Swans 3 Bedfont & Feltham 4

Saturday 16th November 2019. Cherry Red Combined Counties League, Division One.

Walton & Hersham 3 Bedfont & Feltham 4.

Swans twice fell two goals behind in an incident-packed game that included three penalties, two of which were saved, two red cards and seven goals. Although they fought back to equalise with just over twenty minutes remaining and looked like they could go on for a win that had seemed out of their reach, they were reduced to ten men when Seb Osei-Obengo picked up a second caution, and then conceded a fourth goal. They had given themselves a difficult task by conceding three goals inside the first half-hour, failing to deal with the quick attacks of the visitors. After a recent run of good results that had taken them to third spot in the table, their last two games, both at home, have now yielded just one point, something they will need to quickly address. Two new signings made their debuts for Swans. 18 year-old Felix Davies, who has also played for Epsom & Ewell this season, is a Woking Academy goalkeeper, and becomes the eighth player this season to appear between the posts for Swans. Leon Lalor-Dell has appeared in the first teams of both Corinthian-Casuals and Cheshunt this season. The visitors, with four former Swans in their starting line-up, had a fine chance to take the lead after just two minutes when they broke into the right of the box, but the ball was driven over the bar from close to the penalty-spot when it was laid across. Swans soon went close when Simeon Dennis got to the byline on the left before finding Anderson Pinto-Nogueira by the corner of the box, but after a clever turn he drove a shot just over. But, with eight minutes played, they were again exposed down their left side with a pacey run, and when former Swan Kelvin Karanja was set up in the right of the box he drove the ball into the far corner. Swans soon had a chance to equalise when Dennis and Pinto-Nogueira combined on the left to set up Osei-Obengo on the edge of the box, but he drove a good effort over. The visitors extended their lead with a quarter of an hour played following some really naïve defending by Swans. A free-kick was awarded just outside the right corner of the box, and Karanja had the simple task of clipping the ball to Michael Capon, totally unmarked at the far-post, and he was left with a chance he could not fail to convert. Swans got themselves back in the game just two minutes later. Pinto-Nogueira made a fine box-to-box run to drive in a low shot from the left that took a deflection to go just wide of the far-post. Pinto-Nogueira took the corner from the right, and after a first shot was blocked, Hamzah Williams followed up to drive the ball home. But Swans continued to be caught out down their left, and Davies had to save a shot from the right of the box to concede a corner, from which Capon glanced a header over. Osei-Obengo immediately got into the left of the box for Swans to drive in a low shot, but it lacked the power to beat visiting keeper Kavanagh Keadell. Lalor-Dell had a fine chance to bring the scores level when he was sent clear into the right of the box, but he guided the ball just wide of the far-post. Instead of being level Swans found themselves two goals adrift again after 28 minutes. They could not deal with Jae Kelly’s pace down the right, and he ended his run with a fine shot into the far corner. Just four minutes later Swans again had the opportunity to get themselves back in with a chance. A good long ball picked out Dennis on the left, and after tricking his way into the box he was brought down. Dennis elected to take his second penalty of the week, but this time he was not so fortunate, as keeper Keadell denied his former club with a fine save. With just over five minutes left to the break Lalor-Dell made a good break down the right following a Bedfont & Feltham free-kick before feeding Osei-Obengo in the right of the box, but the angle proved too tight, and he drove a difficult chance over. Things could have got worse for Swans when a cross from the left found Capon totally unmarked in the right of the box, but after some initial hesitation Davies made a good block. Lalor-Dell was soon getting the ball into the box from the right at the other end to set up Osei-Obengo, but he was again too high with his shot. The Swans’ striker then picked up a booking for a foul in first-half stoppage-time, which was to prove costly for his side later in the game. Swans had shown enough in the first 45 minutes to indicate they could still get something from the game, and just four minutes after the resumption they gave themselves a great chance with a second goal. Osei-Obengo had a shooting opportunity after getting clear into the right of the box, but he chose to lay the ball off to Dennis, who dwelt too long and had to settle for a corner on the right. Following the kick Pinto-Nogueira was brought down in the box to give his side their second penalty of the afternoon. The opportunity was given to Osei-Obengo this time, and although Keadell got a touch on the ball, the shot was too strong to keep out of his top, right corner. Capon pulled the ball down on the edge of the box for the visitors, but shot straight at Davies, while at the other end Lalor-Dell drove a shot just wide from the right. Keadell then had to tip the ball away for a corner when Miguel Lopes de Matos got in a high cross from the left. Bedfont & Feltham had a close-in chance following a long throw from the right, but they cleared the crossbar. And they soon had an even better opportunity when Kelly crossed from the right to the far-post for Capon to put a free-header wide. But it was Swans who were to score, to bring things level with just over twenty minutes remaining. Williams crossed from the left for Pinto-Nogueiran to make room on the edge of the box and drive in a shot. Keadell could only block the ball away, and Osei-Obengo followed up to drive it home. The game was now there for Swans to go on and win, but their chances of doing so were virtually taken away three minutes later. The visitors had a free-kick on the right, and when the ball was delivered into the left of the box it led to a scramble and Osei-Obengo committing a foul tackle. The Swans’ striker was sent-off for his second booking of the match, and a penalty awarded. Karanja took the kick, but Davies made a terrific save, diving to his right to push the ball onto the post. Tyreke Leslie was immediately sent through for Swans, but he was just closed out. Instead it was the visitors who regained the lead with just under a quarter of an hour remaining. The ball was allowed to run to the left corner of the box following a long throw from the right, and Billy Nutbeam drove a fine shot low into the far corner. Davies took a blow when Kelly followed through on him, earning the Bedfont & Feltham player a yellow card, but with five minutes of normal-time remaining the young keeper pulled off a terrific save when Capon was played into the right of the box. Swans had one last chance to salvage a draw three minutes into added-on time when Mo Ghailan played Leslie into the left of the box, but after getting to the corner of the 6 yard box the angle was too tight, and Keadell was able to block the ball at his near-post and behind for a corner, which failed to bear fruit. There was one last blow for Swans when Alvin Sarmiento was red-carded as the players left for the pitch for comments made to the referee.

Swans’ Team: Felix Davies, Alvin Sarmiento (Sam Marfo 67’), Miguel Lopes de Matos, Parish Muirhead, Jordan Simmons, Hamzah Williams, Leon Lalor-Dell, Munashe Mwatsiya (Mo Ghailan 77’), Seb Osei-Obengo, Anderson Pinto-Nogueira, Simeon Dennis (Tyreke Leslie 66’). Subs. not used: Michael Winnister, Thomas Lim. Scorers: H. Williams (17’), Osei-Obengo (49’ [pen.] & 69’). Dismissals: Osei-Obengo, 2 cautions for fouls (45+4’ & 72’), Sarmiento, abusive language (full-time).

Bedfont & Feltham Team: Keadell, Hitchinson (Betts 90+2’), Nutbeam, Kibreab, Hayden, Pearce, Karanja, Gairy (Mahboudi 74’), Capon, R. Nunn, Kelly. Subs. not used: Davis, Msamala, Hardy. Scorers: Karanja (8’), Capon (15’), Kelly (28’), Nutbeam (76’). Cautions: R. Nunn (24’), Kelly (78’).