Tuesday 13th May 2025.                            Surrey Senior Cup, Final.

Dorking Wanderers 1 Walton & Hersham 3.   At Meadowbank, Dorking.

It had been a long wait of 52 years, but Swans finally won the Surrey Senior Cup for the 7th time as they put on a superb performance in their 14th Final appearance. They took on a Wanderers’ side playing one step higher in the National League South on their own home ground, Meadowbank, but ran out thoroughly deserved winners. Although Dorking struck the goal-frame three times, and goalkeeper Jos Barker had to be on top form, Swans were great value for the win, outplaying their opponents for large parts of the game. Swans also struck a post, and Wanderers can thank their own keeper Harrison Foulkes for keeping the score down, as he made a series of fine saves. Dawid Rogalski could well have had a Cup Final hat-trick, had it not been for the Dorking No.1. As it was, the Swans’ striker had to settle for two goals from a performance that earned him the Player of the Match award. Rogalski was a thorn in the side of the Dorking defence all evening, hassling them into mistakes. His two early goals gave his side the perfect start, but the pressure-easing third goal, a piece of individual brilliance from Kai Jennings soon after the resumption for the second-half, was the stand-out moment of the match. When Dorking finally scored, it came too late to have a chance of denying Swans getting their hands on the trophy.
Since Swans last picked up the trophy in 1972-73 with their FA Amateur Cup winning side, and their last appearance in the Final 20 years ago against AFC Wimbledon in front of a crowd of almost 4,000, the County’s senior trophy has gradually lost a lot of its appeal. That appeal had largely returned however, with two strong sides taking to the pitch determined to win some silverware after both had suffered the disappointment of League Play-off defeats. The occasion was enhanced by a fine crowd being in attendance, and they were rewarded with an excellent game. Understandably the bulk of the 1,359 present at Meadowbank were there to see the local side, but there was a healthy contingent of Swans’ supporters, and they made themselves known as they cheered on their favourites to a memorable win.
Against highly experienced opponents, Swans once again fielded a young side containing no fewer than five players under the age of twenty. Junior Eccleston was cup-tied, and was replaced by another teenager in Riley Horan. With Elliott Bolton unavailable, Lucas Defise returned to the side, and he put on a fine performance in the unfamiliar right-back position. Bobby-Joe Taylor and Wayne Ridgley were also both cup-tied, with Taylor having returned to his parent club, Wanderers, and being named amongst their substitutes.
Swans looked well up for it from kick-off, and Ralph Vigrass almost capitalised on a loose back-pass, but keeper Foulkes just denied him. There was still only 2 minutes on the watch when a high press led to Johl Powell and Rogalski playing a quick one–two on the edge of the box, but with the chance opening up Powell’s low, left foot shot lacked power, and Foulkes saved comfortably. The keeper then had to get across and claim the ball when Jennings got through into the left of the box.
Swans’ fine start paid off when they took the lead after just 9 minutes. Wanderers’ Jordan Norville-Williams played the ball across to his captain, Tony Craig, on his right just inside his half, but Rogalski was quick off the blocks to dispossess him. After getting clear to the edge of the box, Rogalski calmly slotted the ball past Foulkes and into the bottom, right corner.
Dorking soon posed their first threat when they pressed on the right, and Rhys Murphy drove in a shot from the corner of the box that Barker saved at his near-post, parrying the ball into the air before catching it. Dorking had begun to settle, and they forced the first corner on the left. Swans then had to get the ball clear when Josh Taylor sent in a long throw from the right.
Vigrass fouled Brennan Camp deep on the right, but Norville-Williams’ free-kick went straight to Barker.
Just past the quarter of an hour Swans stunned the bulk of the crowd in the stadium by doubling their lead with a fine goal. Barker’s long kick picked out Mason Obeng on the right, and he cleverly nodded the ball inside to Powell. Powell was too quick for Taylor and drove into the right of the box, before spotting Rogalski to his left by the penalty-spot, and laying the ball across to his striking partner. Rogalski took one touch before evading both Taylor and Matt Briggs, to drive the ball into the bottom, left corner.
Swans were soon putting together another fine move on the right, but Jennings ran out of room.
Dorking’s Norville-Williams was shown the first yellow card of the evening for stopping an attack down the right touchline with a deliberate handball.
Swans continued to cause problems, and Foulkes just got to the ball when Jennings almost got Vigrass in on the left.
Wanderers began to come more into the game as the final quarter of an hour approached, and a move on the right led to Niall McManus swinging the ball in from the left to Alfie Rutherford at the far-post, but he was stretching and could only volley into the side-netting. They soon went closer when a move started by keeper Foulkes led to Briggs playing Rutherford clear to the right edge of the box to send a low shot against the far-post, and for Defise to head behind for a corner on the left. The kick was played short and the ball laid back to the left edge of the box, where Taylor drove in a shot that clipped the top of the crossbar.
Former Swan James McShane became the second Dorking player to be cautioned for a clumsy challenge on Thabo Kuaho. His side continued to have a good spell however, and he got in a snap shot from 25 yards that took a slight deflection off Joey Jones to go just wide of the left post. Barker made a good take at the far-post to cut out a high cross from the left, and when Dorking took a free-kick on the left quickly they got into the box, and the ball was deflected over for another corner. Another corner was soon won on the right, but after the kick was played short Dorking strayed offside.
There was one last opportunity for Wanderers to make their late pressure pay before the break. In the final minute of the half Jones was judged to have played the ball back to Barker when the Swans’ keeper had to come out quickly to collect. An indirect free-kick was awarded 5 yards inside the right of the box, and Swans looked to be fortunate that the referee gave it further back from where the offence actually took place. The wall did its job however as the shot was blocked.
