Saturday 2nd November 2024. Southern League, Premier Division South.
Walton & Hersham 2 Havant & Waterlooville 0.
Swans picked up their first win in the league in seven games with an outstanding performance against their Hampshire visitors as they played their first Saturday home game since mid-September. The three points gained took them above first-time opponents Hawks and back into the play-off spots. A tight encounter against difficult, uncompromising opponents, was settled by maiden Swans’ goals for both Eoin Bolger and Tom Olyott, scored five minutes apart in the second-half. Bolger had saved up something special for his first goal for the club, a tremendous strike from 25 yards that found the top, left corner. There were several candidates for Swans’ Man of the Match, but Jos Barker was right up there, pulling off several outstanding saves in a commanding performance in goal.
Jordan Esprit soon had an opportunity when he was played clear down the left, but after cutting inside he drove his shot over.
Barker had to make his first save after the visitors forced a corner on the left. Harry Sidwell’s kick was met by Harvey Bradbury at the far-post, but his header was turned wide with a good block by the Swans’ goalkeeper.
Swans went close to taking the lead just before the quarter of an hour. Paul Field won possession in the centre-circle, leading to Dawid Rogalski playing a fine ball out to Nana Owusu on the right. Owusu cut inside past Joe McNerney to drive in a left foot shot that struck Rogalski on the edge of the 6 yard-box, but when the ball rebounded to Johl Powell to his right he shot high and wide under pressure from Hawks’ keeper Ben Dudzinski.
Minutes later Barker prevented the visitors taking the lead. The ball was knocked down by Callum Kealy to Ryan Seager five yards outside the box, and he took it on the bounce to strike a terrific volley that the Swans’ keeper got a strong right hand on to bring off a superb tip-over save. The right-side corner was put behind by Barker at his near-post for another kick.
Rogalski played Powell through to the left of the box for Swans, and the ball was deflected behind for a corner on the left. Elliott Bolton played the kick short to Junior Eccleston, and he crossed to the far-post, where Rogalski was stretching and put the ball behind. Esprit then clipped a great ball in from the left touchline to the near-post, where Rogalski got a touch, but Dudzinski just got behind the ball before claiming it. Anis Nuur was just closed out after getting in on the byeline when Eccleston played him down the left.
At the other end Barker got behind the ball on his line when a low shot came in from the left edge of the box after Swans had lost possession.
With half an hour played Bolton worked a one-two with Powell from a right-side corner before swinging the ball over to the far-post. Dudzinski failed to gather, and Joey Jones was able to lay the ball back to Nuur on the left edge of the box, and he drove a tremendous shot just over. Owusu made a good run on the left before laying inside to Eccleston, who just failed to find Rogalski in the middle. Swans continued to press, and Nuur was played clear down the left to get the ball over to the far-post, where Esprit knocked it back, but it was blocked away. With five minutes of normal-time left of the half Jones played a great ball from the centre-circle to pick out Esprit wide on the right. Esprit made a terrific run in on the byeline, ‘nutmegging’ Reuben Austin, who dragged the Swans’ striker down, the Hawks’ left-back being duly shown a yellow card. The free-kick was just a yard outside the box, and Bolton drove the ball across to the penalty-spot, where Owusu got in a shot that was blocked.
Esprit was on the edge of the 6 yard-box to have another shot blocked, and Dudzinski was finally able to fall on the ball. Eccleston had picked up an injury and came off, to be replaced by Bolger. In added-on time Bolton delivered a free-kick from deep on the left into the box and Jones got in a header, but the ball went straight through to Dudzinski.
Swans were deserving of a half-time lead, and two minutes after the resumption they had another chance to go ahead. Brendan Willson fouled Rogalski 35 yards out on the left, and Bolton delivered the free-kick to the far corner of the 6 yard-box to pick out the run of Josh Tobin, but his header went wide of the far-post.
The visitors responded with a couple of efforts on goal. Josh Dockerill sent a long range shot wide of the left post, and Barker took the ball high up on his line when another came in from outside the box.
Swans worked a fine move on the left, leading to Nuur being denied in the box, and Esprit being fouled in the ‘D’ just outside. Bolton drove the free-kick low through, but straight to keeper Dudzinski.
Swans were again grateful to Barker for keeping them level when the visitors got down the left to get the ball across, and Field was at the near-post to head away. The ball came to Sidwell on the edge of the box, and he struck a fine, first-time half-volley that Barker tipped over superbly with a strong right hand. Dockerill was soon driving the ball wide of the far-post from out on the left.
With an hour played Swans made their second change, with Olyott coming on for Rogalski, and three minutes later they took the lead. Powell and Olyott combined high on the right, and Olyott laid the ball back to Nuur. Nuur played the ball across to Bolger, who got forward to 25 yards out, before striking a tremendous left foot shot that arrowed into the top, left corner, giving Dudzinski no chance.
The Hawks forced a corner on the left, but five minutes after taking the lead Swans made it 2-0. Tobin broke up an attack on the edge of Swans’ box, and Esprit was able to pick out the run of Owusu down the left. Owusu made an excellent drive into the box, shrugging off the challenge of Willson and getting to the byeline, before slipping the ball past Dudzinski at the near-post. Olyott got in front of both McNerney and Austin to knock the ball over the line.
Esprit was soon found in the right of the box to turn and have a shot blocked for a corner.
The visitors’ Devante Stanley crossed high into the box from the right, but Barker made a fine catch at the far-post.
Swans responded with Powell sending Olyott on a good run to the right byeline, but his low ball in was cleared.
With just over ten minutes remaining the Hawks went close to pulling a goal back. A long ball down the right found Kealy on the edge of the box, and he muscled his way past Tobin to send a low shot just wide of the far-post.
Mason Obeng immediately came on to replace Owusu.
Barker made another fine catch, cutting the ball out at the far-post from a right-side corner.
At the other end Olyott ran onto a long ball to drive a shot wide from 5 yards outside the box.
The visitors continued to try to get back into the match, and after threatening in Swans’ box the ball was finally headed clear. In the final minute of normal-time they had a free-kick just outside the right edge of the box, leading to a corner being forced on the right, but as the kick came in Barker got to the far-post to make another superb take.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Paul Field, Elliott Bolton, Joey Jones, Junior Eccleston (Eoin Bolger 42’), Josh Tobin, Jordan Esprit, Anis Nuur, Dawid Rogalski (Tom Olyott 60’), Johl Powell (Lucas Defise 88’), Nana Owusu (Mason Obeng 80’). Scorers: Bolger (63’), Olyott (68’). Caution: Nuur, foul (56’).
Havant & Waterlooville Team: Dudzinski, Stanley, Austin, Atangana (Maloney 46’), McNerney, Willson, Bradbury, Seager, Kealy (Swann 87’), Sidwell (Anderson 76’), Dockerill. Subs. not used: Lee, Paul. Cautions: Bradbury, foul (32’), Austin, foul (39’), Dudzinski, dissent (56’).
