Tuesday 14th October 2025. Southern League, Premier Division South.
Walton & Hersham 2 Havant & Waterlooville 1.
Swans were off the top of the table for just 24 hours as they put on a superb performance to beat a tough, uncompromising Hawks’ side. They were more than good value for the 2-0 lead they took into the final minutes, and conceding a late goal made it an unnecessary tight finish. Not for the first time Dawid Rogalski was singled out for particular treatment by the opposition defence, at one stage literally having the shirt torn off his back. He responded magnificently however, despite being given little protection, and athough failing to get on the scoresheet, he posed constant problems all match for the opposition. Johl Powell meanwhile kept up his rich vein of scoring form, getting both goals.
There were a couple of changes to the line-up, with both Jonathon Page and Stefan Parkes making first starts of the season. Parkes’ inclusion resulted in a more forward role for Thabo Kuaho, and one he revelled in, while Page also had a fine match.
Powell immediately won a corner on the right for Swans, but Eoin Bolger’s kick was hit too long, Kuaho then making a fine run in on the left byeline to have a low cross cleared.
The Hawks broke, with Leon Maloney finding former Swan Nana Owusu on the left, and he got to the edge of the box, but dragged his shot wide of the far-post, with Harvey Bradbury just failing to get a touch.
Jack Wood stole the ball in the away box, and after combining with Powell, he got in a low, left-foot shot that visiting goalkeeper Lorenz Ferdinand went down to save, but his opposite number Jos Barker was soon having to deal with the ball being driven in from the right, collecting down at his near-post.
Both sides had made a lively start, leading to a very open game.
After winning a corner on the left, the Hawks had the ball in the net through Maloney, when he got on the end of George Milner-Smith’s low cross from the right, but there was an offside in the build-up.
It was Swans who took the lead after 17 minutes however, rewarding their attacking opening. Wood had just forced another corner on the right before Joey Jones found Mason Obeng on the left, and he made a great run into the box to get in driven cross that Ferdinand could only push away. Powell followed in on the right to score with a splendid half-volley.
Obeng was soon almost getting Powell in on goal, but he was just denied. Swans went close to doubling their lead after 26 minutes following superb interplay between Wood and Powell on the right. Powell laid the ball back from the right byeline to Rogalski, and he drove in a left-foot shot that rattled the underside of the crossbar.
A triple booking soon followed when Riley Horan seemed to get in a perfectly good tackle just inside the visitors’ half. The Swans’ defender went down injured, and following a confrontation between players he was shown a yellow card, along with teammate Bolger and the Hawks’ Bradbury.
Parkes’ pass down the left found Rogalski, who played an excellent ball that slipped Obeng into the left of the box to drive a terrific left-foot shot just over.
The Hawks responded with Maloney and Matt Hayden combining on the right, and from Maloney’s cross, Ryan Seager turned on the edge of the box to send a shot over.
Jones made an excellent run forward for Swans to find Wood in the right of the box, but his cross was just too high for Obeng, the ball glancing off his head. A fine move on the left then led to Page just failing to play Powell in.
With the half entering the final five minutes a ball down the left sent Owusu clear for the Hawks, and he found Seager in the box, who got in a left-foot shot that brought a fine save from Barker.
With added-on time being played Swans again went close when Kuaho played the ball in low from the left, but just failed to pick out Rogalski in the 6 yard-box.
Swans made a change for the second-half, with Elliott Bolton replacing Parkes, and they soon thought they had doubled their lead. Obeng found Wood on the right, and his low cross picked out Rogalski in the 6 yard-box to sweep the ball in, but the flag went up for offside.
Just five minutes into the half Swans made a second change, with Ethan Light coming on for Horan.
Page made a fine break forward after stealing the ball, but after reaching the edge of the box he was just denied by a great tackle by Hayden, who cleared for a corner on the right. Bolton then got in a great strike from just outside the box which Ferdinand kept out with a fine save, diving to his right to turn the ball wide.
Swans were fortunate not to concede however when the ball came in from the right and was just scrambled away from the line at the far-post. Hayden soon delivered another cross from the right, and Seager got in a header that Barker turned round his near-post with a fine save. From the corner on the right Brendan Willson headed the ball down, and it was scrambled clear before being delivered back in from the right for Nigel Atangana to head across goal and wide. .
With an hour played Powell was fouled outside the right edge of the box, with the Hawks’ offender fortunate to escape a yellow card. Bolton delivered the free-kick into the box, and the ball was put behind at the far-post for a corner to just deny Rogalski.
Ollie Pendlebury’s half-volley from distance for the visitors went straight through to Barker, his opposite Ferdinand then saving a low shot from Page, who had got through to the right edge of the box.
Joe Bennett came on to replace Wood, and he was soon playing a part in Swans going 2-0 up after 69 minutes. Barker’s long clearing kick found Rogalski on the left, and he held the ball up superbly before laying across to Powell. Powell played a clever one-two with Bennett in the right of the box, before holding off the combined challenge of Pendlebury and Willson and driving the ball in.
Swans immediately made their final substitutions, with Lucas Defise and Anis Nuur replacing Page and Obeng. Defise was soon being denied in the right of the box following some fine play by Powell. Yet another foul on Rogalski gave Swans a free-kick outside the right of the box and the offender a booking. Bennett’s shot took a deflection off Laidlaw to go wide of the near-post for a corner.
The visitors broke clear on the right, but Reuben Austin’s cross went straight to Barker. The same player was soon picking up a yellow card for yet another shirt pull on Rogalski, giving Swans a free-kick on the right touchline, and the Swans’ striker needing a change of top.
Kuaho became Swans’ third player to be cautioned for a foul on Ethan Giwa-McNeil just outside the right edge of the box, but Barker cut out Austin’s free-kick. Swans were then left to play out the final two minutes plus additional time with just a single goal lead when they conceded in soft fashion. The ball was lost on the visitors’ right, and when it was played in to Seager in the box, he turned to send a shot into the far corner.
With added-on time being played Barker made a terrific take when the ball was crossed in from the right. The Swans’ keeper then made a great save down to his right when Laidlaw got in a shot from the edge of the box following Atangana’s cross from the right.
Swans were then able to see out the remaining minutes for a deserved win.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Stefan Parkes (Elliott Bolton 46’), Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones, Riley Horan (Ethan Light 50’), Eoin Bolger, Jack Wood (Joe Bennett 65’), Jonathon Page (Lucas Defise 69’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Mason Obeng (Anis Nuur 70’). Scorer: Powell (17’ & 69’). Cautions: Horan (28’), Bolger (28’), Kuaho (87’).
Havant & Waterlooville Team: Ferdinand, Hayden, Milner-Smith (Austin 70’), Willson, Bradbury, Pendlebury, Seager, Maloney (Giwa-McNeil 64’), Owusu, Dockerill (Atangana 54’), Laidlaw. Subs. not used: Aston, Warren. Scorer: Seager (88’). Cautions: Bradbury (28’), Willson (36’’), Laidlaw (81’), Austin (84’), Pendlebury (90+5’)
