morris (Sub 82’), Dale White, Dean Morosin, Marc Sergi (Brod Moss 87’), Kazuma Nagaishi (Ben Moerman 82’), Scott Muilwyk, Chris Hobbs (sub not used James McClelland)

Thirroul FC: Josh Williams, Daniel Bond, Liam Forsythe, Tylor Snelgrove, Shayne Mulholland (Adam Ward 82’), Rhys Patchett, Ryan Latini (Corey Haines-Grose 70’), Peter Besnard, Luke Mitwollen, Matthew Kellond Tom Goodier (James Townson 79’) (subs not used: Todd Davidson, Robert Gyngell, Jayden Lewis)

 

 

Report by Simon Duffin

Photo: Pedro Garcia