Saturday 12th April 2025.                Southern League, Premier Division South.

Dorchester Town 1 Walton & Hersham 0.

Swans’ recent proud records were sent tumbling as they came up against a Dorchester Town side determined to force their way back into the Play-off spots. Not only did they see the end of their unbeaten run that had stretched to 18 matches, they also lost their fine away record of 8 without loss, which included 7 wins. They also failed to find the net for the first time in 22 games, and suffered their first defeat at the hands of the Dorset side. Although not at their best, they certainly had chances to get a result, but having fallen behind to a very harsh penalty, they could not find one of their late comebacks.
Two changes were made to the line-up from the previous game, Elliott Bolton and Ralph Vigrass starting after coming on as substitutes against Wimborne Town. Kai Jennings had recovered from his ankle injury and started on the bench.
Swans made a settled start, and five minutes in Vigrass played Bobby-Joe Taylor in on the left byeline, but his low cross was cut out in the 6 yard-box by home goalkeeper Harrison oLee.
The home side’s Olaf Koszela was immediately getting in a good strike from the left corner of the box that cleared the bar.
Swans’ first effort on goal came after ten minutes when Dawid Rogalski set up Anis Nuur for a shot from 25 yards out that Lee saved down at his right post.
The Magpies had another chance when Wes Fogden’s ball forward picked out Koszela in space in the right of the box, but he struck a first-time shot over.
Swans went close to taking the lead after 18 minutes when some slack play by Dorchester deep on the right led to Taylor getting possession and driving down the line. Taylor then cut inside before sending a left foot cross to the left of the box, where Rogalski pulled away from his marker to get in a fine, right foot volley, but Lee made an excellent save, diving to his left to get the ball behind for a corner. Thabo Kuaho had his shirt pulled to give Swans a free-kick on the front edge of the centre-circle. Eoin Bolger delivered the ball to the right post, but Joey Jones’ downward header went straight to the keeper.
Swans’ keeper Jos Barker was then making a fine take at the other end to cut out Jack Dickson’s high cross from the right.
Midway through the half Kuaho found Jones, and he got forward to 35 yards out to drive in a strong shot that Lee dived to his right to keep out.
Dorchester had a free-kick on the right when Kuaho fouled Luke Pardoe, and when Koszela delivered the ball to the far-post a shot came in that led to appeals for handball, but they were turned down. With ten minutes left of the half Swans were grateful to Barker for keeping them level. Ollie Haste got forward to have a shot blocked on the edge of the box by Jones, and as the ball looped up Will Spetch nodded it through to Luke Roberts by the penalty-spot. Roberts was able to get in a shot that brought a terrific save from Barker down to his left. The Swans’ keeper then recovered superbly to fall on the ball and prevent Roberts following in.
A fine move by Swans got Johl Powell into the right of the box to have a shot blocked, and Nuur followed up to have a shot deflected behind for a corner on the left. Nuur’s kick was met by Jones at the far-post, but his header down was straight at keeper Lee.
The home side had a chance with the last five minutes of the half being played. Haste got into the left of the box before being tackled by Junior Eccleston. Haste regained possession and set up Fogden on the corner of the 6 yard-box, but he shot high and wide of the near-post.
The Magpies soon forced a corner on the left in the second-half, and when the ball was headed down at the far-post it was hooked into the side-netting. A loose clearance then only found Roberts just outside the box on the left, and he struck a strong shot that brought another fine save from Barker, diving down to his left to get the ball behind. The home side continued to dominate, and Barker made a fine catch from a right-side cross.
Although they had been under pressure, eight minutes into the half Swans had a great chance to take the lead. Barker rolled the ball out to Jones, and Dorchester seemed to be caught napping as the Swans’ skipper played a quick one-two with Rogalski in the centre-circle before playing a defence-splitting pass to send Powell racing clear. Powell drove in to the right corner of the 6 yard-box, but with Vigrass unmarked to his left he chose to shoot, only for Lee to make a fine save.
Barker was soon having to make another fine take when Haste crossed from the left, before Dorchester took the lead just before the hour. Roberts forced a corner on the left, and from his kick Rogalski headed away from the 6 yard-box. The ball was knocked back in and appeared to hit Rogalski on the shoulder, but the referee immediately awarded a penalty, a decision that looked harsh in the extreme. Koszela made no mistake with the kick, finding the bottom, right corner.
Swans soon made their first change, with Jennings coming on for Nuur, and they had an opportunity to threaten the home defence with a free-kick out on the right touchline, but the ball was cleared when Taylor swung it in.
Koszela got clear for Dorchester, but Kuaho tracked back superbly to make the tackle. The home side continued to have openings as Swans pushed for an equaliser, and Koszela did well to beat Kuaho and keep the ball in on the right byeline before laying it across to Matt Buse on the edge of the box, and he placed a shot just wide of the far-post. Bolger was next to make a fine trackback, snuffing out the threat when Shaquille Gwengwe got through on the right.
Swans put together a fine move that led to Taylor getting in on the right byeline, but his low cross was cleared. Powell and Taylor then both went down under challenges in the box, but the referee awarded a free-kick to the home side.
With the match entering the final five minutes of normal-time Dorchester broke from a Swans’ attack, and Fogden picked out the run of Marcus Daws down the left. Daws cut back to get in a shot that Barker came out to block, and the ball looped over the goal.
Following the corner a volley was sent over.
With the first of the minimum five extra minutes being played Bolger picked out Rogalski in the right of the box, but he was just denied close in at the near-post, and a corner was won on the right. Unfortunately Bolger could only find the gloves of keeper Lee at the near-post with the kick.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton (Mason Obeng 88’), Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones, Junior Eccleston, Eoin Bolger, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Anis Nuur (Kai Jennings 63’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Ralph Vigrass (Sam Faniyan 75’), Subs. not used: Paul Field, Wayne Ridgley. .
Dorchester Town Team: Lee, Dickson, Haste, Spetch, Ngalo, Buse, Fogden, Pardoe, Koszela (Daws 75’), Gwengwe (Robinson 75’), Roberts. Subs. not used: Turner, Hutchinson, Pitman. Scorer: Koszela, penalty (59’). Caution: Roberts, delayed restart (75’).