Monday 26th August 2024.                          Southern League, Premier Division South.

Walton & Hersham 3 Chertsey Town 2.

Swans made it four wins in a row, but they had to battle hard in a tough encounter with difficult local rivals to pick up the three points. The newly promoted Curfews showed their credentials as they made it hard for Swans to settle and play their normal game, restricting them to few opportunities. They looked like taking the win after going 2-1 up after 66 minutes, but Swans battled back, and after the equaliser came from the penalty-spot, Dawid Rogalski made it four goals in four with a late winner. A slight dampener was the striker receiving a second yellow card deep into added-on time, following a reaction probably resulting from the rough treatment, much of which went unpunished, meted out on him all match. Another blow was Cam Thompson having to come off injured less than half an hour into his first start of the season.
There were three changes to the starting line-up at Wimborne, with Eoin Bolger, Lucas Defise and Thompson, coming in for Jaden Crowhurst, Anis Nuur and the unavailable Nana Owusu.
The match kicked-off in front of a crowd of 1,143, the Bank Holiday Monday attendance being the largest at The Hub since the Play-off Final in April 2023. Swans soon went close when Joey Jones played a fine ball through to Mason Obeng on the right, and he tricked his way past Alex Fisher and into the box to get in a left foot shot that was goal-bound, but the ball struck the outstretched left knee of a defender to go wide of the near-post for a corner. Home goalkeeper Jos Barker had to make a good catch under pressure when Conor Lynch delivered a dangerous high cross from the right, but Swans threatened again when terrific play by Obeng led to him finding Thompson in the left of the box, and his low ball in just failed to find Rogalski in the middle. Rogalski was then just closed out in the right of the box by excellent covering from Reuben Collins when Obeng played a fine ball through. With a quarter of an hour gone Elliott Bolton played Johl Powell down the right, and then got forward to take the return pass and get into the box, but he sent his shot over.
The goal-kick was nodded on to get Lynch through to the right corner-flag, but his driven cross was taken by Barker at his near-post. Rogalski conceded a free-kick to Chertsey with a foul on Calum Duffy deep on the left, and when Fisher’s delivery into the box was cleared to Bill Montague just outside, he sent a half-volley dipping over.
Swans soon had a chance when Barker sent a free-kick from his penalty area down the middle, and Rogalski did well to nod the ball through to send Thompson clear to the edge of the box, but his attempt to lob keeper Oliver Davies went just over.
The visitors responded with Wilf Ompreon being played down the left, but after cutting inside past Bolton he dragged a low shot well-wide of the near-post. Montague then got in a low shot from outside the corner of the box following a build-up on the right, but Barker took the ball comfortably on his line.
Swans went close to breaking the deadlock when Defise fed Thompson on the left, and he cut in to drive in a low shot that Davies did well to keep out down at his near-post. The striker stayed down injured, and after lengthy treatment he could not continue, with Adam Mekki coming on.
Swans had an escape when Jack Mazzone got in to the right corner of the 6 yard-box, and Barker had to make a smart save at his near-post, followed by Bolton just getting the ball clear.
It was Swans however who opened the scoring with ten minutes remaining of the half when Rogalski had a shot blocked on the left corner of the box, but regained possession. He then slipped the ball through to Mekki coming into the box on the left, and he slotted past Davies.
Chertsey sent a long ball from deep on the right in their own half that glanced off the head of Bolton, and Barker could not prevent it going behind for a corner on the left, but Montague wasted the opportunity by sending the kick too long and behind. From the goal-kick Chertsey returned a long ball down the middle that forced Barker to come to the edge of his area to head away. The Swans’ keeper failed to get good contact, and Montague was able to get his head to the ball, but Paul Field hooked it away. Bolton did well to prevent Ompreon getting clear on the left, but the ball went behind for a corner. Montague’s kick was better this time, and Jones headed away from close in, followed by Barker finally clutching the ball.
Chertsey had posed a threat late in the half, and with added-on time being entered they equalised. The ball was headed forward, and with Archie Procter and Field getting in each other’s way Mazzone was able to get clear into the left of the box. His low shot lacked power, and Barker will feel disappointed he let the ball slip under his body and into the net.
