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

Walton & Hersham 4 Weymouth 0.

Swans made it twelve league wins in a row to maintain their seven point lead at the top of the table, at the same time stretching their goal difference advantage over nearest challengers Gloucester City. They came up against first-time opponents in Weymouth, who have shown a recent pick-up in form as they try to rectify a poor start to the season following their relegation. After sitting deep in the first-half, only to concede two goals, the visitors adopted a more attacking approach in the second, but this only resulted in opening up more opportunities for a Swans’ side in top goal-scoring form. With four home games played at home in a row in league and cups, Swans’ supporters have been treated to seventeen goals from their favourites, with just one conceded.

There was just one change to the line-up, with Joe Bennett coming in for Mason Obeng, who failed to start in the League for the first time this season.

Swans soon settled down, having a lot of possession as Weymouth sat back, and they won the first corner on the left.

Jonathon Page clearly had his shirt pulled deep in the away half, but with play allowed to go on the visitors were able to break, with Euan Pollock getting away down the left, but he put his cross tamely behind.

Joey Jones sent a fine cross-field ball to pick out Bennett on the left, and he forced another corner. From Bennett’s kick the ball bounced through to Dawid Rogalski by the penalty-spot, and he sent a header looping over. Lucas Defise played an excellent ball through to Jack Wood on the right, but his low cross was blocked.

Swans made the breakthrough after 26 minutes when Aaron Williams Fernandez was fouled by Pollock 40 yards out on the right. Bennett swung the free-kick into the box, and Jones was by the penalty-spot to send a header looping over goalkeeper Ben Clark and into the top, right corner for his first goal of the season.

It was close to being 2-0 just minutes later. A terrific build-up led to Page finding Johl Powell on the edge of the box, and he instantly touched the ball to Rogalski, who spun to drive a low, snap shot just wide of the left-post. Wood delivered a fine cross from the right, but the ball took a deflection to go out for a throw-in on the left. Weymouth’s Kieran Douglas picked up the first yellow card of the afternoon for a hand in the face of Rogalski, but Bennett’s free-kick from 30 yards out on the right went wide of the far-post.

With the last five minutes of the half being played Weymouth had an opportunity to get the ball into the home box when Williams Fernandez fouled Pollock out on the left touchline, but Brandon Goodship’s free-kick was well cut out by Swans’ keeper Jos Barker, who made a clean catch.

Swans put together another fine move, leading to Page sending in a low shot from outside the left corner of the box that keeper Clark got behind.

With the first minute of added-on time being played Swans doubled their lead. Stefan Parkes threaded the ball through to Rogalski ten yards inside the away half, and he delivered a great pass to pick out Wood’s run to the right edge of the box. Clark came out to try to kick clear, but failed to make contact, allowing Wood to get past him. After holding off the challenge of Brooklyn Genesini, Wood did not hit the ball cleanly, but it rolled into the bottom, right corner.

There was still time left of the half for Weymouth to mount an attack, and Charlie Betts to cross from the right to the far-post for Douglas to send a header over.

Having sat deep for most of the first-half, but going 2-0 down, Weymouth’s team talk during the break seemed to be to adopt a more attacking approach to try to get back into the game. They pressed higher straight from the restart and went close to pulling a goal back instantly. Betts delivered a huge long throw from the right, and the ball bounced through to Rueben Reid on the edge of the 6 yard-box at the far-post. Reid got in a downward header that sent the ball across goal and against the right-post, where Barker was able to safely gather.

Swans were soon attacking again, and Rogalski won the ball in the right of the box to play inside to Wood, but he was just closed out. They thought they had made it 3-0 when Jones played a great long ball down the left to Bennett, who laid across for Rogalski to slot past Clark, but the flag went up for offside. Swans were exploiting the visitors pushing higher, and Rogalski played Bennett in on the left to force Clark into a block at his near-post. Defise found Powell on halfway on the right, and he played a fine ball down the wing to Wood, who cut inside to strike a left-foot shot from outside the box that Clark just managed to get round his right post. Swans continued to create chances, and Wood combined with Defise on the right before curling in a superb cross to the edge of the 6 yard-box, where Bennett got in a header that brought a great instinctive save from Clark. The Weymouth keeper then just kept the ball out with another fine save as Rogalski followed in.

With an hour played Swans made their first change, with Obeng coming on for Parkes.

Betts crossed inti the box from the right for the visitors, but Barker made a good catch.

Page clipped a superb ball into the box from the left for Swans, but Clark just got to it before Powell. Swans immediately built up another attack, and Obeng cut in from the left touchline to find Wood in space on the right. After getting into the box Wood drove in a strong right foot shot that brought a fine save from Clark at his near-post. From Bennett’s right-side corner Williams Fernandez put a header wide. Jones played another excellent cross-field pass to find Wood on the right, and he got Powell through to win a corner. Rogalski was then found in the left of the box, and he held the ball up before forcing a save from Clark at the near-post.

Weymouth then made a triple change, at the same time Swans bringing on Anis Nuur and Luciano D’Auria-Henry for Eoin Bolger and Defise.

With a quarter of an hour remaining it should have been 3-0 to Swans as Page delivered a great ball over the top from the centre-circle to send Powell clear, but after getting into the box he rolled his shot just wide of the left-post.

Swans then made their final changes, Ethan Light and Zach Alfalahi replacing Page and Wood, and they finally made it 3-0 after 82 minutes. Williams Fernandez played a great ball over the top from deep on the right to pick out the run of Powell. Powell drove past Douglas to get into the box and neatly slot the ball between Clark and his near-post.

It was soon 4-0 as Alfalahi was found by D’Auria-Henry’s throw-in on the right, before forcing his way inside across the edge of the box. Alfalahi slipped a clever pass through to Rogalski, who showed great, instant control in switching the ball onto his left-foot to sidestep Douglas and drive home.

Weymouth went close to getting a consolation when Callum Watts made a fine run from his own half before playing a one-two on the edge of the box and getting in a shot, but it lacked the power to beat Barker, who made a comfortable save.

Powell sent a shot straight at the keeper after being set up in the right of the box by Alfalahi as Swans sought a fifth goal. Williams Fernandez played another fine ball down the right for Alfalahi to get clear and force a corner, and following Bennett’s kick he had two close-in shots blocked in succession at the far-post.

Swans’ Team: Jos Barker, Aaron Williams Fernandez, Stefan Parkes (Mason Obeng 60’), Joey Jones, Lucas Defise (Luciano D’Auria-Henry 72’), Eoin Bolger (Anis Nuur 72’), Jack Wood (Zach Alfalahi 80’), Jonathon Page (Ethan Light 78’), Dawid Rogalski, Johl Powell, Joe Bennett. Scorers: Jones (26’), Wood (45+1’), Powell (82’), Rogalski (85’).
Weymouth Team: Clark, Douglas, Mantle, Watts, Genesini (Moss 72’), Bearwish, Goodship (Burrows 72’), Robinson, Betts, Pollock, Reid (Sheaf 72’). Cautions: Douglas, foul (37’), Bearwish, foul (62’).