Saturday 20th September 2025. Southern League, Premier Division
Bracknell Town 2 Walton & Hersham 3.
Swans pulled off yet another of their sensational late, late results, with a stoppage-time goal from Dawid Rogalski securing the win after they had trailed 2-0 at half-time. It was no more than they deserved, as they had totally dominated the game almost throughout. The home side had created three chances in that first-half, and had scored from two of them, while Swans had gone close several times from their many attacks, and on the run of play they would have been confident they could turn the game around in the second-half. Bracknell came out for that second-half with the obvious intention of holding onto their two goal lead, getting men behind the ball and trying to frustrate Swans’ attacks. This led to the game being played out almost totally in the home half, with Swans mounting attack after attack. For a while the Robins looked like holding on, with a mixture of resolute defending, fine goalkeeping, and a fair dose of good fortune. It took an hour for Swans to finally break through, and to then equalise with a tremendous goal from Jack Wood with a quarter of an hour left. Before Wood’s goal a sending-off had not helped Bracknell’s cause, and with time running out they were reduced to nine men after picking up another red card. Swans punished them with Rogalski’s late winner.
There were two changes from the side that had started the FA Cup win at Whitehawk, with Diamond Edwards coming in for Wood, and Johl Powell returning from a one-match ban in place of Lucas Defise.
Swans had all the early play, and it was seven minutes in before the home side progressed into their final third. The first corner of the match was won by Swans’ Mason Obeng on the left, but Joey Jones headed wide at the far-post from Elliott Bolton’s kick. The first shot on target came from Swans after 17 minutes when a patient build-up led to Thabo Kuaho and Obeng combining well on the left to find Rogalski in the corner of the box, and he made a smart turn to drive in a low shot that Robins’ goalkeeper Michael Eacott saved down at his near-post.
Swans than lost Anis Nuur to an early injury, and he was replaced by Defise.
Midway through the half they looked to be denied a penalty when Rogalski played Powell through into the right of the box, where he looked to be pushed in the back by Teddy Tarbotton, but the referee saw no offence.
Bracknell had not been in it as an attacking force, but with 26 minutes played a long ball down the middle was helped on by Alfie Pavey to Gabriel George in space on the left. George’s low shot was saved comfortably by keeper Jos Barker down at his near-post, with Pavey looking for a pass in the middle.
The Robins had begun to come more into the game, putting some attacking moves together, but it was Swans who went close again. Bolton was fouled ten yards outside the box on the right, but Eoin Bolger could not clear the wall with the free-kick. The ball was recycled on the right by Edwards and Bolton, who played Powell through into the box. Powell’s low ball across was met by Rogalski in the 6 yard-box, but his shot was blocked a yard off the line.
Bolton again got Powell through to the right byeline to force a corner, but it was the home side that took the lead totally against the run of play after 37 minutes. They won a corner of their own on the right, and following the kick the ball was cleared to the edge of the box, where Michael Klass met it on the volley, a terrific shot giving Barker no chance as it found the top, left corner.
Swans went close to equalising immediately when Obeng and Defise combined to win a corner on the right, and from the kick Riley Horan was in the box to get in a downward header that beat Eacott, but a defender headed the ball off the goal-line.
It was the home side that doubled their lead however, with a minute of normal-time left to the break. Klass picked the ball up deep on the left touchline to drive past Bolton and play it low across the 6 yard-box. Pavey capitalised on hesitancy in the Swans’ defence to slot home at the far-post.
Swans attacked from the off in the second-half, a neat flick by Edwards sending Powell through on the right to get in a cross that led to the ball being put behind by a home defender. Obeng forced another corner on the left, and Rogalski had a shot blocked away following Bolton’s kick. Obeng then cut in from the left to open up a chance, but shot well over. Kuaho got forward on the left to get Obeng away, and he played the ball inside to Jones, who made room just outside the box to drive in a low shot that Eacott just got round his right post. Bolton drove in a low shot from the right that took a deflection to go just wide of the far-post, and from his left-side corner the ball was put behind for another kick on the right. From Bolger’s kick, Horan was beyond the far-post to head back across, and the ball was headed off the line and over the bar by a Bracknell defender for yet another corner on the right. Bolger swung the kick in, and Jones stooped to get in a downward header that sent the ball bouncing just over the goal.
