Saturday 1st March 2025.            Southern League, Premier Division South.

Gloucester City 1 Walton & Hersham 2.

Another late goal gave Swans a deserved win on their first visit to the Tiger Turf Stadium, as they put on a terrific performance in a vital match with regard to the play-offs. They had far the better of the chances, but looked like they would come up short as they were denied by another fine goalkeeping performance, until Dawid Rogalski drove in the winner on 88 minutes. The win took them to three points behind their 3rd placed hosts with a game in hand. It also took their unbeaten run to 11 games, at the same time ending the Tigers’ own run of 12 without defeat.
Swans made one change to their line-up, with Hakeem Sandah making his first start in place of Ralph Vigrass. Vigrass was to come on to have an outstanding impact, playing a part in both goals that gave Swans the win after they had trailed. Rogalski started on the bench after missing two games, and he also came on to score both goals with his usual predatory finishing.
With just two minutes played Swans suffered a scare when goalkeeper Jos Barker came well outside of his area in an attempt to head clear a long ball and was clattered by a home player. A free-kick was given, but play was held up as Barker received treatment for a head injury.
Swans had started by sitting deep, getting men behind the ball and allowing Gloucester the bulk of the possession. It was over ten minutes before the home side posed a threat however, Ellis Watts getting forward to the edge of the box to have a shot blocked. They then forced a corner on the right, Barker punching clear from Harry Pinchard’s kick.
It was Swans however that went close to opening the scoring when they finally got forward with a quarter of an hour played. Johl Powell and Anis Nuur put pressure on the home defence, and Elliott Bolton won the ball in midfield before playing it through to Powell. Powell got past Dan Leadbitter and into the right of the box to send a low shot just wide of the far-post. Bobby-Joe Taylor was soon making a good run down the right before playing the ball in low to the near-post, where Powell was just denied by Tiger’s keeper Luke Bell. A great cross-field ball from Eoin Bolger deep on the left picked out Taylor on the right, and he combined well with Nuur before making room on the corner of the box to send a left foot shot dipping just over the goal.
Ed Williams forced a corner on the left for Gloucester, and when Joey Jones headed away from his kick Powell and Taylor were able to set up another break.
Swans had really come into the game, causing problems for the home defence and creating chances with quick breaks. Bolton made a fine run forward on the right from deep in his own half to the home box before laying off to Taylor, who cut inside to send another left foot shot curling just inches wide of the far-post. A Bolton long ball then almost got Nuur in on the right.
The Tigers had not created much in the way of chances, but with half an hour played they went close to taking the lead. Bolton was judged to have fouled Pinchard 30 yards out on the left, giving Gloucester a free-kick in a good position. Kevin Dawson delivered the ball into the box, where the huge Ben Richards-Everton got in a back-header from 8 yards out that Barker kept out with a great save, diving to his left to turn the ball wide.
Bolger made a fine run forward before finding Sandah, who was fouled out on the left touchline. Kai Jennings delivered the free-kick into the box for Bell to punch the ball away off Jones’ head. A fine move led to Nuur being fouled by Dawson deep on the right, the Tigers’ player picking up the first yellow card of the afternoon. Taylor delivered the free-kick long to Sandah on the left, and he cut in to send a low shot wide of the far-post.
With five minutes left of the half Powell won a corner on the left when Thabo Kuaho found him with a fine through ball. Jennings had picked up an injury, and before the kick was taken he was replaced by Rogalski. Nuur then took the corner, and this led to Swans’ pressure forcing another kick on the left. This one led to the ball being headed behind for a third successive corner.
Powell was soon getting in on the right byeline to force yet another corner, and this led to Swans going desperately close to going ahead. Bolger delivered the kick, and a header away at the near-post by Dawson sent the ball back to him. He then crossed to the left of the box, where Jones came in to send a downward header against the near-post. Rogalski followed up, but his shot lacked power, and Bell gathered the ball.
Dan Ball got in a dangerous left-side cross for Gloucester, but Barker made a good punch clear.
Leadbitter then picked up the home side’s second yellow card for pulling Rogalski back on the halfway line.
Taylor was then just a touch away from giving Swans the lead when a long diagonal ball from the left picked him out unmarked on the edge of the box, but keeper Bell just got out to take the ball off his foot. In first-half added-on time Bolton delivered a great cross from the right, and Bell did well to tip the ball away for a corner on the left.
With just a minute played of the second-half the home goal had a remarkable escape. Nuur found Sandah on the left, and his low cross was deflected behind for a corner. Nuur swung the left-side kick into the 6 yard-box, where Bell could only palm the ball down, and it rebounded towards goal for Jake Evans to head it away from under the bar. It was then going inside the left post before Richards-Everton just managed to kick it away and behind for another corner.
