Saturday 23rd November 2024.                  Southern League, Premier Division South.

Walton & Hersham 4 Gloucester City 4.

Last season Swans fought out a 4-4 draw at home against Harrow Borough in a remarkable match played out in conditions of high wind and rain showers. On that occasion the score had swung one way and another, with Swans coming back from 4-2 down with 25 minutes remaining to salvage a draw. This match was fought out in like conditions as Storm Bert hit The Hub, but apart from that and the final score-line the similarities ended there. Swans had utilised the wind blowing in their favour in the first-half by storming into a 4-0 lead at the break. It was always going to be difficult to maintain that advantage with the high gusts and rain now in their faces, and against a second-placed Gloucester City side that had only lost once on their travels. It looked to be job done however as the visitors had not dented the lead with just 23 minutes remaining, but with conditions worsening even more they made it 4-1. Swans then went desperately close to restoring their four goal lead and effectively sealing the win, but that was as good as it got as their defence failed to cope with balls into their box, The Tigers scoring three more goals, and with the equaliser coming in added-on time.
There were two changes to the home line-up that had started the 2-1 win over Sholing, Mason Obeng coming in for Lucas Defise, and Nana Owusu returning from suspension to replace Tom Olyott.
Swans took the lead after just four minutes with one of the most remarkable own goals you could wish to see. City goalkeeper Jared Thompson played a one-two from a goal-kick with his left-back Tyrone Duffus, and on receiving the ball back on the near edge of his 6 yard-box he was put under pressure by Dawid Rogalski. He tried to quickly find his right-back Dan Leadbitter, but instead, no doubt assisted by the wind, drove the ball into the goal off the far-post.
Owusu forced a corner on the right, Eoin Bolger’s kick going across 6 yard-box and wide.
The visitors soon had a right-side corner of their own, and it took some time for Swans to get the ball away.
Rogalski was fouled, giving Swans a free-kick in a promising position ten yards outside the edge of the box on the right, but Bolger sent the ball dipping over the far, top corner. Owusu was found on the right, but after cutting inside he drove a left foot shot over.
Swans made it 2-0 after 21 minutes, and this time it was all their own work. A move started in their own half led to Owusu playing Johl Powell down the right, and although Rogalski could not initially control the ball in to the near-post, he turned neatly to have a left foot shot blocked. The ball sat up, and he caught in on the volley to send an excellent right foot shot past Thompson.
Rogalski played Jordan Esprit through to the edge of the box, and he turned to have a shot deflected over.
Swans’ third goal came after 32 minutes. Powell was in the centre-circle to neatly flick the ball through to Rogalski, and he then drove forward to run on to the striker’s through pass. Powell got to the right edge of the box before sending a terrific shot into the left corner with the outside of his left foot.
Two minutes later it was 4-0. Paul Field played the ball forward to Rogalski in the centre-circle, and his first-time touch sent Obeng driving clear through the middle. Obeng got into the box, and although he initially lost control of the ball under pressure from Leadbitter, he collected a rebound off the Gloucester right-back to score from the right corner of the 6 yard-box.
It was close to being 5-0 as the half entered the final five minutes. Josh Tobin and Obeng combined to send Esprit down the left, and after getting to the corner of the box he played a fine ball across to the far-post. The ball was half-cleared by Harry Emmett, and Powell followed up on the penalty-spot to strike a left foot, half volley that Emmett just managed to block on the edge of the 6 yard-box.
Swans made a change for the second-half, with Defise replacing Powell, who had picked up a yellow card.
Bolger was soon driving down the left to cross low into the 6 yard-box, but Thompson was able to gather. Defise forced a corner on the right, and from Bolger’s kick Esprit was at the far-post to drive the ball across the goal-face.
The visitors threatened, getting in on the right byeline and sending the ball across the box. They then made a double substitution before going close after seizing on a slack clearance. Ed Williams played the ball through to Joe Hanks, who drove a low shot just wide of the left post from 30 yards.
