Swans 1 AFC Hayes 0

Tuesday 19th November 2019. Esoteric Division One Challenge Cup, 2nd Round.

Walton & Hersham 1 AFC Hayes 0.

A 76th minute Seb Osei-Obengo goal gave Swans the win in a tie that was always in the balance until the final whistle. Despite a lot of fine build-up play they had created little in the way of clear chances until the breakthrough, and it was the visitors who arguably had the better of the opportunities to win a niggling encounter. Ibrahim Ugradar returned in goal, replacing the cup-tied Felix Davies, while a first-start was given to Jordan Junor from the U18s, who reached his 17th birthday just last week. Justin Hemmings also returned after missing the last two matches with a hamstring problem. Swans soon created an opening when Parish Muirhead’s fine pass found Thomas Lim on the right, and he got forward to drive in a low cross that Junor just failed to get to on the edge of the 6 yard box. It was then Junor’s turn to almost set up a chance for Lim, who just failed to get to the ball in front of goal after Simeon Dennis had got Junor through to the byline on the left. Swans had made a strong start, and Michael Winnister was sent clear on the right, but his cross dipped behind. The visitors had the best chance however with ten minutes played when they broke on the left, and when the ball was driven in low it was skewed wide of the far-post from inside the 6 yard box. Some fine play by Anderson Pinto-Nogueira ended with him getting the ball to Dennis on the left, and when he got the ball over Lim did not get good contact on his header and it was straight at keeper Tom Clark. Nathan Dennis got free on the right for AFC Hayes to get in a shot that was deflected behind for a corner. From Trey Pender’s kick on the right the ball was headed behind for another corner on the left. With just over half an hour played Ugradar went down to save a shot from Dennis, who had got into the right of the box for AFC Hayes. Swans responded with a good run on the left by Pinto-Nogueira, who won a corner when his low cross was put behind. There were then concerted appeals for handball when Pinto-Nogueira drove a free-kick from the left into the box. Jordan McGirr got the ball to Dennis on the right for the visitors to have it blocked for a corner at the near-post. Following the kick there was a scramble at the far-post, but the referee gave a free-kick in Swans’ favour. With half-time approaching Pinto-Nogueira did well to win the ball on the right before sending it dipping just over the visitors’ goal. AFC Hayes started the second-half strongly, and after the referee ruled advantage to let play continue, they found space in the right of the box to have a shot that struck the near-post. Then, just past the hour, Ugradar had to take another shot from the right down at his near-post. Swans soon brought Osei-Obengo on, and this was to prove decisive with just under a quarter of an hour remaining. A fine pass from Muirhead found Winnister on the right, and although he got forward into a shooting position he was aware of Osei-Obengo supporting to his left, and after he laid the ball across to him it was always going to end up in the back of the net. With just over five minutes of normal-time remaining the visitors had a chance to force extra-time when Pender worked his way through on the left, but his low shot clipped the far-post. Swans had a chance to clinch their passage three minutes into added-on time when a fine piece of possession play ended with Dennis in space on the left, but his goal-bound effort took the slightest of deflections, and the ball went wide of the far-post for a corner.

Swans’ Team: Ibrahim Ugradar, Michael Winnister, Sam Marfo, Parish Muirhead, Justin Hemmings, Hamzah Williams, Thomas Lim (Leon Lalor-Dell 53’), Anderson Pinto-Nogueira (Sam Osei 82’), Tyreke Leslie (Seb Osei-Obengo 64’), Jordan Junor, Simeon Dennis. Subs. not used: Stanley Channell, Alvin Sarmiento. Scorer: Osei-Obengo (76’). Cautions: Marfo, foul (45+1’), Muirhead, foul (85’), Dennis, simulation (88’).

AFC Hayes Team: Clark, Muhammad (H. Smith), Howes, Day, Yorke, Garnett, Dennis, Mukasa, Najafi (Wells 57’), McGirr (Harmes 61’), Pender. Subs. not used: Azize, Manuel. Cautions: Muhammed (62’), Mukasa (66’), Najafi (79’).