Saturday 31 October 2015. Ryman League, Division One South.
Whitstable Town 1 Walton & Hersham 2.
Swans put an end to a run of four defeats as they picked up a win at lowly Whitstable that gave them their first double of the season, but which should have been more convincing. They created far more chances than in recent matches, and although they should have been further ahead were cruising at 2-0 with less than five minutes remaining. Then a soft goal gave the home side some hope and they had to come through a nervy last few minutes.
Just one change was made from the side that had started against Worthing, Regan Mendes being fit to return.
The home side soon won a free-kick 30 yards out, but it was sent wide of the right-post.
Aaron Watson immediately got down the left for Swans and Whitstable goalkeeper Dan Eason had to punch away his cross. Harry Mills then got Watson down the left again, and he cut inside on the byline, but his cross could not pick out a teammate. Swans continued to make inroads on the left and Andrew Mensah laid the ball inside to Watson outside the box, but after making room he shot low wide of the far-post.
Whitstable caught out Swans on the right to win a corner, and from Sam Bewick’s kick Mitchell Dickenson headed over.
Swans continued to pressurise the home defence however, and after a quarter of an hour Mills got Jack Battie away on the right, but his cross was cut out. Mills immediately got in on the right, but could not get his cross in.
The home side were relying on quick breaks, and when they drove the ball in low from the right, Swans’ keeper Jack Howard fell on it at his near-post.
Swans continued to create openings, and when Battie got into the left of the box he cut inside to drive a right-foot shot just over the far, top corner. Mensah then did well on the right before crossing into the six-yard box, where John Oyenuga got in a glancing header that went just over the crossbar.
Swans should have been ahead by this point, but after 26 minutes Whitstable’s Scott Heard drove the ball over from the right and Howard did well to tip it over. Eason was then brought into action again at the other end, taking Battie’s looping header from Dominic Ogun’s high cross from the left.
A superb piece of play by Mensah after half an hour went desperately close to giving Swans the lead. The striker burst through the middle of the home defence to get clear into the box, but just as he was about to pull the trigger Scott Punton stuck out a foot to deflect the ball over the bar. However, from Ogun’s corner on the right Mensah was at the far-post to get in a header that was too strong to keep out, and it gave Swans a deserved lead.
Oyenuga’s good run on the right was halted when he was pulled back, but Ogun’s free-kick from just outside the edge of the box went over. Swans were unfortunate not to double their lead when Kadeem Ajeon set up Battie on the edge of the box, where he turned to drive in a left-foot shot that took a slight deflection before striking the right-post. Ajeon then played a fine ball to Watson on the left, and he cut into the box to win a corner. From Battie’s kick on the left Mendes headed back at the far-post for Mensah to have a close-in shot deflected over. Two more corners were won on the left, but Battie’s kicks failed to produce openings.
A single goal lead was scant reward for Swans’ numerous chances, and they had a scare with two minutes of the half remaining when Whitstable’s Reece Crimmen put in a long throw from the left and Mendes just got the ball away at the far-post.
Swans soon attacked again however with Mensah getting down the left to drive the ball into the 6-yard box, where Battie was just denied at the expense of a corner.
Soon after the resumption Battie was found on the right by Mendes’ fine pass, and from his cross Mensah put a header over. The lead should have been doubled five minutes into the second-half when Watson made a terrific run on the left before playing the ball inside to André Scarlett, but he drove a shot wide of the left-post when well-placed inside the box.
Watson was soon making another clever run into the left of the box to get in a cross, but Mensah could not force the ball in, and when the ball came to Ajeon his half-volley was blocked at the far-post. Ogun’s fine effort then dipped just over after Mills had played the ball to him 30 yards out. Just before the hour Mensah played the ball inside from the left to Battie, but Mills shot well wide when he was set up 30 yards out.
Swans at last doubled their lead after 62 minutes when Mensah did well on the left before getting the ball over, and when it broke to Battie outside the right corner of the box, he struck a tremendous shot into the far, top corner.
Straight from the restart Swans were guilty of some slack defending that gave the home side an opening inside the left of the box, and Howard had to dive to push a shot round the near-post.
With a quarter of an hour left Mensah had a chance to settle the match, but he volleyed over from just outside the 6-yard box when Battie found him with a cross from the right. Mensah was then played into the right of the box to have a shot deflected for a corner.
As the match approached the final five minutes Howard had to make a fine save to preserve Swans’ two goal lead, pushing wide a close-in shot. But the home side were given some hope when Howard came off his line, but failed to get the ball clear, and Connor Heffernan lobbed it back into an open goal.
Swans had a chance to allay any fears when Mills crossed from the left to pick out substitute David Koduah in front of goal, but he failed to get enough on his header and the ball went wide.
The home side piled players forward, and when they won a free-kick on the right edge of the box Howard had to tip the ball over at the far-post.
With stoppage-time being played Swans again had a chance to clinch the three points when Scarlett was set up in the right of the box following more fine play by Mensah, but he shot over.
Swans’ Team: Jack Howard, John Oyenuga, Dominic Ogun, Regan Mendes, James Richmond, Harry Mills, André Scarlett, Kadeem Ajeon, Andrew Mensah, Jack Battie (David Koduah 80’), Aaron Watson (Kambo Smith 84’). Subs. not used: Sam Pledger, Shannon Wallace, Ryan Marklew. Scorers: Mensah (30’), Battie (62’). Cautions: Battie (78’), Mendes (84’).
Whitstable Team: Eason, Cameron Heffernan, Crimmen, Punton, Dickenson, Keyte, Heard (Algar 65’), Connor Heffernan, Henry-Francis (Jackson 55’), Hurcombe, Bewick (Campbell 51’). Subs. not used: Cheek, Kitcherside. Scorer: Connor Heffernan (86’).