With an hour played The Tigers made their second double change, and after 67 minutes reduced the deficit. Harry Burns delivered a long throw from the left, and when the ball carried on the wind to the left edge of the 6 yard-box Swans’ defenders failed to clear, and Duffus drove a shot into the far, top corner.
Tobin was clearly fouled in the visitors’ half, but play was allowed to continue, and Gloucester got forward to set up a chance for Obinna Anaebonam in the box. Swans’ keeper Jos Barker could only push away his low shot, and Bolger just managed to clear the ball behind to deny Kieran Phillips on the edge of the 6 yard-box.
With just over twenty minutes remaining Swans went desperately close to making it 5-1, which would surely have sealed the win. Defise and Bolger combined on the left touchline following a throw-in, and Defise found Esprit, who drove past Williams and into the box, but his low shot went just inches wide of the far-post.
This proved to be a defining moment of the match.
Gloucester made their fifth and final substitution, and immediately made it 4-2 with 18 minutes left. Burns delivered another long throw from the left into the box and Swans again failed to clear. Duffus was able to play the ball low across from the left, and Phillips was on the edge of the 6 yard-box to send a first-time, left foot shot into the far, bottom corner.
Owusu had a shot deflected for a corner on the right for Swans, but keeper Thompson was fouled following Bolger’s kick.
The visitors then made it 4-3 as the match entered the final quarter of an hour. They forced a corner on the left, and Hanks’ kick carried the ball on the wind over the upstretched arm of Barker and into the far, top corner.
Swans then had to defend a free-kick from the right, but Barker was fouled as the ball came in. Slack play from the restart allowed Gloucester to get forward and Hanks to drive in a low shot from 40 yards that Barker parried down at his right post. Phillips followed up, but the ball went off him and behind for a goal kick.
Elliott Bolton came on to replace Owusu for Swans, and with the match entering the final five minutes they had another chance to seal the win. Bolger made a terrific run down the left that started deep in his own half and took him into the opposition’s box. After cutting back onto his right foot and sending Duffus to ground, his shot was blocked by the City defender, with Rogalski unmarked on the edge of the 6 yard-box in the middle. There was still a chance as the ball came out to Bolton just outside the box, but after opting to shoot he dragged a left-foot shot wide of the left post.
Esprit was in the box when Defise got down the right to play the ball low across, but he couldn’t get to it.
Gloucester thought they had equalised when keeper Thompson sent a kick down the pitch, and the ball carried on the wind through to his opposite number Barker, who dropped it under pressure from Hanks. The Tigers’ striker hooked the loose ball into the net, but he was judged to have fouled the Swans’ keeper.
It was a brief escape for Swans however, as a minute into added-on time they again failed to deal with another Burns’ long throw, this time from the right. The ball fell to Hanks by the penalty-spot, and he hooked it into the top, right corner to make it 4-4.
There was still time left for the visitors to have a free-kick 45 yards out and the opportunity to win the match, but the ball was sent straight through to Barker.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Paul Field, Eoin Bolger, Joey Jones, Junior Eccleston, Josh Tobin, Jordan Esprit, Mason Obeng, Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell (Lucas Defise 46’), Nana Owusu ( Elliott Bolton 81’). Subs. not used: Tom Olyott, Joe Garcia, Thabo Kuaho. Scorers: Own Goal [J.Thompson] (4’), Rogalski (21’), Powell (32’), Obeng (34’). Cautions: Powell, Tobin.
Gloucester City Team: J. Thompson, Leadbitter, Duffus, Richards-Everton, Emmett (Ball 55’), Liggett (Burns 60’), Grubb (Anaebonam 55’), Hanks, Williams, Smalley (Robinson 71’), Crosbie (Phillips 60’). Scorers: Duffus (67’), Phillips (72’), Hanks (76’ & 90+1’).