Saturday 22nd March 2025.          Southern League, Premier Division South.

Taunton Town 1 Walton & Hersham 2.

Swans made the long trip back from Somerset having picked up another hard-fought win that, with other results going in their favour, gave them a four point buffer in third place in the table. Their unbeaten run was stretched to 15 games, with 7 wins and 1 draw coming from their last 8 away fixtures. They also picked up their first win and goals against the Peacocks, having lost their previous two meetings 1-0. As in their last away game at Hanwell Town they came back from being a goal down by scoring two goals in quick succession just before half-time. On a dry, hard pitch at Wordsworth Drive they had to overcome an unsettled start that saw them go behind to an unfortunate own goal and the home side spurn several good chances to add to their lead. Once they settled however against opponents that employed strict man-to-man marking they were good value for their win. The close marking was taken to the extreme in several cases, with Dawid Rogalski in particular being offered little protection as he was subjected to persistent holding and shirt-pulling throughout the match. Swans were also on the end of some contentious decisions, with a clear penalty not given, and a ‘goal’ dubiously ruled out for offside.
There was one change to the starting line-up, with Wayne Ridgley coming in for Mason Obeng. Paul Field happily returned to the squad following his lengthy injury lay-off, while new signing Samuel Faniyan was also on the bench. Former Hayes & Yeading United winger Faniyan has joined after being at Gosport Borough this season.
Joey Jones was soon finding Bobby-Joe Taylor deep on the right, and he drove down the touchline before crossing into the box, where Rogalski just failed to get his head on the ball. Ralph Vigrass was close in at the far-post, but just failed to turn the ball in under pressure from home right-back Eddie Jones.
The home side had a chance however when Owen Brain sent Bailey Croome through to the byeline on the left, and his cross was met on the edge of the 6 yard-box by Tom Smith, but his glancing header went over.
Taunton took the lead after 13 minutes in fortunate fashion. Goalkeeper Josh Gould sent a long, clearing kick high down the pitch, and Jones seemed to have one eye on Croome in the box as the ball glanced off his head, over the advancing Jos Barker, and into an open goal.
Rogalski was fouled on the right touchline, giving Swans a free-kick, but Eoin Bolger headed well over from Taylor’s delivery into the box.
Taunton had another chance when Smith was found on the right, leading to Croome setting up Brain on the right edge of the box, but he curled a left foot shot just wide of the far-post. Swans continued to look unsettled at the back, and some fine play by Smith on the right led to the ball not being cleared in the box. Brain was left with a clear chance 10 yards out, but he dragged his shot wide of the left post. The home side had a long throw expert in Josh Bennett, and one delivered from the right led to a shot in the box from Brain being blocked.
Johl Powell was fouled on the right to give Swans a free-kick, but when Bolger laid the ball back to Taylor, he could not create an opening.
Brain had yet another chance for Taunton when the ball was lost, but he again failed to find the target, firing over from the left of the box.
Swans began to come through a difficult start, coming to terms with the dry pitch that made control difficult, and with half an hour played went close. Barker’s long kick down the pitch reached Rogalski on the edge of the box, and the ball came back off him to Vigrass, who drove a first-time, half-volley wide of the right post. Rogalski had been subjected to some particularly close marking from Nick Grimes, and the Taunton defender finally overstepped the mark, picking up a yellow card for another foul on the Swans’ striker. Just a minute later Swans were denied a clear penalty, at the same time Grimes being extremely fortunate not be shown a second yellow card. Another long kick-out from Barker sent the ball bouncing through to Rogalski, who got through to the right corner of the 6 yard-box, where he was clearly dragged down by Grimes. However, rather than a penalty, both the referee and his assistant awarded a goal-kick to Taunton.
Swans were really pushing for the equaliser, and they went so close to getting it. Powell was in the centre-circle and played a fine ball through to Taylor, who drove between Grimes and Bennett to the edge of the box, before getting in a low shot that clipped the outside of the right post. Ridgley was the next to be fouled 40 yards out, but Taylor shot well over when Jones played the free-kick short to him.
Swans equalised with two minutes of normal-time left of the half with a superbly worked goal. A patient build-up led to Junior Eccleston being found on the right, and he drove forward into the box before laying off to Powell. Powell played a clever one-two with Rogalski before slotting the ball into the bottom, left corner.