Dorking had come back well in the first-half, but Swans were again on the front foot as they came out after the break, and Rogalski was just denied by Foulkes as he almost got through.
They did not have to wait long to go 3-0 up however, scoring a terrific goal just three minutes after the resumption. Dorking were caught out as Obeng’s throw-in on the right sent Powell clear into the box, only for him to be just denied by Camp. Rogalski collected on the right edge of the box to play a great ball across to Vigrass on the left, and he teased the Dorking defence before laying the ball back to Jennings. Jennings then went on a sensational run that took him slaloming through a wall of Dorking defenders to the edge of the 6 yard-box, from where he calmly clipped the ball past Foulkes and into the bottom right corner.
Minutes later Swans went close to making it 4-0 with a goal that would have almost matched their third in its quality. An excellent build-up outside the box led to Powell skipping through the Dorking backline to the penalty-spot, but his shot brought a tremendous, point-blank save from Foulkes, the keeper diving to his left to get the ball round the post.
Swans had made a terrific start to the second-half, and Rogalski was just denied when Jennings sent him through. They again went close to making it 4-0 when Rogalski slipped Powell in to the right corner of the 6 yard-box to whip in a shot that brought another fine save from keeper Foulkes at his near-post. The ball was cleared to Obeng on the right, but his left foot shot was wide of the near-post.
Dorking then made a double substitution, with one of the players coming on being Bobby-Joe Taylor, who only a fortnight earlier had been scoring for Swans in the Play-off Semi-Final.
Rogalski had hassled the Dorking defence all evening, and with an hour played he again stole the ball off Craig to get clear, but this time was just denied.
Swans then made their first change, with Anis Nuur coming on for Powell.
There were claims for handball as Dorking got the ball clear when Rogalski again broke into the box, but the referee was unmoved.
Swans could have been more goals to the good, but midway through the second-half they were fortunate not to have their lead reduced. Jones was judged to have fouled just outside the right corner of the box, giving Dorking a free-kick ideally situated for Bobby-Joe Taylor. He swung the ball in to the edge of the 6 yard-box, where Murphy got in a header that brought a fine save from Barker, who blocked with his legs. Murphy followed in to send the ball against the underside of the bar, and it bounced down onto the goal-line. There looked to be a strong case for it having been over the line before Horan headed it away. The ball came to Bobby-Joe Taylor 5 yards outside the box, and he drove in a low, left foot shot that Barker saved comfortably down at his left post.
Swans soon had a free-kick of their own when Vigrass was fouled out on the left touchline, and when Jennings delivered the ball to the far-post Horan sent a diving header wide. Swans had a great chance to extend their lead when Obeng delivered a great ball from just inside his own half on the right to pick out Vigrass on the left. Vigrass got in front of Barry Fuller to bring the ball down superbly on the left edge of the box, but with the goal open he sent a half-volley over the top, right corner.
Swans immediately made their second change, with Alex Body replacing Obeng, and with a quarter of an hour remaining Rogalski had the chance to get his hat-trick and make it 4-0. Jennings stole the ball off Luke Moore outside the right corner of the box to play Rogalski through, but his strong, angled shot brought another fine save from Foulkes, diving to his right to get the ball wide of his far-post.
Bobby-Joe Taylor had looked impressive for Dorking since coming on, and he did well high on the left before crossing to the far-post, where Josh Hebert got in a header that brought a good save from Barker.
With ten minutes remaining Swans brought on Paul Field for Defise for their third change, and Rogalski soon had another chance to notch a Cup Final hat-trick. Once again Craig was robbed on the front edge of the centre-circle by the Swans’ striker, who broke clear to the edge of the box, leaving him with just Foulkes to beat. Rogalski’s shot was superbly struck and looked destined for the net, but the Dorking keeper made another tremendous save, deflecting the ball onto his left post and behind. From the right-side corner Vigrass was at the far-post to have a shot blocked.
Vigrass soon came off to be replaced by Swans’ U18 player Ryan Danso with four minutes of normal-time remaining.
In the final minute Dorking pulled a goal back after being awarded a free-kick 40 yards out on the right. Again the position was ideal for a Bobby-Joe Taylor delivery, and when he swung the ball in to the near-post Rutherford was not tracked, and was left with a simple header to make it 3-1.
Body was soon getting into the left of the box at the other end to force a corner, and give Swans the opportunity to see out the game. With stoppage-time being played however, the result was almost made unnecessarily tight. Jones was robbed by McShane, and Rutherford was able to get to the right edge of the box to open up a clear chance, but his low shot brought a great save from Barker, who stuck out his right leg to deflect the ball away from goal.
The remaining minutes were seen out, and Swans were able to celebrate their first County Cup win in over half a century, a just reward at the end of a fine season from Billy Rowley’s squad in his first managerial role.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Lucas Defise (Paul Field 80’), Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones, Riley Horan, Eoin Bolger, Ralph Vigrass (Ryan Danso 86’), Kai Jennings, Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell (Anis Nuur 63’), Mason Obeng (Alex Body 72’). Sub. not used: Sam Faniyan. Scorers: Rogalski (9’ & 17’), Jennings (48’),
Dorking Team: Foulkes, Camp (Fuller 70’), Craig, McManus (Moore 58’) Briggs (Hebert 70’), Rutherford, McShane, J. Taylor, Gallagher (B-J Taylor 58’), Norville-Williams (Richardson 73’). Murphy. Scorer: Rutherford (89’). Cautions: Norville-Williams, deliberate handball (20’), McShane, foul (35’).