Saturday 8th February 2025. Southern League, Premier Division South.
Havant & Waterlooville 2 Walton & Hersham 3.
Swans pulled off a remarkable win with a terrific performance in a pulsating game on their first visit to Westleigh Park. With the clubs separated by a single point in 5th and 6th places in the table, the match was already a vital one. Swans however stretched the gap to four points by scoring a sensational last minute winner to compete the double over the Hampshire side, and to stay in the fourth play-off spot. The Hawks had only lost once at home in the league all season, but Swans deservedly took all three points to double that figure. The home side will probably consider themselves unfortunate to have been reduced to ten men after an hour, following a controversial red card.
Swans introduced two new signings to the squad, both midfielders, and both on loan. 18 year-old Kai Jennings joins from AFC Wimbledon, and 19 year-old Hakeem Sandah from Colchester United. Jennings started the match, and had a particularly impressive debut, while Sandah came on later. Jennings’ inclusion meant there were five players under 20 in the starting line-up, surely making it one of the club’s youngest sides at senior level.
Swans almost opened up the home defence straight from the kick-off as Ralph Vigrass got down the right to combine with Mason Obeng, leading to Dawid Rogalski just being closed out in the box and a corner being won on the left.
Swans continued their fine start, and they took the lead after seven minutes. Johl Powell was played clear down the right, and his low cross just failed to find Rogalski in the box, but another corner was won on the right. Instead of Eoin Bolger swinging the kick in, Elliott Bolton played a one-two with Jennings before crossing to the penalty-spot, where Rogalski spun to drive a terrific, half-volley into the bottom, left corner.
It only took the Hawks two minutes to equalise however. Devante Stanley was found on the right, and when he laid the ball across to Ryan Seager just inside the box, he swept a fine, first-time shot into the top left corner, giving keeper Jos Barker no chance.
Vigrass left his marker trailing on the right for Swans, but his low cross failed to find a teammate. Vigrass was soon being fouled out by the right corner-flag, giving Swans a free-kick. The ball was headed away when Bolger delivered the kick into the box, and Powell followed up to have a shot blocked. Swans regained possession, and Obeng played the ball through to Rogalski, who sent a shot just wide of the left post, but he was flagged offside.
With just over a quarter of an hour played the home side had a remarkable escape. Joey Jones played the ball down the left to Jennings who, after getting to the byeline, was closed out by Nigel Atangana. Atangana played the ball across to his keeper Ben Dudzinski, but Jennings nipped in to dispossess him. Jennings was left with an open goal close-in at the near-post, but his shot was somehow blocked on the line by Joe McNerney, and Dudzinski was able to collect. The Hawks’ captain was injured in keeping the ball out and had to be replaced by Reuben Austin.
The home side began to threaten, and Junior Eccleston just got the ball clear when the ball was played in low from the right. A patient build-up then led to Stanley being found on the right, and he cut inside to drive a left foot shot wide of the right post from 5 yards outside the box. Barker then had to come out to the corner of his area to make a fine block when Callum Kealy got in on the left. The Swans’ keeper then made a good take at his far-post to cut out a left-side corner.
A fine through ball by Rogalski almost got Powell in before Swans regained the lead after 34 minutes. A clever move on the left led to Jennings playing a great reverse pass to find Thabo Kuaho just inside the corner of the box, where he was brought down from behind by Stanley. A penalty was awarded, and Rogalski drove the kick into the bottom left corner.
Once again the lead was to be short lived, lasting just 4 minutes. Eccleston had just been shown a yellow card for a foul out on the left touchline, when the young defender suffered another misfortune. Atangana sent in a cross from deep on the right to the far-post, where Barker came out to collect, but the Swans’ keeper ran into Eccleston, the ball striking the defender on the shoulder before rolling into the far corner for a freak own goal.
With five minutes left of the half Jennings and Obeng combined on the left, leading to Jennings driving in a shot from the edge of the box that took a deflection to go over for a corner.
The Hawks responded with a build-up around the edge of the box that led to Keane Anderson driving a low shot wide of the far-post from the right.
Swans then went desperately close to taking the lead for the third time. The move started with Vigrass being found on the right touchline by a terrific cross-field ball by Bolger deep on the left. Vigrass found Jones, who made a great run into the right of the box before setting up Powell 10 yards out, but his low shot was kicked off the goal-line by Brendan Willson.
There was still time left for the home side to get in on the left and Barker to come out to the edge of his area to block. A free-kick was immediately awarded just outside the box, and the ball was just cleared away as it was played back in from the left. Barker then got behind a shot from the left of the box.
The home side started the second-half well, and Harvey Laidlaw drove the ball low across goal from the left. The same player then got to the left byeline to again play the ball in low, and it struck teammate Leon Maloney to find the hands of a grateful Barker on his line.
With an hour played the Hawks were reduced to ten men. Atangana sent a long ball down the right, and Barker dashed across to the edge of his area to head clear, but he was caught by the high boot of Stanley. The referee deemed the challenge worthy of a yellow card, and with the Hawks’ right-back having already been booked minutes earlier, he was shown a red card. With protests following, play was held up for several minutes before play resumed with a free-kick to Swans.
Swans then made their first changes, with Nana Owusu replacing Obeng, and Sandah coming on for Vigrass.
The match had settled down, with neither side creating much in the way of chances, although Swans had to clear at the near-post when the ball was driven in low from the right.
With a quarter of an hour remaining Lucas Defise was brought on for Kuaho as Swans began to dominate. Jones found Sandah on the left, and he made a clever run into the box, but his final cross was hit too long. Jones then got in a powerful strike from 40 yards that was wide of the left post. With two minutes of normal-time remaining Defise and Rogalski combined to set up Bolton just outside the box, and he drove a left foot shot just inches wide of the right post.
Then, in the 90th minute, Swans won the match in remarkable fashion. Sandah found Owusu on the left, and he left Josh Dockerill trailing as he drove forward before crossing low into the box. The ball was cleared to Jennings, whose shot was blocked by Atangana. Rogalski followed up, but his shot was also blocked, this time by Willson. Rogaski got in another shot that brought a fine save from keeper Dudzinski on his line. Jennings was then blocked on the edge of the 6 yard-box by Willson, but the ball came to Bolton 15 yards out, and he drove a low, right foot shot through a forest of legs and into the goal for a sensational winner. Swans then held out comfortably for the six plus added minutes to record a superb win.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton, Thabo Kuaho (Lucas Defise 75’), Joey Jones, Junior Eccleston, Eoin Bolger, Ralph Vigrass (Hakeem Sandah 63’), Mason Obeng (Nana Owusu 63’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell (Anis Nuur 90+3’), Kai Jennings. Sub. not used: Alex Body. Scorers: Rogalski (7’ & 34’ [pen.]), Bolton (90’). Cautions: Eccleston, foul (35’), Kuaho, foul, (45+2’), Powell, foul (69’).
Havant & Waterlooville Team: Dudzinski, Stanley, Atangana, McNerney (Austin 20’), Willson, Seager, Maloney, Kealy (Swann 88’), Dockerill, Anderson, Laidlaw. Subs. not used: Lee, Aston, Walker-Harris. Scorers: Seager (9’), Own goal (Eccleston) (37’). Cautions: Laidlaw, foul (7’), Dudzinski, dissent (8’), Walker-Harris (bench), dissent (62’), Willson, foul (63’), Anderson, foul (90+5’). Dismissal: Stanley, 2 cautions, dissent (58’), foul (60’).
