Saturday 4th October 2025.      FA Trophy, 3rd Qualifying Round.

Hayes & Yeading United 0 Walton & Hersham 0 (W&H won 4-3 on pens.).

Swans progressed to the next round of the FA Trophy, but it took a penalty shoot-out to see them through against their Isthmian South-Central opponents. With Hayes & Yeading on a 7 match winning run it was never going to be an easy challenge. The game itself was a flat affair as Swans came up against a home side with a game plan of sitting back and getting men behind the ball for almost the entirety of the first-half. The plan worked in the main, as Swans struggled to create much in the way of openings. With Hayes & Yeading showing more enterprise in the second-half the play opened up, and they had chances late in the game to win the game. Swans, despite dominating large parts of the match, will feel disappointed with their low shot count as they failed to trouble the home keeper.

There were changes to the starting line-up, with both Dawid Rogalski and Mason Obeng dropping to the bench to end their ever present record. Diamond Edwards, along with Anis Nuur, came into the side.

There was a gusty wind blowing at the start as the fringes of Storm Amy remained, one of the dugouts having been a victim overnight. Hayes & Yeading soon dropped into their defensive formation, allowing Swans possession. The first corner was won on the right after 11 minutes, but Eoin Bolger’s kick carried too far in the wind. Swans best piece of build-up play came after a quarter of an hour, leading to Johl Powell’s shot in the box being deflected foe another corner on the right, but this time Jack Wood hit the ball too long as the kick was played short.
Nuur forced another corner as Swans continued to have all the play, but neither keeper had yet to be troubled.

It was over half an hour before Hayes & Yeading broke out as Noah Hay was played into the right of Swans’ box, and Jos Barker had to come across to gather, the keeper needing treatment after diving at the home player’s feet. With five minutes of normal-time remaining the home side made a break down the middle, bur Joey Jones snuffed out the threat with a fine tackle.

Lucas Defise was soon being fouled 40 yards out at the other end, leading to the first yellow card for Hayes & Yeading’s Jack McKnight. The free-kick was played short, but disappointingly came to nothing.

Hayes & Yeading came out for the second-half immediately showing more desire to get forward, and they forced their first corner on the left four minutes in. Barker was able to cut out McKnight’s kick at his near-post.

Jones’ through ball almost got Wood through for Swans, but he was just closed out, and Powell won a corner on the left. Jones’ header from Nuur’s kick went over. The game had opened up considerably, and Wood won the ball off Exaucee Buanga on the left to lay it across, but Nuur shot over from just outside the box.

Just before the hour Swans made a triple change, with Rogalski, Obeng and Stefan Parkes coming on for Nuur, Edwards and Riley Horan.

Thabo Kuaho had to clear when Hayes & Yeading played the ball low across the box from the left, before Swans looked to have made the breakthrough midway through the half. Defise played Powell into the box to slot past keeper Aaron Watkins, but the flag went up for what must have been a very marginal offside.

The home side then had their best chance so far as Hay broke on the right to play Kaylen Hinds into the right of the box, where he sent a shot just wide of the far-post.

Swans then made their fourth change, with Elliott Bolton replacing Ethan Light. Wood, having switched to the right, was fouled, but he sent the free-kick straight through to keeper Watkins. Defise then went off, to be replaced by Jonathon Page.

Barker had to be quickly out to kick clear, but Swans threatened again when Powell got clear on the right, only for his low cross to be cut out by Watkins with Obeng in the middle. The ball then had to be cleared off the line at the far-post when Hayes & Yeading got in on the right. The home side continued to threaten, and when they forced a corner on the right Barker had to save at his far-post when a first-time shot came in following McKnight’s kick. With the game entering the final five minutes Barker just got out to deny Ryan Ewhare.

Rogalski was fouled 35 yards out to give Swans a free-kick that came to nothing, before Powell got Wood down the right to have a low cross cleared away.

Hayes & Yeading looked the more likely to get a late winner however, and Barker just managed to smother the ball when it was driven in low from the left. In added-on time the Swans’ keeper beat down a good strike from 25 yards from Tyler Hayles.

With that the last serious action, the tie went to penalties. Swans were first up, and were faultless with their opening four kicks taken by Rogalski, Bolton, Obeng and Bolger. The home side however, having converted their first three kicks successfully, saw Hayles strike the crossbar with their fourth. Wood then stepped up to win it for Swans, only to see his kick saved by Watkins. Hinds then had the chance to get Hayes & Yeading back level, only to have his kick saved by Barker to put Swans through to the next round.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Ethan Light (Elliott Bolton 69’), Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones, Riley Horan (Stefan Parkes 58’), Eoin Bolger, Diamond Edwards (Mason Obeng 58’), Lucas Defise (Jonathon Page 74’), Johl Powell, Anis Nuur (Dawid Rogalski 58’), Jack Wood. Caution: Page, foul (81’).

Hayes & Yeading Team: Watkins, Bangura, Rogers, Duffy, Nasha (Onabanjo 74’), Hayles, Hinds, Hay, McKnight, Buanga, Ashton (Ewhare 78’). Subs. not used: Odell, Sani, Parkes. Cautions: McKnight (40’), Rogers (90+1’).

Swans’ penalty-kicks: Rogalski, scored (1-0), Bolton, scored (2-1), Obeng, scored (3-2), Bolger, scored (4-3), Wood, saved (4-3).
Hayes & Yeading penalty-kicks: McKnight, scored (1-1), Rogers, scored (2-2), Duffy, scored (3-3), Hayles, missed (4-3), Hinds, saved (4-3).