Tuesday, 15th April 2025. Surrey Senior Cup: Semi-Final.
Leatherhead 2 Walton & Hersham 4 | ATT: 557
The Swans left it late to overcome local rivals Leatherhead in the semi-final of the Surrey Senior Cup on Tuesday night, progressing to the final of the competition for the first time since 2005, courtesy of a pair of last-gasp strikes from Dawid Rogalski and Mason Obeng.
Walton & Hersham entered the game off the back of their first loss of 2025, as they became the final team in England’s top seven divisions to lose in this calendar year on Saturday, slipping to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Dorchester Town. Eager to swiftly return to winning ways, the Swans named a rotated side at Fetcham Grove, missing Junior Eccleston, Bobby-Joe Taylor, and Wayne Ridgley to ‘cup-tied’ status, whilst Samuel Faniyan was rested with a knock. On-loan Wimbledon duo Riley Horan and Kai Jennings both returned to the starting XI, with Paul Field, Mason Obeng, Alex Body, and Lucas Defise also named in the lineup.
It was the away side who started the tie the brighter of the two teams, when Mason Obeng’s goalbound effort from just inside the 18-yard box was well-saved by Tanners’ stand-in keeper Ryan North, who was a late special-dispensation addition to the Leatherhead lineup, with regular ‘keeper Sonny Wheeler injured and deputy ‘keeper Ryan Keogh also cup-tied.
The early pressure paid dividends for the Swans after just 14 minutes, when a fantastic through-ball was played into the stride of Hersham boy Ralph Vigrass, who shrugged off the last defender and dispatched an unerring finish into the far corner.
The lead lasted less than 10 minutes however, as Tanners’ skipper Kane Fitzgerald managed to squeeze in a free-kick from a narrow angle, with his effort surprisingly flying past the Swans’ wall and Jos Barker for the equaliser.
The visitors probed for an immediate response to the Leatherhead equaliser, and were rewarded a little over 10 minutes later, aided largely by a superb display of raw power from Ralph Vigrass. Receiving the ball on the right-hand flank, Vigrass swivelled and muscled his way past two Leatherhead defenders, delivering an inch-perfect square ball to Alex Body, who after controlling well with his first touch, had the simplest of tasks with his second touch, prodding home an archetypal poacher’s finish from just six yards out.
Once again the Swans’ advantage evaporated in a near-instant though, as the hosts headed home from an inswinging corner, with Tanners’ defender Alfie Huckle rising highest to power his header past Jos Barker.
The Swans emerged from the break a noticeably sharper outfit, with a more polished rhythm to their passing and more assured defensive look. After a strong opening spell of possession, it was Thabo Kuaho who nearly put the visitors back ahead, with his low driven strike from inside the box narrowly missing Ryan North’s right-hand post.
The game then saw a first roll of the dice from Billy Rowley on the hour mark, when goalscorer Alex Body departed the field in place of Dawid Rogalski, with Lucas Defise also replaced by Johl Powell. The introduction of fresh of attacking legs marked an immediate uptick in the Swans’ tempo, as a slick attacking move just moments later culminated in Mason Obeng sliding a tantalising ball across the box, with Dawid Rogalski unable to connect with the cross to restore the Walton & Hersham lead.
With a spring in their step, it was the visiting side who continued to press for the game’s fifth goal, with Johl Powell seeing a goal disallowed after he was adjudged to have controlled a bouncing ball with his arm when rounding the Leatherhead ‘keeper.
Sensing an opening, Billy Rowley rolled the dice once again with just 15 minutes to play, as both Joey Jones and Elliott Bolton entered the fray, with Anis Nuur and Paul Field making way.
With just shy of two minutes of regular time remaining amid increasing chatter around Fetcham Grove of an imminent penalty-shootout, the Swans’ relentless attacking pressure and possession dominance finally bore fruit, as the prolific duo of Johl Powell and Dawid Rogalski combined for the umpteenth time this season to fire the visitors back into the lead. With the Leatherhead ranks pinned back deep into their own third, Johl Powell teed the ball off to Dawid Rogalski inside the 18-yard box, with the Polish Pelé unleashing a fizzing first-time strike into the bottom corner at Ryan North’s near post, his 25th goal of the season sending a packed away end into raptures.
With the clock fast winding down and the Tanners out of shape scrambling for their third leveller of the night, Mason Obeng found himself isolated in possession at the halfway line, and after driving towards goal at speed, maintained his composure to dispatch the hammer blow from just outside the area, sealing the tie for the Swans.
The win marks Billy Rowley’s maiden managerial season with progression to the Surrey Senior Cup final – for the 14th time in club history – and for the first time in exactly 20 years, where Walton & Hersham were last beaten by AFC Wimbledon in a narrow 2-1 AET loss at Kingfield in May 2005.
The Swans will look forward to the season-ending showpiece against the winner of the remaining semi-final tie between Dorking Wanderers and Carshalton Athletic, with the final provisionally scheduled to be played at Meadowbank on Tuesday 13th May. This date is still TBC, and the club will update via official channels once officially confirmed.
WALTON & HERSHAM TEAM: Jos Barker, Paul Field (Elliott Bolton 79′), Eoin Bolger, Riley Horan, Thabo Kuaho, Anis Nuur (Joey Jones 72’), Lucas Defise (Johl Powell 60′), Kai Jennings, Mason Obeng, Ralph Vigrass (Ryan Danso 87′), Alex Body (Dawid Rogalski 60′).
SCORERS: Vigrass (14′), Body (35′), Rogalski (89′), Obeng (90+2′)
CAUTIONS: None
LEATHERHEAD TEAM: Ryan North, Alfie Huckle, Cameron Black, Matthew Everitt (Lukas Franzen-Jones 45′), Kelvin Manuel Massango, Ruben Bartlett-Antwi (Tyler D’Cruz 79′), Kane Fitzgerald, Niran Butler, George Hedley, Marco Haigh (Rodney Dos Santos 61′), Kareem Akinnibi (Rhys Murrell Williamson 45′). SUB NOT USED: Alex Laing.
SCORERS: Fitzgerald (24′), Huckle (39′)
CAUTIONS: None
NEXT UP: The Swans are back in KT12 this Saturday, and will be needing your full support as they look to mathematically confirm a play-off spot, hosting an in-form Plymouth Parkway side. Tickets are available to buy in advance, by following this link.
