Saturday 18th October 2025. Southern League, Premier Division South.
Yate Town 1 Walton & Hersham 2.
A Swans’ side missing several players maintained their top of the table spot with a hard-fought win on their first visit to newly promoted Yate Town With goalkeeper Jos Barker having another excellent game, they had to withstand several spells of pressure from a Bluebells’ side determined to hold on to their unbeaten record at home in the League. Despite Barker being the busier of the two keepers, they took a two goal lead in the second-half, and were looking comfortable and well in charge. A controversial decision in the dying minutes however, that saw a penalty being awarded against them and Joey Jones being sent-off, left them clinging on for a lengthy period of added-on time to preserve the win. The home side, whose play belied their low standing in the League, twice went desperately close to making it 2-2 in that extra period, but Swans could make the long trip home with three points in the bag.
Four probable starters were missing from the squad that travelled to the outskirts of Bristol. Dawid Rogalski was serving a one match suspension for accumulated yellow cards, while Riley Horan, Elliott Bolton and Jonathan Page were all injured. Danylo Hubynets was recalled from Hanworth Villa, where he is on dual-registration, and he was joined on the bench by two 17 year-olds. Charlie Street, who captains the Wales U18 side, has joined on-loan from Queens Park Rangers, while Oscar Suarez steps up from the Swans’ U18s. Joe Bennett made his first start, playing wide right, with Jack Wood moving into a more central position.
Swans started in control of possession, but Yate forced the first corner on the right following their first breakout after three minutes. Following the kick the ball was crossed in from the right byeline and was headed away from the line at the far-post.
A fine build-up by Swans led to Bennett swinging a dangerous ball in from the right, but he just failed to pick out Mason Obeng at the far-post. Home goalkeeper Aaron Sainsbury was tested for the first time after 13 minutes. Another multi-pass build-up led to Lucas Defise finding Jones in space 35 yards out, and he drove in a strong shot that Sainsbury took chest-high on his line. Swans had settled well, and another fine move got Johl Powell through to the right byeline, but his low cross just failed to find Wood in the 6 yard-box.
Anis Nuur forced a corner on the left, and this inadvertently almost resulted in the home side taking the lead. Bennett took the kick short, leading to Wood crossing into the box, but the ball was headed away. Swans were caught short at the back and Yate’s Rex Mannings was able to send Corey Evans breaking clear down the left, but great tracking back by Thabo Kuaho forced him into a tight shooting angle, and Barker made a good block with his feet at his near-post, and the ball went out for a throw-in on the left. Josh Bennett launched a long throw into the box, and Eoin Bolger headed away The ball came to James Taylor on the edge of the box, and he drove in a strong shot that Barker pushed round the right-post with a great save. From the corner Chris Zebroski got in a downward header at the far-post, but it was straight at the Swans’ keeper.
Nuur’s cross from wide on the left was cleared behind at the far-post by Yate, giving Swans a corner on the right. The kick was again played short, and Bennett curled in another fine ball that Ethan Light got his head on. The ball looped into the gloves of Sainsbury, who was challenged in the air by Jones, and with the keeper staying down the Swans’ skipper was shown a yellow card that looked harsh in the extreme.
Yate’s Bennett sent in another long throw from the left, leading to Omar Taylor-Clarke shooting high and wide. The home side have a fine home record, and they had really come into the game as an attacking force, and Obeng was forced into a foul after tracking back on Yate’s left. Evan’s free-kick into the box led to Barker juggling the ball wide for a corner on the left. A low shot was put wide of the near-post from the right, and more good tracking-back by Swans snuffed out the threat when Oliver Jenkins got down the same side.
Yate immediately won a free-kick deep on the left after the resumption, and a far-post header was cleared away. Swans were then grateful again to Barker for keeping them level. Evans made a fine run down the left that took him to the byeline, and when he laid the ball back Zebroski got in a first-time shot from 10 yards that Barker kept out with a strong hand high to his right.
It was Swans however who took the lead just four minutes in. Obeng and Nuur played a one-two on the left that sent Obeng driving forward, before laying back to Wood just inside the box. Wood’s first effort with his left-foot was blocked, but when the ball came back onto his right, he sent a fine shot low into the right corner.
Swans immediately went close again when a sweeping move led to Wood playing Obeng in on the left to bring a good save from Sainsbury at his near-post.
Street then came on for his Swans’ debut, with Defise going off.
The lead was then doubled after 68 minutes with a terrific goal from Obeng. Yate’s Bennett took another long throw from the right, but the ball fell to Nuur on the edge of the box, and he delivered a long ball to pick out the run of Obeng down Swans’ left. Obeng drove clear into the left of the box, and with Sainsbury coming out he rolled the ball superbly onto his left foot to dummy the keeper and slot home inside the near-post.
Street laid the ball in from the right for Powell to have a shot blocked, and with Swans now looking comfortably in control they brought on Stefan Parkes for Kuaho and Zach Alfalahi for Bennett. Swans had a free-kick on the halfway line, and Jones tried to catch the keeper off his line, but his effort was too long and dipped over.
Swans needlessly conceded a corner on the left, and were fortunate when Alex Monks got to the near-post to glance a header wide. Jones headed clear at the far-post after he had conceded a free-kick on the right and Lloyd James delivered the ball in.
Then, with three minutes of normal-time remaining, Yate broke on the left, and when Marlon Jackson came into the box he drove in a shot that seemed to hit Jones in the face, but the referee awarded a penalty for handball. He also showed a second yellow card to the Swans’ captain after he had been treated for injury, and sent him off. By the time Jackson drove the penalty into the top, left corner to make it 2-1, the 90 minutes were up, and a minimum extra 10 indicated.
Now, having to hold on to a single goal lead for a lengthy period with ten players, Swans shelved the initial plan to bring on Hubynets and the youngster Suarez.
Bennett delivered another long throw from the left for Yate, but Taylor’s shot from the edge of the box went over. With 7 minutes of the extra 10 played, the home side went desperately close to equalising, Jackson curling a shot from just outside the box inches over the top, left corner. The full 10 had elapsed when Street was shown a yellow card for a foul on the left byeline, giving Yate a free-kick in a dangerous position. Keeper Sainsbury had come up for the kick, and when the ball was delivered he got in a header that his opposite number Barker kept out with another fine save, punching the ball over with a strong right hand. There was still a corner from the right to face, but Obeng was able to head away just before the final whistle blew.
Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Lucas Defise (Charlie Street 55’), Thabo Kuaho (Stefan Parkes 70’), Joey Jones, Ethan Light, Eoin Bolger, Joe Bennett (Zach Alfalahi 70’), Anis Nuur, Jack Wood, Johl Powell, Mason Obeng. Subs. not used: Danylo Hubynets, Oscar Suarez. Scorers: Wood (49’), Obeng (68’). Caution: Street, foul (90+10’). Dismissal: Jones, 2 cautions, foul (22’), handball (89’).
Yate Town Team: Sainsbury, Taylor, Ball (Britton 90+5’), Larvin, Taylor-Clarke (James 76’), Mannings (Tomlinson 64’), Zebroski (Jackson 64’), Jenkins, Monks, Bennett, Evans (Evans-Harriott 85’). Scorer: Jackson, penalty (90’).
