Saturday 8th March 2025.        Southern League, Premier Division South.

Hanwell Town 3 Walton & Hersham 3.

Swans’ six match winning run away from home came to an end as they were held to a 3-3 draw at the Powerday Stadium. That run could well have been extended had they been able to continue the dominance they showed in the first-half. Two late goals in that first-half sent them in at the break deservedly ahead after they had gone behind as the home side scored from their only real chance. However, a slow start to the second-half led to them conceding two goals in the space of five minutes, putting their unbeaten run under threat. They came back well to equalise for the second time however, and then went close to getting yet another late goal that on balance of play would have given them a deserved win. With other results going in their favour the point gained reinforced their position of 3rd in the table.
With Laurie Shala continuing in goal, there was one change to the starting line-up, Mason Obeng coming in for Kai Jennings, who had picked up an injury in training with his parent club, AFC Wimbledon.
Hanwell forced a corner on the left straight from the kick-off, and when Thabo Kuaho cleared from Taylor Miles’ kick Swans broke, keeping possession and building-up a promising attack. They continued to dominate, going close to taking the lead after a quarter of an hour. Dawid Rogalski’s clever ball sent Bobby-Joe Taylor on a run down the right, and he got past Dwayne Duncan and into the right of the box. Taylor laid the ball across to Rogalski, who drove in a shot that brought a fine save from home goalkeeper Sam Beasant, who got down to his right to push round the post. Taylor soon won another corner on the right, and Eoin Bolger played a one-two with him before swinging the ball in to the edge of the 6 yard-box, where Ralph Vigrass put a header just over.
The home goal then had a remarkable escape when Obeng broke up a home attack on the edge of Swans’ box to start a terrific move that led to Johl Powell driving down the right and past Duncan before laying the ball low across to the near-post. The ball was just behind Rogalski as he tried to back-heel it in, and it ran across the goal-line. Roberto Nditi failed to hook it away and it ran to.Vigrass at the far-post, but it was again just behind him and he could not touch it over the line. Vigrass was able to get possession and lay the ball back to Obeng, who played Taylor through to the corner of the 6 yard-box, but his left foot shot took a slight deflection off Harry Seabrook and went just inches over.
The first half hour had been dominated by Swans, and Hanwell relieved the pressure by forcing a corner on the right, but Shala made a good take from Miles’ kick.
A long clearing kick by Shala then picked out the run of Vigrass on the left, and he got past the last defender and into the box, the ball being blocked behind at the near-post for a corner. From Obeng’s kick Joey Jones was just outside the 6 yard-box to get in a header that went into the gloves of Beasant.
With ten minutes left of the half Swans needlessly conceded a corner on the right, and this led to Hanwell going ahead totally against the run of play. Miles’ kick was headed away by Jones at the far-post, and the ball was blocked away as it was volleyed back in from the edge of the box. It then fell to Ryan Cole, and he got in a shot that Shala could not hold onto on his line, and Joe Waight was left with a simple tap-in.
Swans were soon attacking again, and Vigrass got in on the left byeline to have a low cross cleared at the near-post.
With five minutes left to the break the home side won another corner on the left, but Rogalski headed away at the far-post from Miles’ kick.
Hanwell’s Nditi then picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Kuaho.
Another foul soon followed when Powell found Taylor on the right, and he was brought down by Dan Carr just outside the edge of the box. Hanwell were probably expecting the free-kick to be crossed into the box, but Taylor whipped the ball with his left foot into the near-post, and Beasant seemed to be caught unawares as he could only help it over the line, giving Swans the equaliser and Taylor his first goal for the club.
With the half entering added-on time Kuaho was again fouled out on the left touchline. Taylor swung the free-kick in and the ball was cleared to Obeng outside the box on the right, and he found Jones. The Swans’ skipper played a clever pass through to Elliott Bolton, who drove the ball low across goal for Vigrass to come in from the left and drive it past Beasant to give his side the lead.
There was still time left for Hanwell’s Alfie Pendlebury to get in a shot from outside the box that was straight at Shala.
Straight from the resumption for the second-half Taylor just stopped the ball going over the byeline on the right, and Powell followed up to have a shot blocked.
Just five minutes in however, Swans were pulled level in disappointing fashion. They failed to clear their lines, and Carr was found on the left to play the ball in to Waight, who was then allowed to make room and get in a shot that Shala could only push away. The ball ran to Cole in the right of the box, and he passed it inside the near-post.
Five minutes later Swans were behind for a second time. The ball was hooked into the box from out on the right touch-line, and when it came out to the edge Pendlebury laid it off to Carr, who curled a terrific shot inside the right post, giving Shala no chance.
Jones soon had to come off with an injury, and Anis Nuur came on as Swans made their first substitution.
Swans had struggled to regain the dominance they enjoyed in the first-half, but Taylor twice cut in from the right to get in left foot strikes, the first dipping over, and the second going through to Beasant. Rogalski found Vigrass on the left to get the ball over, but it was headed away, before Swans went close to equalising. Bolton did well to keep the ball deep on the right before playing it through to Powell, who then sent Taylor on a run to the byeline. Taylor laid the ball across to Powell in the right of the box, but after beating a couple of defenders to open up the chance, he drove his shot just wide of the far-post. Taylor was then found on the right corner of the box to send another left foot shot dipping over.
Swans almost gifted Hanwell another goal as Shala played the ball out and it was lost in the middle of the pitch, allowing Carr to be found just outside the box to make room and drive in a shot, but Shala went down to his left to save.
Swans equalised for the second time with a quarter of an hour left, and it came with a superbly worked goal. Obeng found Vigrass on the left, and he drove in on the byeline to win a corner. Beasant made a good punch away from Obeng’s kick, but another corner resulted on the left. Obeng played a quick one-two from the kick with Taylor before laying the ball inside to Kuaho, who had run into space in the box. Kuaho got to the byeline to drive the ball low across for Powell to sweep it in at the near-post.
Taylor played an excellent pass across to find Vigrass in the left of the box, but he couldn’t bring the ball under control.
Alex Body then came on for Vigrass.
With the final five minutes being played Hanwell drove the ball low across from wide on the left, and it went across goal and wide. They then won a corner on the left, and from Miles’ kick Duncan got in a header from the edge of the 6 yard-box, but he was under pressure from Nuur and the ball went over.
Three minutes into added-on time Swans went close to taking all three points. Rogalski was fouled out on the left to give Swans a free-kick. Taylor swung the ball in to the far-post, where Junior Eccleston arrived late to get in a strong header that Beasant kept out with terrific save.

Swans’ Team: Laurie Shala, Elliott Bolton, Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones (Anis Nuur 58’), Junior Eccleston, Eoin Bolger, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Mason Obeng, Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Ralph Vigrass (Alex Body 82’). Subs. not used: Lucas Defise, Kyron Horsley-McKay, Danny Ball. Scorers: Taylor (43’), Vigrass (45+2’), Powell (76’). Caution: Nuur (dissent).
Hanwell Town Team: Beasant, Nditi, Carr, Seabrook, Duncan, Hall, Miles, Woodcock, Pendlebury (Sonukan 89’), Cole (Regis 85’), Waight (Benyon 90+5’). Subs. not used: Burgin, Wilson. Scorers: Waight (35’), Cole (50’), Carr (55’). Cautions: Ndidi (foul), Carr (foul), Cole (delayed restart).