Wednesday 30th April 2025.      Southern League, Premier Division South. Play-off Semi-Final.

Walton & Hersham 2 Gloucester City 2 aet (3-5 on pens.).

Swans’ magnificent second season in the Southern League, Premier Division South finished with the heartbreak of defeat in a penalty shoot-out at the end of a pulsating Play-off Semi-Final. So the chance of going for a fourth promotion in five seasons was denied them in the cruellest of fashions. Once the disappointment has subsided the young, almost completely rebuilt squad should feel proud of their excellent achievements this season, and how far they have come.
Swans’ supporters in the 2,000 plus crowd, the largest at The Hub since the Isthmian League South-Central Play-off Final, played two years ago to the day, were in dreamland as their side roared into a two goal lead in just 12 minutes. It was never going to be that straightforward however against a strong, highly experienced Gloucester City side who, after pulling a goal back in contentious circumstances, equalised with a quarter of an hour remaining. With the sides unable to be separated in extra-time, it then came down to the drama of a shoot-out.
Swans now have one chance left to end a fine season with a trophy, as they try to lift the Surrey Senior Cup for the first time since the glory season of 1972-73.
After a cagey start by Swans they finally got forward with just over five minutes played, Dawid Rogalski nodding the ball through to Johl Powell, who was just denied by Ben Richards-Everton. They immediately took the lead following superb play by Ralph Vigrass, who had turned the league match in Gloucester with a terrific second-half cameo appearance. Eoin Bolger found him on the left, and he cut inside to drive past Dan Leadbitter and get to the edge of the box before sending a right foot shot against the foot of the left-post. Rogalski was alert to the situation, and was there to follow up and knock the ball home.
The visitors threatened with a cross from the right that sent the ball across the goal-face, before Swans made it 2-0 after 12 minutes with another terrific goal. They built up a determined move around the edge of the box that finally led to Elliott Bolton laying the ball in from the right to Vigrass. The young player, who had starred for Bracknell Town in their run to last season’s Play-off Semi-Final, played a clever back-heel to Bobby-Joe Taylor on the edge of the ’D’, and he curled a tremendous left foot shot into the top, left corner.
Dayle Grubb forced a corner on the left for the away side, and his kick was headed away at the far-post. Swans’ goalkeeper Jos Barker was soon doing well to claim the ball in the left of the box to snuff out a Gloucester threat. The visitors made an early substitution, with Ben Jemmett-Hutson replacing Leadbitter. The Tigers were almost gifted a goal when Junior Eccleston played the ball across his own 6 yard-box from the right to try to find Bolger, but his fellow defender just got back to hook off the goal-line with Barker stranded at the near-post. The ball was then scrambled clear.
The visitors continued to pressure Swans, and with 20 minutes played they halved the deficit with a goal that came about in debatable fashion. The ball clearly went off Gloucester’s Harry Pinchard for what should have been a throw-in to Swans just inside the away half on the right.
However, Jemmett-Hutson was allowed to pick the ball up and take the throw quickly for the away side, with Swans caught unawares. Gloucester immediately pressed, with Swans’ defence on the back-foot and still not properly set, having expected the throw to be in their favour. The move finished with Elis Watts crossing from the right for Joe Hanks to get in front of Joey Jones just outside the 6 yard-box, and to glance a fine header into the far corner.
Dan Ball was found on the left by a cross from the right, but his header into the box was safely claimed by Barker.
Rogalski was fouled 40 yards out, and following Kai Jennings’ free-kick Taylor tried to lob Jared Thompson from the right, but the ball went straight to the City keeper.
The visitors continued to threaten however, and Barker did well to take the ball high up when they got in on the right.
Taylor made a terrific run to the byeline on the right for Swans to cross high to the far-post, but Jennings’ header could only find the side-netting.
Gloucester had the opportunity to get the ball into the home box with a free-kick deep on the left, but Kevin Dawson’s delivery went straight into Barker’s gloves.
Vigrass was still causing problems for the visitors, and when Jennings won the ball in the centre-circle and found him on the left, he cut inside to open up a chance, but his shot was straight at Thompson.
Play continued to flow from end to end, and Grubb got in on the left byeline for City to cross high to the far-post, but Bolger was there to head away. A corner was immediately won on the left, but the danger from Grubb’s kick was ended by a foul and a free-kick to Swans.
With stoppage-time being played at the end of the first-half Taylor delivered a fine diagonal ball from the right to find Vigrass on the left, and he nodded the ball into the box, but Thompson got to it to deny Jennings.
Ten minutes into the second-half more fine play by Vigrass on the left led to him laying the ball back to Thabo Kuaho, but his shot from outside the box was blocked. Kuaho was soon driving to the left edge of the box after Vigrass had made an excellent run forward, but he was just closed out.
Gloucester won a corner on the left for a far-post header to go behind.
A run in on the right by Powell led to persistent play around the away box by Swans, but they could not open up the chance.
