Saturday 15th February 2025. Southern League, Premier Division South.
Walton & Hersham 1 Frome Town 1.
Swans were left frustrated as their four match winning sequence came to an end against the Somerset club. They had enough chances to win the game convincingly, but were denied by a mixture of profligate finishing, more than a little ill-luck, with no fewer than three shots striking a post, fine goalkeeping, and some determined defending by the visitors. Although still sitting low in the table, the Robins have put together some good results in recent weeks, and they showed at times in this match why. Swans however will feel that had they converted at least one of their first-half chances they would have gone on to take all three points.
They introduced another new signing in Bobby-Joe Taylor, who has signed on loan from National League South club Dorking Wanderers. The experienced left-side defender or midfielder had an outstanding debut, not only for his all-round play, but also for being responsible for two of the shots that struck the goal-frame, as well as going close to scoring on several other occasions. The introduction of Taylor was one of two changes to the starting line-up, Nana Owusu also returning as Joey Jones and Thabo Kuaho dropped to the bench having picked up knocks at Chertsey. Swans had the misfortune of losing Dawid Rogalski to injury with just a quarter if the game played, with Kuaho coming on and forcing a reshuffle of the line-up.
The visitors won an early corner on the right, but home keeper Jos Barker made a good take.
Swans soon went close when Ralph Vigrass, from deep on the right, picked out the run of Rogalski to the right edge of the box with a ball over the top. Rogalski chested the ball down to drive in a low shot, but it was just wide of the near-post. A fine run by Taylor down the left won Swans’ first corner, but the Robins forced another of their own on the right, Barker again making a confident take.
With just over ten minutes played Swans went desperately close to taking the lead. Rogalski picked the ball up on the front edge of the centre-circle before threading a great ball through to Vigrass, who got clear to the penalty-spot, but faced with a one-on-one with keeper Kyle Phillips he sent a low, left foot shot against the inside of the right post. The ball then went across the goal-face, and Vigrass was just prevented from scoring on the follow up as Frome cleared behind for a corner.
With 23 minutes played Rogalski picked up his injury, and after treatment could not continue, Kuaho coming on and Owusu moving inside up front.
Elliott Bolton was soon winning the ball just outside the box on the right and playing it across to Owusu on the edge, but he poked it wide of the left post. Good play by Owusu on the left got Mason Obeng into the box, and he went down, but the referee saw no offence.
The visitors’ main threats were coming from long throws and corners, and they won another kick on the right after half an hour. From the kick Swans struggled to clear, and Alex Monks got in a low, left foot shot from just outside the box, but Barker took the ball comfortably. Five minutes later Rex Mannings did well on the left before getting in a cross, and when the ball came to Callum Gould on the right corner of the box he sent a shot over.
In the 42nd minute the Robins had keeper Phillips to thank for keeping them level. Kai Jennings found Vigrass on the right, and he cut inside before playing a fine ball through to get Johl Powell through to the right corner of the 6 yard-box. Powell drove in a low shot, but Phillips did well to just get a right hand on the ball to deflect it wide of the far-post and behind for a corner. Two minutes later the Frome keeper made an equally good save. A good ball down the left from Kuaho sent Obeng driving past his marker and clear into the box to drive in a low shot that Phillips did superbly to push away down to his left. Vigrass followed in on the right, but could only find the side-netting.
In added-on time the visitors were awarded a free-kick out on the right touchline, but the ball was delivered straight through to Barker.
One of Frome’s long throws almost paid off early in the second-half when Swans struggled to get the ball clear following one from the right, but Barker was finally able to claim.
Swans soon went close again after Taylor won a corner on the right. Eoin Bolger played the kick short to Jennings, who laid the ball back to Taylor just outside the right of the box, and he sent a terrific left foot shot dipping just over.
Swans made an early double substitution, with Hakeem Sandah coming on for Vigrass and Jones for Obeng, with 57 minutes played.
Just three minutes later however, it was the Robins who took the lead. Sam Heal got through to the byeline on the left, and he drove the ball low across the 6 yard-box for Gould to slide in at the far-post to score.
Midway through the half a build-up on the left led to Jones finding Taylor 40 yards out, and he drove forward to send another powerful left foot strike dipping just over from outside the box. Swans continued to pile on the pressure, and Jennings made a clever run into the left of the box, bur he was just closed out by a clutch of Frome defenders. Swans kept the attack going, and Junior Eccleston and Bolton combined to find Taylor on the right touchline. Taylor made a driving run to the byeline before laying the ball back to Jennings unmarked by the penalty-spot, bur he placed his shot wide of the left post.
Swans were almost immediately punished for the miss when Frome won a corner on the left. From the kick the ball was headed away to the edge of the box, where Gould drove a first-time shot over.
Swans were soon going desperately close to equalising. A fine cross-field ball by Bolger found Bolton on the right, and he laid inside to Powell just inside the box. Powell played the ball back to Taylor on the edge, and he shifted it on to his left foot before driving a low shot against the inside of the right post.
Swans did not have to wait long however to have the chance to make it 1-1. There was a quarter of an hour remaining when a move on the left led to Jones crossing to the right of the box, where Taylor headed down to Powell, who was immediately brought down by Warren Maidment. It was a clear penalty, and when Powell stepped up for his first for Swans, he drove the ball into the bottom right corner.
Alex Body immediately came on for Owusu, who had been shown a yellow card for something said to the referee when the penalty was awarded.
Curtis Hutson got in a cross from the right for Frome, and a far-post header was held by Barker on his line.
It was Swans who were looking the most likely winners however, and more excellent play by Taylor on the right led to him cutting inside and bringing a fine save from keeper Phillips with another powerful left foot strike. Taylor went even closer minutes later. Swans broke from the edge of their own box with Bolger finding Taylor, who drove from just inside his own half to the edge of the visitors’ box before driving a low, right foot shot against the far-post, the second time he, and the third time Swans, had struck the goal-frame. Bolton was fouled on the right by Gould, earning the Frome player a yellow card, but Taylor’s free-kick into the box was claimed by Phillips. Bolton won a corner on the right, and from the kick the ball was cleared off the line. With five minutes of added-on time played Taylor made another fine run forward to get in another super strike from 25 yards, but Phillips got well behind the ball.
The visitors had an opportunity to snatch an unlikely win when they had a free-kick on the right, but Barker made a fine take at the far-post.
Despite all Swans’ pressure they were unable to find another late goal.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Kai Jennings, Junior Eccleston, Eoin Bolger, Ralph Vigrass (Hakeem Sandah 57’), Mason Obeng (Joey Jones 57’), Dawid Rogalski (Thabo Kuaho 23’), Johl Powell, Nana Owusu (Alex Body 75’). Sub. not used: Anis Nuur. Scorer: Powell, penalty (75’). Cautions: Owusu, dissent (73’), Jones, delayed restart (78’).
Frome Town Team: Phillips, Wood, Heal, Mitchell, Dugan (Hutson 62’), Gould, Hopkins (Teale 84’), Maidment, Vaughan, Mannings (Ferris 77’), Monks (Budd 77’). Sub. not used: Greaves. Scorer: Gould (61’). Cautions: Gould, foul (83’), Mitchell, delayed restart (90+5’).
