Saturday 6th September 2025. Southern League, Premier Division South.
Walton & Hersham 2 Evesham United 1.
Swans made it three wins from three home games, but as in their opening fixture they had to see out the match for a lengthy period with ten men. This followed the controversial sending-off of Johl Powell after 65 minutes when he was shown his second yellow card of the match for supposed simulation, when indications were he had been kicked on the ankle. Leading 2-1 at the time, they then defended well to see off the efforts of the visitors to equalise for a second time. A tight finish did not look to be on the menu following a first quarter that Swans almost totally dominated, but during which they could not add to an early opening goal. Their first-time opponents then came into the game to equalise, before Swans regained the lead after 56 minutes.
There was one change for Swans, with Joey Jones returning to the starting line-up.
They took the lead after just two minutes with a well-worked goal. Evesham goalkeeper Jenson Kilroy’s clearing kick could only reach Anis Nuur inside the away half, and this led to Powell finding Jack Wood on the right edge of the box. Wood sent an excellent cross into the 6 yard-box, where Dawid Rogalski got in front of the keeper to side-foot the ball into the top, left corner.
Nuur soon forced a corner on the left, and when Elliott Bolton played it short to Wood, he crossed to the far-post, where Riley Horan sent a header over. Evesham headed behind to give Swans another corner on the right, and Eoin Bolger’s kick led to the ball being scrambled clear.
Swans went close to doubling their lead when Jones sent a long ball down the middle to pick out the run of Powell. Powell got into the left of the box, but under pressure could only send a shot wide of the near-post.
The visitors had been pinned in their own half for the opening ten minutes, but they were able to relieve the pressure somewhat when they were awarded a free-kick 45 yards out from Swans’ goal.
Swans were soon winning another corner however, when Rogalski sent Powell down the right.
A long throw from Will Owens on the right led to Evesham winning their first corner, but Swans were able to clear from Owen’s right-side kick.
A fine build-up by Swans led to Mason Obeng cutting in from the left, but his low shot from 22 yards was straight at keeper Kilroy.
The Robins went close to getting a shock equaliser when Owens delivered another long throw from the right. Swans’ keeper Jos Barker came to his near-post to punch away, but Owens was able to cross back in to the edge of the 6 yard-box, where the ball glanced off the head of Jones and onto the right angle of bar and post.
The game had settled down to a more even contest, but Swans went close to making it 2-0 after 28 minutes. A fine move on the right again led to Wood sending an excellent ball into the box to find Nuur., and he turned superbly to drive a terrific shot against the bar.
Swans were immediately shocked by an Evesham equaliser. After playing the ball around in their half, a long ball was delivered by Josh Barlow to find Owens high on the left. Owens drove past Bolton to the byeline, and his cross picked out Levi Steele unmarked at the far-post to head past Barker.
Rogalski was fouled 35 yards out to give Swans a free-kick in a good position, but Wood’s fine strike was just wide of the right-post. Swans should have regained the lead when Bolton found Rogalski in the right of the box, and he played a clever pass across to Obeng by the penalty-spot, but he completely missed his kick and the ball curled well-wide.
In the final minute of normal-time at the end of the first-half Powell was shown a yellow card for kicking the ball away after conceding a free-kick, and this was to prove crucial later.
In added-on time Swans were frustrated when Nuur looked to be clearly fouled outside the left corner of the box, but the referee allowed play to continue and the move came to nothing.
Soon after the resumption Evesham won a free-kick 45 yards out on the right, and Barlow’s delivery led to the ball being blocked in the box before going behind for a corner on the left. The ball came back to Barlow following his kick, and when he crossed it into the box it deflected off Jones and through to Barker, who made a smart grab in the 6 yard-box.
A fine move by Swans led to Bolger sending Obeng down the left, and he cut inside to strike a great, right-foot half volley that Kilroy got round his near-post with a good save. The visitors’ keeper must take a large piece of responsibility however for Swans regaining the lead after 56 minutes. A move down the left looked to have broken down, but the ball came to Jones outside the box. The Swans’ skipper set up Bolton to his right 25 yards out, and when he drove in a low shot the ball squirmed under the body of the keeper and over the line.
Swans made a triple substitution, with Stefan Parkes, Diamond Edwards and Jonathon Page coming on for Thabo Kuaho, Wood and Nuur, but just a minute later they were reduced to ten men. Following clever play by Edwards in the right of the box Powell looked to be kicked in the ankle and went down, but instead of a penalty to Swans the referee showed Powell a yellow card for simulation, and having been booked earlier he was sent off. This left Swans 25 minutes plus stoppage-time to see out the win a player short.
A header was glanced wide when Barlow took a free-kick from the right for the Robins, and Barker made a good take when Jamar Smith crossed from the left. Evesham got the ball in the net with an overhead kick following a corner, but the flag was up for offside.
Swans brought on Ethan Light for Bolger, and Page was soon picking up a clearance on the edge of the box to make a smart turn and drive in a fine half-volley that Kilroy took high up on his line. Obeng then made a good run on the left, but could not find anyone in the middle.
Evesham’s Kai Churchley had an opening on the edge of the box, but his low shot lacked power and Barker made a comfortable save.
Swans went close to making the win safe with two minutes of normal-time remaining. Page forced a corner on the right, and from Edwards’ kick Kilroy punched away to the edge of the box, where Page met the ball on the volley to send a terrific shot against the left-post. Swans forced two corners in quick succession on the right, and from Edwards’ second Jones sent a header looping over.
Evesham twice sent long throws into the box in a lengthy period of added-on time, but Swans’ ten men held out for the win.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton, Thabo Kuaho (Stefan Parkes 64’), Joey Jones, Riley Horan, Eoin Bolger (Ethan Light 80’), Jack Wood (Diamond Edwards 64’), Anis Nuur (Jonathon Page 64’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Mason Obeng. Sub. not used: Lucas Defise. Scorer: Rogalski (2’), Bolton (56’). Dismissal: Powell, 2 cautions (kicked ball away [45’], simulation [65’]).
Evesham Team: Kilroy, Barlow, Richards, Heap, Steele (Churchley 63’), Awadh (Dunbar 63’), Liggett, Wright, Owens (Smith 31’ [Messenger 76’]), Bojang (Middleton 70’), Walters. Scorer: Steele (29’). Cautions: Heap (foul), Messenger (dissent), Middleton (foul), Churchley (foul).