Gloucester’s Pinchard had a shot from outside the box deflected for a corner on the right, and from his kick the ball was put behind for another.
Despite all Swans’ opportunities it was The Tigers who took the lead in somewhat fortunate fashion with 55 minutes played. Swans struggled to get the ball clear, before Jones seemed to make a perfectly good tackle on Evans right on the edge of the box. The referee awarded a free-kick however. Evans drove the ball in low, and it deflected off the wall before striking teammate Joe Hanks on the edge of the 6 yard-box. It then fell kindly for Williams to score from the left of the box.
Gloucester soon forced a corner on the right, but Barker made a good take from Pinchard’s kick.
Swans then made a double substitution, with Mason Obeng replacing Nuur, and Vigrass coming on for Sandah.
Taylor made a good burst to the right byeline for Swans, but his low cross was cleared in the 6 yard-box,
Gloucester made a break on the left for Pinchard to be set up on the corner of the box, but his low shot was taken by Barker down at his near-post. This led to Swans equalising after 65 minutes as Barker rolled the ball out to Obeng just outside the box. The move then built up, leading to Taylor sweeping the ball out to Vigrass on the left. Vigrass cut inside Evans and into the box to drive in a low shot that Bell could only push away. Powell followed in on the edge of the 6 yard-box to get in a shot that the keeper again got behind. The ball then ran loose for Rogalski to stab it towards goal, and although Richards-Everton handled it on the line he could not stop it going inside the left post.
The home side built up a move, leading to Watts finding room 10 yards outside the box, and he drove a left foot shot wide of the right post. Bolger then conceded a free-kick 35 yards out on the right, and when Dawson delivered the ball to the far-post it was headed back across, bur Taylor was able to hook it away to Obeng.
Bolger then delivered it long to pick out Rogalski, who played Vigrass on a clear run down the left. Vigrass drove in to the corner of the 6 yard-box to get in a shot that Bell did well to block at his near-post and behind for a corner. From Taylor’s left-side kick Jones headed back at the far-post for Powell to get in a header that Bell took under his crossbar.
Some fine defending by Swans prevented the home side getting through after the ball had been given away, before they went close again following a great piece of play. A patient build up led to Bolger playing the ball out to Taylor wide on the right. Taylor drove inside to find Powell, whose superb back-heel flick found Rogalski, who immediately laid back to Taylor. Taylor drove in a first-time, left foot shot that flew just inches wide of the left post.
The Tigers again went close when Pinchard was found 10 yards outside the left edge of the box, and he drove a fine shot wide of the right post.
With just under ten minutes remaining Swans were denied the lead by a terrific piece of goalkeeping by Bell. Obeng found Vigrass in space on the left touchline, and he drove in on the byeline, where he sidestepped Evans before laying the ball low across. Powell came in on the edge of the 6 yard-box to get in a left foot shot that the Tigers’ keeper somehow kept out, tipping the ball over the bar with an outstretched right hand.
Swans were then grateful to their own keeper Barker when Watts was found in the right corner of the box. Watts cut inside before getting in a low, left foot shot that Barker got down to his right to deflect wide of the far-post. Barker punched the ball away as the corner came in, and then caught it as it was crossed back in from the left.
With the match entering the final five minutes remaining Swans again went close to taking the lead. The move started with Barker playing the ball out and Bolton playing a fine pass down the right to Powell. Powell drove forward before laying the ball across to Rogalski in the right of the box, and he cleverly dummied Leadbitter to get in a left foot shot that Bell blocked at his near-post.
It was a short reprieve for Gloucester however, as Swans regained possession and were immediately building up another move. After probing for an opening the ball was played out to Vigrass in space on the left by Jones. Vigrass laid the ball low across to Bolton on the edge of the box, and he battled to get in a shot that was blocked by Dawson. The ball ran to Rogalski just outside the edge of the 6 yard-box, and he took one touch before driving a right foot shot into the top, left corner.
Swans saw out the remaining minutes and stoppage-time to record a thoroughly deserved win.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton, Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones, Junior Eccleston, Eoin Bolger, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Anis Nuur (Mason Obeng 57’), Kai Jennings (Dawid Rogalski 40’), Johl Powell, Hakeem Sandah (Ralph Vigrass 57’). Subs. not used: Kyron Horsley-McKay, Alex Body. Scorer: Rogalski (65’ & 88’).
Gloucester City Team: Bell, Leadbitter, Richards-Everton, Evans, Ball, Watts (Grubb 89’), Dawson, Pinchard, Hanks (Emmett 73’), Williams (Crosbie 90’), Smalley (Phillips 57’). Sub. not used: Anaebonam. Scorer: Williams (55’). Cautions: Dawson, foul (35’), Leadbitter, foul (45’).