Monday 25th August 2025. Southern League, Premier Division South.
Gosport Borough 0 Walton & Hersham 2.
Swans made it full points from the two Bank Holiday weekend matches with a totally dominant performance on the south coast as they picked up their first away win of the season. The 2-0 score-line was repeated from last season, but it could have been much greater, such was their superiority. Dawid Rogalski looks to be back to his goal-scoring best as he made it four goals in two games after opening his account for the season two days previously. The home side had little answer to Swans’ passing and movement as their defence was constantly opened up.
Both the starting line-up and substitutes’ bench were unchanged from the win over Taunton Town.
Swans settled quickly, pressing Borough back in their final third, and they went close to going ahead after 5 minutes. A move that started down the right led to Anis Nuur finding Mason Obeng on the left, and he got to the corner of the box to drive in a low shot that home goalkeeper Ryan Hall did well to turn round his right post.
The lead came three minutes later however, and the goal was almost a replica of that conceded against Taunton two days earlier. Rogalski read a pass back to Hall, who tried to kick clear on the edge of the box, but he could only send the ball against the left foot of the Swans’ striker, and it rolled past him and over the line.
A fine build-up led to Jack Wood laying the ball in from the right to Nuur, 22 yards out, and he got in a low shot that Hall got behind on his line. Wood then had a shot deflected wide from a similar position when Obeng laid the ball across from the left. Wood played the right-side corner back to Elliott Bolton, and he crossed to the edge of the 6 yard-box for Eoin Bolger to get in a glancing header, with Riley Horan just being denied at the far-post as the ball was put behind for another corner.
Swans had totally dominated the opening quarter of an hour, but Borough were able to relieve some of the pressure when they were awarded a free-kick just inside the away half. Ben Greenwood delivered the ball into the box, but the referee awarded a free-kick to Swans.
Swans were soon pressing again, and when Nuur crossed from the left Hall took the ball at his far-post to deny Wood. The home keeper then had to be at full stretch to tip the ball away at the far-post when a fine move on the right led to Bolton whipping in a left-foot cross. Swans forced another corner when Obeng made a clever run in on the left byeline and the ball was blocked behind at the near-post. A patient, multi-pass build-up then led to Rogalski setting up Wood in the ‘D’ to drive a left-foot shot over.
With half an hour played Borough broke the pressure, Greenwood’s free-kick from deep on the left winning them their first-corner as the ball was put behind at the far-post. Greenwood swung in the kick from the right, and Jos Barker held the ball on his line. It seemed at first that the referee had signaled the ball had gone over the line, but a free-kick was awarded to Swans, presumably for a foul.
Swans deservedly doubled their lead after 35 minutes with a terrific goal. Rogalski forced keeper Hall into another hasty clearance, and the ball came to Bolton deep on the right. Bolton fed Wood, who battled his way past Rory Williams and found Johl Powell in the right of the box. Rogalski as usual knew where to be to capitalise on Powell’s square pass, getting in front of Joe Morrison to tuck the ball inside the right-post from ten yards.
With added-on time being played Swans pressed for a third goal before the break. An excellent move got Joey Jones into the right of the box, with claims for a penalty being rejected as he went down. Wood then again won the ball on the right to play Powell in, but Hall did well to just deny him.
Borough soon forced a corner after the resumption, but Swans were able to break, with Powell making a good run forward, leading to Obeng setting up Wood on the edge of the box. Wood’s low shot was blocked, and Rogalski followed up on the right to send a strong shot wide of the near-post. Wood then sent Powell on a clear run on the right, but his cross sent the ball across the top of the goal.
Barker saw a rare piece of action when he fell on the ball as it was driven in low from wide on the left.
Swans then made their first change, with Teo Kurtaran coming on for Nuur.
Barker made a good take when Greenwood sent the ball in from the left for the home side, but Swans threatened again when Wood played Powell into the right of the box to get in a cross that was just too high for Obeng at the far-post. Wood was fouled in a central position five yards outside the box, bur he drove the free-kick into the wall, and then followed up to shoot wide of the right post.
Borough made a triple change to complete their substitutions, while Swans brought on Diamond Edwards and Stefan Parkes for Obeng and Bolger.
Jones was shown a yellow card for a pullback, giving Borough a free-kick 40 yards out, but Charlie Gunson’s ambitious effort was comfortably taken by Barker. A stray pass led to Jack Fox getting Rafa Ramos in on the left for Borough, bur his low shot from the corner of the 6 yard-box brought a fine save from Barker at his near-post, the first real test for the Swans’ keeper.
Powell forced a right-side corner for Swans after Edwards completed a fine move by playing him through on the right, and keeper Hall had to punch away from Edward’s kick. Two more corners soon followed on the right before Swans made their final changes, Lucas Defise and Danylo Hubynets replacing Powell and Rogalski.
With two minutes of normal-time remaining the home side were reduced to ten men. Ethan Taylor had been shown a yellow card only eight minutes previously, when he was then given a straight red for a poor challenge on Thabo Kuaho on the edge of Swans’ box.
Nine minutes of additional time were indicated, and three minutes into them Defise played the ball across from the left to Kurtaran just outside the box, but his shot went over.
Borough went close to getting a goal back when they were awarded a free-kick five yards outside the box on the right, but Greenwood’s fine left-foot strike brought a terrific save from Barker, who dived to his left to push the ball onto the post.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton, Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones, Riley Horan, Eoin Bolger (Stefan Parkes 66’), Jack Wood, Anis Nuur (Teo Kurtaran 56’), Dawid Rogalski (Danylo Hubynets 85’), Johl Powell (Lucas Defise 85’), Mason Obeng (Diamond Edwards 66’). Scorer: Rogalski (9’ & 35’). Cautions: Jones, foul (74’), Kurtaran, dissent.
Gosport Borough Team: Hall, Williams (Tshaka 66’), Morrison, Wassmer, Tomasso, Wooden (Ramos 66’), Solley (Gunson 46’), E. Krasniqi (Read 46’), Greenwood, Fox (Caborn 66’), Taylor. Cautions: Gunson, persistent infringement (71’), Read, foul (77’), Taylor, delayed restart (80’). Dismissal: Taylor, serious foul play (88’).
