Tuesday 21st October 2025.       Southern League, Premier Division South.

Farnham Town 1 Walton & Hersham 2.

Swans made it ten league wins in a row with another sensational late winner at The Memorial Ground, stunning the home support. With second-placed Gloucester City also suffering from a stoppage-time goal that held them to a draw, the three points gained took them four clear at the top.

The home side had looked to be the likely winners as they recovered from going behind to an early Swans’ goal and a first-half where they were a distinct second best. Having been gifted an equaliser they put on a much improved second-half performance, forcing Swans to battle to keep them out. It was Swans however, that delivered the sucker punch deep into added-on time, when Joe Bennett volleyed in his first goal for them. For the second game running they were then forced to see out the closing minutes a man down when Bennett was shown a second yellow card during the goal celebrations. In the circumstances, to have come away with a point would probably have been acceptable, but Swans can point to their first-half performance that barely offered the home side an opportunity. The loss of Thabo Kuaho to injury after just 35 minutes certainly did them no favours, limiting their threat down the left.

Dawid Rogalski returned to the side after serving a one match suspension, while Stefan Parkes and Charlie Street both came into the line-up, the latter making his first start.

Rogalski was soon trying to beat Farnham’s new goalkeeper Michael Eacott from just inside the home half, but the former Bracknell Town No. 1 was able to get back and gather. Mason Obeng and Rogalski played a neat one-two just outside the box, and Obeng was just closed out. Jack Wood then closed down Brandon Mason on the right and Rogalski got into the box, but under pressure he prodded the ball just wide of the far-post, and Eacott got across to scramble clear.

Swans had made a fine start, and they took the lead after 12 minutes. A throw-in found Rogalski on halfway on the right, and he played a clever pass to send Obeng driving forward. Obeng was closed down by both Jack Dean and Ryan Kinnane, but he was able to find Rogalski, coming into the box on his right, and he slotted the ball into the bottom, right corner.

Farnham had a free-kick deep on the left, and when former Swan Bobby-Joe Taylor delivered the ball in it was just cleared away at the far-post. Taylor then won a corner on the left, and from the kick Dean sent a header looping well over.

Swans built up a fine move on the right, leading to Joey Jones slipping the ball through to Johl Powell, but his pass caught Rogalski offside before he shot wide of the far-post. Jones forced a corner on the left for Swans, and following Bennett’s short kick Farnham broke, but Obeng raced back to make a fine tackle.

With ten minutes of normal-time remaining of the half Kuaho had to come off injured, and Lucas Defise came on. Swans could feel well-satisfied with the first-half however, as their keeper Jos Barker had barely been troubled.

Soon after the resumption determined play by Farnham’s Harry Cooksley on the right led to him setting-up Tom Leggett on the edge if the box, but his shot was blocked by Parkes. Mason then crossed into the box from the left, but Taylor sent a header well over.

Farnham had started the second half well, but their equaliser after 52 minutes was all of Swans’ making. Parkes tried to pass back to Barker from wide on Farnham’s right, but his keeper had advanced too far, and Adam Liddle nipped in at the near-post to score into an open goal.

Following the goal the home side continued to press, and a foul on Liddle gave them a free-kick 35 yards out, but Taylor sent the ball dipping well-over.

Swans then brought on Ethan Light for Parkes.

Farnham picked up two yellow cards in quick succession for fouls by Cooksley and Dean on Street and Bennett. The second gave Swans a free-kick 5 yards outside the box on the left, but Rogalski sent the ball over the near, top corner.

Farnham delivered a long throw from the right, and Barker was judged to have carried the ball behind, but the Swans’ keeper cut out the right-side corner at the near-post.

Swans soon had a chance when Obeng picked up a loose clearance and sent Rogalski in on the left, but Kinnane made a good block to concede a corner.

Cooksley found Taylor on the right for Farnham, and he whipped the ball in for Liddle to glance a header wide of the far-post.

Swans then made a couple of changes in quick succession, with Zach Alfalahi and Jonathon Page coming on for Wood and Obeng.

With just under ten minutes of normal-time remaining Swans’ Bennett and Farnham’s Taylor were both shown yellow cards for a confrontation.

Taylor was soon driving the ball in low from right, and it went across the goal-face before being hooked away at the far-post. Farnham then broke from a Swans’ attack, with Owen Dean driving forward before finding Taylor in space on the right, but Eoin Bolger got across to make a fine tackle and concede a corner.

With five minutes left Alfalahi did well on the right edge of the box for Swans, but was just closed out.

Farnham has another opportunity when Ogo Obi laid the ball back on the left to Great Evans, but his low shot from the corner of the box went wide of the far-post. They went even closer when they crossed from the left into the 6 yard-box and Mat MacKenzie got a touch, but the ball rolled wide of the far-post.

The home side then thought they had got a late winner. Mason crossed from the left, and when Barker came out to punch away Evans drove the ball in, but the referee had already blown for a foul on the Swans’ keeper.

It was Swans however who were to have the last say, when Page got forward on the right before delivering a superb cross to the far-post. Bennett was there to get in front of both Kinnane and Jack Dean to cushion a left-foot volley past Eacott for a sensational winner.

During the goal celebrations Bennett was judged to have again confronted Taylor and was shown a second yellow card, leaving Swans to see out the final minutes with ten men.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Charlie Street, Stefan Parkes (Ethan Light 58’), Joey Jones, Eoin Bolger, Thabo Kuaho (Lucas Defise 35’), Jack Wood (Zach Alfalahi 68’), Joe Bennett, Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Mason Obeng (Jonathon Page 74’). Sub. not used: Anis Nuur. Scorers: Rogalski (12’), Bennett (90+4’). Caution: Jones (14’). Dismissal: Bennett, 2 cautions (76’ & 90+4’).
Farnham Team: Eacott, J. Dean, Mason, Kinnane, Leggett, Cooksley (G. Evans 82’), Sanders (O. Dean 51’), Jackson, Taylor, Liddle (Obi 73’), MacKenzie. Subs. not used: Uche, Purcell. Scorer: Liddle (54’). Cautions: Cooksley (59’), J. Dean (60’), Taylor (76’).