Tuesday 5th November 2024.        Southern League, Premier Division South.

Walton & Hersham 0 Taunton Town 1.

Swans went down to their first home defeat for eight months as they could not break down a resolute Taunton Town side that limited them to few clear opportunities. When they did look like scoring they came up against the fine goalkeeping of the newly- signed Josh Gould for the second time this season. The former AFC Totton keeper kept his second clean sheet of the season against Swans, having also denied them for his previous club on the opening day. Dawid Rogalski also saw his shot rattle the goal-frame as his side tried to come back from going behind after 53 minutes to a fine strike.
There was one change to the starting line-up that had played so well against Havant & Waterlooville, Eoin Bolger coming in for the injured Junior Eccleston.
Swans had a free-kick in a promising position five yards outside the edge of the box on the right with just five minutes played after Taunton’s Josh Owers pulled Johl Powell back by his shirt. Bolger swung the ball in to the edge of the 6 yard-box, where Morgan Lewis just denied Rogalski as he headed over for a corner. The game proceeded at a fast pace, and with a quarter of an hour played Nana Owusu was fouled five yards outside the box on the right, the culprit this time being Jayden Nielsen, but Bolger sent the free-kick over the goal. Joey Jones sent a long ball down the middle from deep in his own half to pick out the run of Jordan Esprit, and he turned on the edge of the box past Ollie Woodhouse to drive in a shot that Gould did well to beat down. Esprit regained possession to force a corner on the left, and following Elliott Bolton’s kick the ball came out to Bolger, who drove a shot over from 25 yards.
The visitors went close following a long throw from Woodhouse on the left. The ball was nodded on at the near-post by Toby Down, and a low shot came in from outside the edge of the box on the right that Swans’ keeper Jos Barker did well to go down and push away at his near-post, Josh Tobin clearing away for a throw on the right. Barker then made a good catch as Woodhouse delivered another long throw.
Owusu was fouled on the right by Lewis, giving Swans’ another free-kick, and from Bolton’s delivery the ball was cleared for a corner on the right, this leading to Swans going close to taking the lead. Bolger swung the kick into the 6 yard-box, where Rogalski got in a strong downward header, but Gould turned the ball over his bar with a great save. The Peacocks’ keeper then punched away from Bolger’s right-side corner. With ten minutes remaining of the half a fine ball by Rogalski from the left found Owusu on the right, and he got into the corner of the box to open up a clear chance, but as he prepared to shoot he was clattered by Gould. It looked a clear claim for a penalty, but the referee surprisingly did not concur.
Tom Smith put a shot over for the visitors after being found in the right of the box, and with half-time approaching he had as shot blocked in the box after Down had headed back at the far-post from a left-side corner.
There was still time for Bolger to get the ball in from the left for Swans, but Gould claimed at his near-post.
Swans suffered a blow just five minutes into the second-half when Esprit had to retire injured, with Tom Olyott coming on to replace him.
Three minutes later they went behind to a fine goal from the visitors after conceding a rather unnecessary corner on the left. Tobin headed away at the near-post, but Nielsen drove in a low shot from 25 yards out on the left that was blocked away. Alfie Moulden was then found just outside the box, and he curled a great, left foot shot into the top, right corner that gave Barker no chance.
Swans looked to have another good penalty claim denied when Rogalski went down in the right of the box. Bolger’s long ball from the centre-circle picked out Olyott on the right, and after he tricked his way in on the byeline the ball came to Tobin just outside the box, but Gould got behind his low strike, beating the ball away and then falling on it to deny Rogalski. With an hour played a fine Swans’ move in the right of the box led to a shot being blocked for a corner on the right, and from the kick Taunton just managed to get the ball away.
The visitors won a corner of their own when Opi Edwards’ shot from the right forced Barker to take the ball behind at his near-post.
Lucas Defise then came on to replace Bolton for Swans, who soon had a fine chance to equalise. The move started with Barker throwing the ball out to Paul Field on the right, and when his pass forward found Rogalski, his terrific, first-time flick sent Powell driving clear into the right of the box. Although Owusu was unmarked to his left, Powell chose to go for goal, but his low shot was blocked away by Gould.
Midway through the half Taunton were able to drive through to the left byeline, and Jones was just able to kick clear and deny Smith in the 6 yard-box. Jacob Hodgson followed up outside the box to get in a shot that Barker took high up on his line.
Some fine play by Rogalski outside the box opened up a chance, but he scuffed his shot wide of the right post.
It then took a fine tackle by Tobin to prevent the visitors getting clear in the left of the box.
With a quarter of an hour remaining Swans went desperately close to equalising. Olyott played a neat one-two on the right with Powell, who drove into the right of the box to cross low to the near-post, where Rogalski side-footed the ball onto the angle of bar and post.
After Owusu had been shown a yellow card for a foul he was replaced by Mason Obeng.
As the match entered the final five minutes Rogalski was fouled just outside the right corner of the box, earning Woodhouse the Peacocks’ fourth yellow card of the evening. The free-kick was in a great position, but Olyott was off-target, driving the ball wide of the near-post. With added-on time being played Defise crossed from the left to the right of the box, but Powell could not make good contact. Swans had one last opportunity when pressure on the away goal led to Anis Nuur getting into the left of the box, but as his shot took a deflection and the ball was on its way behind for a corner, the referee surprisingly decided to blow the final whistle.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Paul Field, Eoin Bolger, Joey Jones, Elliott Bolton (Lucas Defise 63’), Josh Tobin, Jordan Esprit (Tom Olyott 50’), Anis Nuur, Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Nana Owusu (Mason Obeng 78’). Subs. not used: Alex Andreou, Danny Ball. Cautions: Jones, Tobin, Owusu, Rogalski.
Taunton Town Team: Gould, Edwards (Matthews 73’), Woodhouse, Down, Purrington, Smith (Jones 86’), Moulden (Feltham 84’), Nielsen, Owers (Hodgson 63’), Lewis, Corrick (Malshanskyj (67’). Scorer: Moulden (53’). Cautions: Edwards, Owers, Smith, Woodhouse, Purrington.