Midway through the half the visitors had a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the right edge of the box. The ball was cleared, but a follow-up shot came in that took a deflection, and the ball looped over. The corner on the left led to the ball being scrambled away at the near-post.
Gloucester had begun to dominate, and they equalised after 75 minutes. Swans could not keep the ball up the pitch as City pressed high, and when Ed Williams picked the ball up just inside their half on the left, he made a fine run forward to 30 yards out, before driving a right foot shot low inside the right post with Barker wrong-footed.
Powell immediately won a corner on the right for Swans, but Bolger sent the kick behind.
A foul just inches outside the box gave Gloucester a free-kick in a dangerous position right on the edge on the left. Brandon Smalley’s shot was curling inside the far-post, but Barker got across to make a great save. From the right-side corner a looping header came in at the far-post, but Barker clutched the ball under his bar.
With just over ten minutes remaining Swans made their first change, with Mason Obeng coming on for Vigrass, and they soon went desperately close to regaining the lead, Obeng picked the ball up on the left before laying it back to Jones, and from fully 35 yards out he drove in a low right foot shot that fizzed just inches wide of the left post.
With normal-time running out Swans made their second and third changes, Riley Horan and Anis Nuur replacing Bolger and Jennings.
Gloucester had a throw on the left, and when it was delivered long the ball was crossed back in from the left for Barker to make a good take.
In the final minute of normal-time Swans went close to getting a winner when a run on the left by Obeng led to clever play by Nuur by the corner-flag. Powell just failed to get on the end of Nuur’s cross into the box, but Taylor was able to lay the ball back to Bolton on the edge, and he sent a first-time, left foot shot just over.
Watts cut in from the right for Gloucester to have a shot deflected through to Barker, before Eccleston made a terrific run forward for Swans, leading to him being fouled 35 yards out, but when the free-kick was played short it couldn’t create an opening. With the fifth and final minute of added-on time being played Obeng made a fine run to the left byeline to get the ball over, but Rogalski just failed to get his head to it at the far-post, and so the Semi-Final went into an extra 30 minutes.
Powell was soon going down in the right of the box after being played in by Jones, but the referee saw no offence. Powell then forced Richards-Everton into conceding a corner on the right. Swans had made a positive start to the first period of extra-time, and Obeng was just denied after making a fine run into the box. Jemmett-Hutson then fouled Obeng on the left, but Nuur’s free-kick into the box was met by a good punch clear by Thompson.
Gloucester forced a corner on the right, and when the ball was headed away Dawson curled in a shot from out on the left, but Barker was well-placed to take the ball. A shot from the edge of the box took a deflection to go over for another corner on the left, and from the kick Smalley got in a strong, far-post header, but Barker made a superb, tip-over save.
The second period of extra-time started with the scores still level, and Swans bringing on Alex Body for Taylor. Four minutes in, the fifth and final substitution was made with Wayne Ridgley coming on for Powell, and Swans were soon grateful to Barker for keeping them in the game. Pinchard made a run down the right before cutting across into the middle and finding Liam Cross in the left of the box. Cross cut inside onto his right foot to drive in a shot that the Swans’ keeper kept out of the far, top corner with a tremendous save, tipping the ball wide with a strong left hand. From the right-side corner Richards-Everton’s downward header at the far-post was cleared away from the 6 yard-box. A Gloucester long throw from the right led to a shot being put over from inside the box, and just after a corner from the right was cleared by Swans in added-on time the referee blew the final whistle, and so it went to penalties.
With the visitors going first, seven kicks were converted impeccably, Bolton, Nuur with a clever dink shot, and Obeng being unerring for Swans. With Gloucester leading by 4 kicks to 3, Ridgley stepped up, but drove over the top, right corner. It was then left to Williams to beat Barker with City’s 5th kick and put his side into the Play-off Final.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton, Thabo Kuaho, Joey Jones, Junior Eccleston, Eoin Bolger (Riley Horan 87’), Bobby-Joe Taylor (Alex Body 106’), Kai Jennings (Anis Nuur 87’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell (Wayne Ridgley 109’), Ralph Vigrass (Mason Obeng 79’). Scorers: Rogalski (6’), Taylor (12’). Cautions: Taylor, foul (51’), Bolton, foul (120+1’).
Gloucester City Team: J. Thompson, Leadbitter (Jemmett-Hutson 17’), Duffus, Ball (Emmett 108’), Williams, Pinchard, Grubb (Cross 54’), Hanks (Smalley 70’), Richards-Everton, Dawson, Watts. Sub. not used: Newbery, Scorers: Hanks (20’), Williams (75’). Cautions: Duffus, foul (64’), Richards-Everton, foul (96’), Jemmett-Hutson, foul (105’), Cross, foul (117’), Pinchard, retaliation (120+1’).

Gloucester penalty-kicks: Smalley, scored (1-0), Watts, scored (2-1), Cross, scored (3-2), Pinchard, scored (4-3), Williams, scored (5-3).
Swans’ penalty-kicks: Bolton, scored (1-1), Nuur, scored (2-2), Obeng, scored (3-3), Ridgley, missed (4-3).

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