Saturday 14th September 2024.                  FA Cup, 2nd Qualifying Round.

Walton & Hersham 2    Farnborough 1.

A superb individual goal from Johl Powell three minutes into added-on time gave Swans a sensational win over their Step 2 visitors. They had trailed until twelve minutes from the end of normal-time, but an equaliser from Nana Owusu, followed by Powell’s goal, gave them a deserved win and a place in the 3rd Qualifying Round. They looked like regretting the error that had gifted the National League South side a half-time lead, but a fine second-half performance, which led to them also striking the goal-frame twice, finally saw them through.
Although Farnborough posed a threat on occasion, home goalkeeper Jos Barker did not have a serious shot to save all match.
Swans were missing the services of captain Joey Jones, who had come off injured against Hanwell Town in midweek, while Tom Olyott was still not available following his concussion. Eoin Bolger returned to the starting line-up, while new signing, and former Basingstoke forward Dan Rowe, came in for his debut after moving from Gosport Borough.
Swans went close to taking an early lead when a throw-in on the right sent Powell on a run to the byeline, and his ball driven across the 6 yard-box just evaded both Dawid Rogalski and Owusu at the far-post. Jaden Crowhurst then cut in from the right touchline to five yards outside the corner of the box to drive in a shot that ‘Boro keeper Jack Turner parried down at his near-post. A corner was soon won on the right, and Turner punched away from Bolger’s kick.
Farnborough’s Ollie Robinson had the first opportunity to utilise his long throw from the left, but Barker punched clear at the near-post.
After having the best of the opening ten minutes Swans fell behind in disappointing fashion. It started with a ‘Boro throw deep on the right, and when the ball came to Crowhurst on the edge of the centre-circle, his attempted back-pass to Paul Field was under-hit, and Ricky Holmes nipped in. Holmes got clear into the left of the box, and before Field could close him down, drove the ball into the far corner.
Archie Procter was soon having to make a good block when Ollie Pendlebury got free on the right.
Rowe got down the right for Swans, and his cross to the far-post led to Owusu having a shot blocked.
Robinson launched another long throw from the left for Farnborough, and when the ball came to Richard Chin 25 yards out, he drove a shot well-wide of the left post.
Owusu and Bolger combined on the left for Swans to force a corner, and the ball dipped wide of the far-post when Turner failed to cut out Crowhurst’s kick.
Another Robinson long throw from the left was headed away by Procter, and Chin was able to get the ball back out to Robinson, who drove in a shot from the corner of the box that took a slight deflection to dip just wide of the far-post and behind for a corner. The goal had resulted in Swans losing their early momentum, and with just under half an hour played Robinson’s throw on the right led to Barker not gathering under pressure at his near-post. The visitors were able to build up play on the right, and when Chin drove the ball low across from the byeline it deflected into the gloves of Barker at the near-post.
Owusu got into the left of the box for Swans, and a neat back-heel sent Bolger to the byeline, but his cross went behind. Swans had one last opportunity to create an equaliser as the half entered stoppage-time with a free-kick outside the corner of the box on the right, but Bolger’s delivery was cleared at the near-post.
Swans made a change for the second-half, with Josh Tobin replacing Field. Anis Nuur soon forced a corner on the right for Swans, but Farnborough threatened at the other end, with Holmes driving the ball low across goal from the left byeline.
Swans came their closest so far to equalising when Rowe sent a fine ball low across the 6 yard-box from the right that was put behind at the far-post. From Nuur’s left-side corner Tobin was at the near-post to hook the ball just over.
Farnborough then went close when Turner’s long goal-kick reached Holmes high on the left, and he got past Crowhurst and to the byeline to whip in a cross. Reggie Young was on the penalty-spot to turn and strike a left-foot shot wide of the left post.
With ten minutes of the second-half played Swans went desperately close to equalising. A build up on the right led to Powell and Crowhurst combining in the box to set up Nuur just outside the 6 yard-box, and his shot was superbly deflected onto the crossbar by Turner. The ball then appeared to be controlled by the hands of Chin, but Swans’ appeals went unheeded, leading to Owusu being shown a yellow card.
Farnborough’s Edon Pruti followed him into the referee’s notebook for disputing a free-kick awarded to Swans when Rogalski was fouled 15 yards outside the box. Owusu lined up the kick, but his shot was blocked. Another free-kick came on the hour when Tobin was fouled by Pendlebury on the right, but Turner punched the ball away when Nuur delivered it into the box.
Barker did well to cut out another Robinson long throw from the right, the Swans’ keeper then making another good take at the far-post when Crowhurst was booked for a foul deep on the left and Pendlebury delivered the free-kick into the box.
Before the kick was taken Swans had brought on Mason Obeng for Rowe. Rogalski got in a shot from just outside the box that was blocked, and Obeng almost got in as the ball looped into the box. Swans then made their third and fourth substitutions, with Elliott Bolton and Adam Mekki coming on for Crowhurst and Nuur.
The equaliser soon followed after 78 minutes. A patient build up led to Bolton playing Powell in on the right byeline, and when he drove the ball low across it struck the hands of Holmes, who slid in to block, and a penalty was awarded. Owusu took the kick, and Turner dived to his right to make a good save, but Owusu followed up on the edge of the 6 yard-box to drive home a left foot, half-volley.
Swans soon went close to taking the lead when great play by Owusu on the right took him driving past Pruti to cross the ball low into the box. Rogalski was just outside the 6 yard-box to get in a shot, and Robinson and keeper Turner combined to deflect the ball onto the right post and behind for a corner.
Farnborough had a free-kick in a dangerous position outside the right edge of the box, but Pendlebury’s shot was blocked.
With the tie entering the final five minutes Obeng drove the ball across the box from the left, but Owusu just failed to get to it at the far-post. Rogalski then turned on the left edge of the box to get in a shot that Turner got behind on his line.
Six minutes of additional-time had been indicated, and three minutes into them Swans took the lead with a terrific goal. Another patient build up led to Bolton finding Powell twenty yards outside the box. Powell turned and drove past Pruti and into the right of the box, before guiding a shot past Turner and just inside the far-post.
Swans had a free-kick out on the left touchline when Owusu drew a foul, and a corner was forced on the left as the added-on time ran past a tense ten minutes, before the final whistle blew.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Paul Field (Josh Tobin 46’), Eoin Bolger, Anis Nuur (Adam Mekki 74’), Archie Procter, Lucas Defise, Jaden Crowhurst (Elliott Bolton 73’), Dan Rowe (Mason Obeng 69’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Nana Owusu. Subs. not used: James Hall, Will Davis. Scorers: Owusu (78’), Powell (90+3’). Cautions: Owusu, dissent (55’), Crowhurst, foul (68’), Tobin, did not retire (90’).
Farnborough Team: Turner, Casey, Robinson, Chin, Pruti (Bremang 90+5’), Kasimu (Bloomfield 64’), Holmes, Page (Matthews-Lewis 64’), Pendlebury (Oyeleke 85’), Clark, Young. Subs. not used: Mason, Smart, Bradshaw. Scorer: Holmes (10’). Cautions: Pendlebury, foul (41’), Robinson, dissent (47’), Pruti, dissent (58’).