Saturday 4th January 2025. Southern League, Premier Division South.
Walton & Hersham 3 AFC Totton 2.
Swans pulled off another of their now almost customary late home comebacks, two superb goals from Dawid Rogalski giving them a sensational win over second-placed AFC Totton. Rogalski’s first goal after 84 minutes had looked to be the winner, only for the visitors to equalise in stoppage-time. Swans did not settle for a draw however, and the Polish striker drove home his second goal in the sixth minute of added-on time to pull off a remarkable win.
First and second placed clubs Merthyr Town and AFC Totton have now only lost two games each all season, and Swans have been responsible for two of those four defeats. Their first win over the Stags in four attempts was fully deserved, as they had been the dominant force in the game, particularly in the first half.
Swans made a couple of changes to the team that had started at Merthyr, with Jos Barker fit to return in goal and Ralph Vigrass, newly signed on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge, coming in for his debut, Nana Owusu dropping to the bench. 19 year-old local boy Vigrass, who played a big part in Bracknell Town’s run to the play-offs last season, had a most impressive first appearance, scoring Swans’ first and equalising goal. Having had his red card at Merthyr rescinded on appeal, Junior Eccleston was able to take his place in the side.
The visitors immediately had a free-kick deep on the left, and Tom Blair’s delivery into the box was well punched away by Barker at the far-post. Ethan Taylor followed up on the right edge of the box to drive a left foot shot over. Swans then gave away a needless corner on the left, but Barker was able to cut out the kick.
It was the home side that went close to taking the lead however with seven minutes played. Eoin Bolger’s cross from the left was deflected behind for a corner on that side. Mason Obeng’s kick reached Vigrass in the right of the box, and when he got in a header that deflected off the head of the Stags’ Roddy Collins, the ball beat keeper Ryan Gosney and came back off the face of the crossbar. Josh Tobin was then judged to have been guilty of a push as he followed in. Tobin played a high ball down the left to pick out the run of Rogalski, and Vigrass took over outside the box. Vigrass found Johl Powell to his right, who then set up Rogalski in space on the right edge of the box, and he drove in a shot that Gosney beat down on his line.
The visitors began to threaten, and an attack led to Swans clearing the ball away from their line. Barker then made a good take when a cross came in from the right.
Swans however went close again after a quarter of an hour. Tobin was on the centre spot to send a fine ball over the top to pick out the run of Vigrass on the right. Vigrass did well to just prevent the ball going over the byeline, driving over a first-time cross. Rogalski made a run to the near-post to strike a first-time half-volley that Gosney pushed round with a fine save. Bolger’s corner from the right curled in too much and the ball went behind. Rogalski was then fouled 40 yards out, and from Bolger’s free-kick into the box Tobin glanced a header wide. Midway through the half Tobin was fouled 10 yards outside the box on the right, and following Bolger’s free-kick Obeng had a shot blocked. Bolger followed up on the right to drive in a strong shot that was straight at Gosney. Another foul on Tobin earned the Stags’ Charlie Kennedy the first yellow card, and Elliott Bolton’s free-kick from 40 yards out forced a corner on the left, but Tobin sent a wild shot over following Obeng’s kick. Collins soon became the second visiting player to be booked for a foul on Powell. More fine play by Vigrass on the right got him to the byeline, and again he did well to keep the ball in, but Rogalski just failed to get on the end of his cross at the near-post. Swans continued to have the best of the play, and Powell forced yet another corner on the right, but Gosney made a good take from Bolger’s in-swinging kick. With ten minutes left of the half Tobin played a terrific pass from inside his own half on the left to find Vigrass on the right, who again did well to keep the ball in play before laying it across to Powell. Powell set up Tobin to his left on the edge of the box to strike a low, right foot shot that Gosney went down on his line to save. Rogalski looked to be just inside the box when he was fouled, but a free-kick was awarded outside. Obeng took the kick, but drove the ball into the wall.
The Stags’s attacks had been few and far between, but with five minutes left to the break Joe Oastler got forward in his own half before finding Blair on the left. Blair cut in to the corner of the box to send a shot over the far, top corner.