Vigrass made a good run before playing Taylor into the box to have a shot blocked, followed by a fine run down the left by Thabo Kuaho, whose cross into the box was just inches too high for Rogalski. Swans’ attacks were incessant, and Powell made a great run forward before clearly being fouled just outside the box, but the referee again saw no offence.
The pressure paid off four minutes into added-on time with Swans going ahead. Rogalski found Powell in the centre-circle, and he threaded a great pass through to Taylor, who drove into the box before taking the ball to the right of the keeper and scoring from a tight angle.
There was time left for Taunton to have the opportunity of Bennett launching another long throw from the right, but Barker made a safe catch at the near-post.
Soon after the resumption the Swans’ keeper had to be quickly out to the edge of his area to claim the ball after it was played through on the left.
Bolger played a long ball high down the left for Swans, and Vigrass’s challenge led to Rogalski getting in a strike from the corner of the box that keeper Gould beat down.
Barker again had to come out to the right corner of his area to fall on the ball, the Swans’ keeper then making a good take when Brain sent a free-kick into the box from deep on the left.
Powell was fouled out on the right touchline, and when Taylor swung the free-kick in, Taunton’s Jones headed behind at the far-post to give Swans a corner on the left. Ridgley drove the kick in, and the ball was just inches away from sneaking in at the near-post. Taunton’s Grimes continued to tread a tightrope with another blatant foul on Rogalski, but the referee again showed leniency by just awarding a free-kick. Vigrass was sent away on the left by Kuaho, but couldn’t pick out anyone in the box.
Taunton had an opportunity when Brain, who continued to be their most threatening player, was put down the left by Tom Purrington, but after getting past both Eccleston and Elliott Bolton and into the box, he drove his shot into the side-netting. His side then made a triple substitution to try to get back into the game.
Rogalski almost got on the end of a ball into the box, but was beaten by the bounce. Midway through the half Ridgley was fouled 35 yards out giving Swans a free-kick, and immediately went off as Swans made their first substitution, Anis Nuur coming on.
Brain again did well for the home side with some clever play on the right before crossing to the near-post, where Rogalski headed away. The ball fell to Ryan Cainey by the penalty-spot, but he sent a shot well over.
Bolton had to come off after suffering from a clash of heads, and Field came on to make his first appearance for Swans since mid-January.
Taunton were soon sending the ball dipping just over from wide on the left.
With just under a quarter of an hour remaining Swans thought they had stretched their lead. Field laid the ball in from the right to Powell, who made a clever run into the box. Taylor picked up in the right of the box to cut across and get in a shot that Gould kept out with his right leg. Vigrass followed in on the left to net, but the flag went up for offside. The reason was obscure, with the only explanation being that Taylor had possibly been marginally offside.
Rogalski was just denied in the box by keeper Gould when Field crossed high from the right, before Swans made their third change, with Obeng coming on for Vigrass. Faniyan then came on for his debut, replacing Taylor.
With the match going into the final five minutes Taunton crossed high into the box from the left, but Barker made a good catch.
Swans then made their fifth and final change, with Alex Body replacing the limping Powell, and with added-on time being played they went close to making the game safe. Rogalski stole the ball off Jack Matthews on the left and got to the edge of the box before setting up Faniyan in space to his right. Faniyan sidestepped Harris Feltham, but the chance of a debut goal went as his low shot passed just wide of the far-post.
Taunton’s ploy to try to get a late equaliser was to cross balls into the box from wide positions. Feltham delivered the ball three times from the left, and Cainey once from the right, but Barker was there to safely cut out the cross each time.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton (Paul Field 74’), Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones, Junior Eccleston, Eoin Bolger, Bobby-Joe Taylor (Sam Faniyan 83’), Wayne Ridgley (Anis Nuur 68’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell (Alex Body 88’), Ralph Vigrass (Mason Obeng 81’). Scorers: Powell (43’), Taylor (45+4’). Cautions: Jones, dissent (45+2’), Taylor, foul (62’).
Taunton Town Team: Gould, Jones (Nielsen 66’), Bennett (Feltham 85’), Grimes (Humphrey-Ewers 66’), Purrington (Zebroski 79’), Smith (Cainey 66’), Brain, Hodgson, Moulden, Matthews, Croome. Scorer: Own goal (Jones) (13’). Cautions: Grimes, foul (33’), Hodgson, foul (70’).