Swans attack’s had been incessant, and after they had made their second change, with Wood coming on for Edwards, the pressure finally paid off just before the hour. Bolger was on the front edge of the centre-circle to send the ball into the box, and with Eacott slow to come out, Powell was there to meet it on the half-volley and guide it past the keeper.
Powell was soon being fouled by Klass just outside the right corner of the box, earning the Robins’ player a yellow card and Swans a free-kick, that Wood drove over the bar. Just two minutes later Eacott was quickly out to deny Wood in the right of the box, and when the ball was played out Defise got possession before being brought down by Klass, the Bracknell goal-scorer being shown a second yellow and being sent-off.
The free-kick was worked out to Obeng on the left, and he cut inside to have a low shot that was straight at Eacott. That was Obeng’s last contribution as he was replaced by Zach Alfalahi, who was making a belated Swans’ debut following injury.
Eacott just managed to get to the ball at his near-post when Defise was played in on the left byeline. Swans then put together a typical multi-pass move, trying to open up the packed home defence. This led to the ball sitting up on the edge of the box for Powell to strike a terrific half-volley that Eacott kept out with a superb save, and Alfalahi just being denied on the follow-up.
Swans finally got the equaliser with just under a quarter of an hour remaining, but it took an exceptional goal to do it. A move built-up on the right, leading to Wood getting to the corner of the box before striking a tremendous left-foot shot into the far, top corner.
Alfalahi forced a corner on the left, and Bolger glanced a header wide from Bolton’s kick. Swans continued to seek a winner, and with five minutes of normal-tome remaining Jones drove in a low shot from 5 yards outside the box that Eacott kept out with another excellent save down to his right. Rogalski got in a shot from inside the box that was deflected just wide of the left-post, with claims for handball being turned down by the referee. Wood then got Powell through to the right byeline for Bolton to have a header cleared on the box.
With the match entering added-on time Bracknell were reduced to nine men when Seb Bowerman was shown a straight red card for an out of control challenge on Wood out on the right touchline. The free-kick led to Wood crossing the ball in, and Jones sending a header just wide of the near-post.
Swans were not to be denied however, and another patient build-up led to Alfalahi being found on the left by Stefan Parkes. Alfalahi drove the ball low across the 6 yard-box, and just as if it looked Bracknell were again scrambling it clear Rogalski prodded it just over the line at the far-post to win the game.
Deep into stoppage-time the Robins’ nine men tried to rescue a point, mounting a rare attack, and they won a free-kick midway in Swans’ half. With keeper Eacott up, this led to a corner on the right, but Barker made a good catch at the far-post from the kick, with the referee immediately blowing for full-time.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Elliott Bolton (Ethan Light 90+1’), Thabo Kuaho (Stefan Parkes 77’), Joey Jones, Riley Horan, Eoin Bolger, Diamond Edwards (Jack Wood 56’), Anis Nuur (Lucas Defise 20’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Mason Obeng (Zach Alfalahi 65’). Scorers: Powell (59’), Wood (76’), Rogalski (90+3’). Cautions: Rogalski, simulation (58’), Horan, dissent (88’).
Bracknell Town Team: Eacott, Street, George, Magri, Kaiser, Prosper, Klass, Bowerman, Pavey, Tarbotton, Amartey (Grant 66’). Subs. not used: Franklin, Burden. Scorers: Klass (38’), Pavey (44’). Caution: Prosper, foul (80’). Dismissals: Klass, 2 cautions for fouls (61’ & 63’), Bowerman, foul (90+1’).