Powell forced another corner on the right for Swans, and from Bolger’s kick the ball was cleared back to him from the 6 yard-box. Bolger crossed back in, and when Tega Agberhiere could only head away to Bolton just outside the box, he drove a half-volley over.
Vigrass was soon making another fine run on the right in the second-half to win a corner after Tobin had found him with a fine cross-field ball from the left.
The visitors had come out looking more determined to get forward however, and a build-up on the left led to the ball being swung in from out on the touchline to the far-post, where Barker had to tip it behind. The corner from the right was headed away by Rogalski at the near-post, but another kick followed on the same side. Following the kick the ball came out to the edge of the box, where a dipping, half-volley came in that Barker tipped over with a fine save.
Despite all Swans’ first-half dominance it was the Stags that went ahead six minutes into the second-half. The ball was swung in from the edge of the box on the left, and Tony Lee got in front of Joey Jones at the near-post to score with a fine header.
Tobin looked to have been fouled in the centre-circle, but play was allowed to continue, and Blair got into the left of the box to drive in a shot that Eccleston did well to block at the near-post. The ball fell to Lee on the left, and he hooked in a volley that flew inches over.
Just before the hour Swans made an attacking change with Owusu coming on for Paul Field, but the visitors’ good spell continued, and when the ball fell to Lee in the box he drove a left foot shot over.
Owusu was soon making his presence felt for Swans with a trademark run on the left, and there were shouts for handball when he drove the ball across.
He was soon making a similar run, and this brought Swans’ equaliser after 64 minutes. Clever play by Tobin in the centre-circle led to him finding Owusu on the left, and he drove past his marker to get to the byeline and hang up a terrific cross to the far-post, where Vigrass leapt to nod in a debut goal.
Owusu was immediately making another run into the left of the box, and he was just denied, forcing a corner. Jones was at the far-post to get his head to Obeng’s kick, but Gosney claimed the ball.
Totton sent a shot over from five yards outside the box before Swans made their second substitution with a quarter of an hour left to play, Lucas Defise coming on for Eccleston.
The Stags soon went close to regaining their lead when Scott Rendell got in a shot from the left of the box, but Barker made a fine save down at his near-post.
Alex Body then came on to replace Vigrass to end his fine Swans’ debut.
With the final five minutes of normal-time approaching Swans took the lead for the first time.
Bolton took a throw-in on the right to Powell, and after getting the ball back he slipped a superb pass through to Rogalski in the right of the box. Rogalski let the ball run past him before driving it past Gosney and into the far corner.
Anis Nuur came on for Powell to try to see the game out, but with added-on time being played Taylor hooked in a shot from just inside the box that Barker had to get round his left post. Taylor took the corner from the right, and when the ball was nodded back at the far-post Rendell hooked in a shot that looped over Bolger and over the line with Charlie Austin following up to make sure. Swans’ appeals for a push on Jones went unheeded, with Tobin picking up a booking.
That looked like it, but as the added-on time entered the sixth minute Tobin picked up a Totton clearance on the left before playing the ball forward to Obeng, who laid it off first-time to Rogalski on his right. Rogalski shrugged off the Totton defenders’ challenges to force his way into the box, sidestep Oastler, and pass the ball into the bottom, left corner for a sensational winner.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Paul Field (Nana Owusu 59’), Eoin Bolger, Joey Jones, Junior Eccleston (Lucas Defise 75’), Josh Tobin, Elliott Bolton, Mason Obeng, Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell (Anis Nuur 89’), Ralph Vigrass (Alex Body 81’). Sub. not used: Thabo Kuaho. Scorers: Vigrass (64’), Rogalski (84’ & 90+6’). Cautions: Powell, Tobin.
AFC Totton Team: Gosney, Oastler, Kennedy, Tomasso, Taylor, Hallett, Collins (Carter 90+1’), Bennett, Lee, Blair (Austin 85’), Agberhiere (Rendell 65’). Subs. not used: Jefford, Magri. Scorers: Lee (51’), Rendell (90+2’). Cautions: Kennedy, Collins, Blair.
