Saturday 10th August 2024. Southern League, Premier Division South.
AFC Totton 1 Walton & Hersham 0.
Swans came away from the Snows Stadium disappointed at having lost their opening game of the new season, but with a lot to be pleased about as their rebuilt team had put on an excellent performance. This was in deep contrast to their visit last season when they had played poorly against a side that were in a rich vein of form and were going for the title. They could probably not have been given a more difficult first fixture as The Stags finally only just missed out on promotion, and are highly tipped to go one better this time out. Their already highly experienced squad has been further bolstered over the close-season with new signings, including the much-publicised capture of former Southampton and Queen’s Park Rangers’ striker Charlie Austin. Although there were no fewer than ten debutants in Swans’ starting eleven, and thirteen overall in the sixteen players used on the day, they showed they are quickly settling in as a team They can point to two factors contributing to their failure to get anything from the game, the denial of what looked a clear penalty when Johl Powell was tripped when clear in on goal after just five minutes, and the outstanding performance of Stags’ goalkeeper Joshua Gould. The home side were reduced to ten men with three minutes of normal-time of the first-half remaining, but Swans could not break them down, despite putting their defence under considerable pressure.
With Eoin Bolger and Joe Garcia both injured, and Josh Tobin sitting out the second of his three match ban incurred last season, U18 player James Hall was a late call-up for the bench, and after coming on late in the game the 17 year-old made a confident debut.
Swans soon mounted an attack, but the home side were able to clear their ranks with a long ball down the right that picked out the run of Tony-James Lee, but his speculative half-volley from distance was well over.
With five minutes on the watch Lucas Defise picked the ball up in the centre-circle and found Powell on the right, and he played a neat one-two with Mason Obeng before driving into the box, where he was sent tumbling by a tackle from behind by Sam Magri. It looked a clear penalty, but the referee viewed it differently.
Marcus Daws made room in the box for The Stags to have a shot blocked, but Swans were soon forcing a corner on the right. Dawid Rogalski got his head to the ball at the far-post from Adam Mekki’s kick, but the referee blew up for a foul.
Totton’s Joe Oastler picked up the afternoon’s first yellow card for bringing down Rogalski on the right touchline. Mekki delivered the free-kick into the box, and when the ball came to Elliott Bolton 25 yards out he had a strong shot blocked. Swans had another great chance after a quarter of an hour when Rogalski was found in the centre-circle, and he threaded a superb pass through to Obeng in clear space on the right, but after driving clear into the box he sent a low shot just wide of the far-post.
Swans were soon almost caught out when Gould sent the ball downfield for Luke Hallett to nod through to Lee in the box, but keeper Jos Barker stuck out his right leg to make a fine block, and Joey Jones was able to hook the ball away. Hallett was then found on the right, and when he got Daws driving in on the byeline, Tom Blair was at the near-post to poke the ball wide.
The home side had looked threatening with their strong, breaking runs, and they took the lead after 23 minutes. Swans had a corner on the right but following Mekki’s kick Totton were able to get possession. Swans were short at the back, and Blair was able to make a fine break down the right, driving past Bolton and Mekki, before sending the ball in low to the edge of the box. Jaden Crowhurst could not cut the ball out, and Daws was behind him to poke a low shot past Barker, and into the right corner.
With just over ten minutes left of the half Mekki and Jones combined with a neat one-two for Mekki to find Defise by the left corner of the box. Defise cut inside past Adam Tomasso, but sent his shot dipping over the far, top corner.
Paul Field was the first Swans’ player to be shown a yellow card for a foul just outside the left edge of the box, giving Totton a free-kick in a dangerous position, but Lee drove the ball over.
Jones was soon following Field into the referee’s notebook for a foul, before Totton went down to ten men after 43 minutes. Jones sent Bolton on a run down the left, and Josh Owers came across to send the Swans’ player flying with a high, studs-up challenge. The referee had little option but to show The Stags’ player a straight red card.
Swans almost capitalised straight away when Rogalski played another terrific through pass to send Powell clear into the right of the box, but after getting to the byeline he sent the ball low across the goal-face. Mekki was able to collect at the far-post, but after sidestepping Hallett he could only find the side-netting. Swans forced successive corners on the right, but Gould was finally able to fall on the ball following Mekki’s cross.
Swans made a change for the second-half, with Cam Thompson coming on for Mekki, while the home side made a double switch, including the introduction of Austin.
Swans were soon attacking, and a fine move got Crowhurst to the right corner of the box, but his low shot was straight at Gould on his line.
A good break by Totton won them a corner on the right, but Austin’s header from close to the penalty-spot looped well over.
Crowhurst made a good run to the right byeline, but was closed out, before Swans were denied an equaliser by a tremendous save by Gould. An excellent move on the right led to Obeng’s neat ball sending Powell driving into the right of the box. Powell squared the ball to Rogalski by the penalty-spot, and his first-time shot was somehow deflected onto the right post by The Stags’ keeper. Obeng was able to follow up on the right, but he shot low just wide of the far-post.
Totton had a chance when Austin neatly set up Scott Rendell on the right edge of the box, but he drove his shot wide of the near-post.
With an hour played Swans brought on Anis Nuur for Defise. Powell was soon being fouled ten yards outside the box, and he took the free-kick quickly to Rogalski, but his low shot lacked the power to beat Gould. Rogalski had a better chance when he brought the ball down on the left corner of the 6 yard-box after Thompson had sent a fine cross over from the right, but he shot wide of the near-post.
With just over a quarter of an hour remaining Totton delivered a free-kick from the right touchline, and a glancing header from the corner of the 6 yard-box was superbly kept out at his near-post by Barker. Following the resultant corner Austin set up Lee in the left of the box, and Barker made another fine block at the near-post with his right leg. The second corner from the left was flicked on, and Hallett was at the far-post to put a header over.
With ten minutes of normal-time remaining Jones played a one-two with Powell just outside the box before neatly playing Alex Body, on for Obeng, in on the right, but his low shot was again kept out by a fine block from Gould. The Stags’ keeper again got behind the ball when Jones drove in a low shot from wide on the left. In the final minute Nuur slid the ball through to Thompson on the edge of the box, and his right foot shot brought another fine save from Gould, who beat the ball down before preventing a follow up. A fine opportunity immediately followed when Jones was fouled two yards outside the right edge of the box, but his free-kick was blocked by the wall, and Bolton’s follow up shot was also blocked away. A corner was forced on the left, but Bolton’s kick was well cut out by Gould. Swans had one last opportunity deep into lengthy added-on time when Body had a shot blocked for a corner on the right. Barker came up for Nuur’s corner and got his head to the ball at the far-post, but it was cleared just before the final whistle blew.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Jaden Crowhurst (James Hall 81’), Paul Field, Joey Jones, Archie Procter, Lucas Defise (Anis Nuur 60’), Adam Mekki (Cameron Thompson 46’), Mason Obeng (Alex Body 69’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Elliott Bolton (Alex Andreou 90+6’). Cautions: Field (40’), Jones (41’), Nuur (90’).
AFC Totton Team: Gould, Oastler, Magri, Tomasso, Rendell, Hallett, Owers, Rose, Lee (Taylor 90+3’), Blair (Kennedy 46’), Daws (Austin 46’). Subs. not used: Rew, Laird. Scorer: Daws (23’). Cautions: Oastler, Austin, Rose, Hallett. Dismissal: Owers (43’).