The home side had been knocked out of their stride, and Conor Lee crossed from the right to the edge of their 6 yard-box for Mazzone to get in a diving header that brought a fine save from Barker, but the referee awarded a free-kick to Swans.
Swans made a double change for the second-half, with Crowhurst and Nuur coming on for Bolger and Defise.
The opening quarter of an hour was scrappy and attritional, with Swans unable to gain any meaningful possession as Chertsey pressed them into their own half. It was past the hour mark before Swans threatened the away goal, Nuur getting Mekki to the left byeline to cut in and force a corner off Luke Robertson at the near-post. Mekki continued to get some joy down the left, and Rogalski was just prevented from getting a head to his cross.
Swans seemed to have got some level of control back when they conceded a second goal. Ompreon got down the left for Chertsey, before cutting inside and Montague taking over on the edge of the box to pass the ball inside the left post.
It had come surprisingly late in the game, but Duffy was the first visiting player to be shown a yellow card for a foul on Powell on the right.
Nuur and Mekki had begun to link up well on the left for Swans, and this brought the equaliser after 72 minutes. Mekki played Nuur down the left, and he drove to the byeline to sidestep Louis Birch and get the ball across. There were immediate claims for handball, and the referee took several seconds before awarding the penalty. Nuur took the spot-kick himself, and drove the ball past Davies and inside the right post.
Alex Body soon came on to replace Jones.
Ompreon forced a corner off Crowhurst on the left for Chertsey, but Louis Degand’s kick was headed away at the near-post by Rogalski. Degand was immediately found wide on the left, and his dangerous cross to the near-post was well taken by Barker.
Play switched to the other end, and some good play by Obeng on the right led to Field forcing a corner. From Mekki’s kick Collins had to head behind at the near-post for another corner.
Swans then took the lead for the second time after 82 minutes. Following a long kick down the pitch by Barker, Powell was able to nod the ball forward, and then run on to it himself to get into the box and leave him with a one-on-one with keeper Davies. Davies was able to block Powell’s low shot on the edge of the 6 yard-box, but Rogalski followed up to side-foot the ball inside the left post.
With five minutes remaining Mekki again did well on the left, but his clipped cross was just too high for Rogalski at the near-post and Davies gathered. Rogalski was then fouled by a combination of three Chertsey players 35 yards out, with Robertson selected by the referee for the yellow card. Nuur drove in the free-kick, but Davies made a comfortable save.
In the final minute of normal-time Chertsey’s Mazzone drove in a shot from 22 yards that Barker got well behind. Mekki fouled Degand five yards outside the right corner of the box to give the visitors a free-kick in a dangerous position. Lee swung the kick in to the far-post, and the ball flashed across the goal-face and just wide, with Robertson at the other post just failing to get a touch. The ball had presumably come off a Swans’ player as a corner was awarded. Lee took the kick, and Barker did well to get the ball behind at the near-post for another corner, but this time Lee’s delivery was too long and went behind.
With five minutes of added-on time played Rogalski, who had been subjected to fouls all match, made a late challenge on Lee, and having been booked earlier was sent off.
Lee was then fouled deep on the left by Powell, who was shown a yellow card, but Lee’s free-kick went safely through to Barker in the right of his area.
With the match entering the ninth minute of added-on time the referee finally blew to signal a hard-fought Swans’ win.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Paul Field, Eoin Bolger (Jaden Crowhurst 46’), Joey Jones (Alex Body 73’), Archie Procter, Lucas Defise (Anis Nuur 46’), Elliott Bolton, Mason Obeng, Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Cameron Thompson (Adam Mekki 28’). Sub. not used: James Hall. Scorers: Mekki (35’), Nuur, penalty (72’), Rogalski (82’). Cautions: Bolton, foul (89’), Powell (90+6’). Dismissal: Rogalski, 2 cautions for fouls (49’ & 90+5’)
Chertsey Team: Davies, Lee, Fisher (Botti 84’), Birch, Duffy, Collins, Lynch (Degand 73’), Robertson, Mazzone, Montague (Ridgley 79’), Ompreon. Subs. not used: Welch-Turner, Neville. Scorers: Mazzone (45’), Montague (66’). Cautions: Duffy, foul (78’), Robertson, foul (85’).