Tuesday 12 November 2002 Ryman League, Division One South Ashford Town (Mx.) 2 Walton & Hersham 1

It can be fairly said the most consistent thing about Swans at the moment is their inconsistency, and this was brought to the fore again at second to bottom Ashford on Tuesday evening.

This defeat against a side who had previously won only one league game all season, scoring just eight goals in the process, will probably go down as Swans' worst result so far of an in and out season.

In truth the home side put on a display on the night that belied their lowly status, and the consensus was that their recent performances have warranted better results. Notwithstanding that, this game should have been a three-point banker for the Stompond Lane club if they have any aspirations at all for an upper-table finish. Francis Dolan was Swans' latest injury victim and Garfield Blackman came back in to the side.

Things may have turned out differently on the night if Scott Edgar had accepted a second minute chance, but he shot across the goalface from the right after Ross Pickett had crossed for Rob Wimble to set Edgar up. Swans early dominance soon began to wane, and when O'Brien beat Chris Whelan on the edge of the box Luke Garrard had to fall on a low shot.

Wimble was just denied as Marcus Rose played a neat pass through, and Blackman hooked over when Edgar headed on Pickett's knock forward. But Ashford were beginning to look dangerous as O'Brien and former Swan Andy Driscoll made darting runs forward. And it was Driscoll who came closest to opening the score midway through the half when his shot from 20 yards took a deflection and Garrard did well to get a hand to the ball to push it on to his crossbar.

Then with less than ten minutes left of the half O'Brien appeared to handle the ball as he surged forward in to Swans' penalty box, before tumbling under a challenge from Tristan Frontin. The referee awarded a penalty, and another former Swan, Ross Davidson, stepped up to beat Garrard from the spot. With the interval near, another former Walton player, keeper Tony Wells, denied Swans an equaliser.

Rose played an excellent ball to Derek Bryan to the left of goal, and the former Brentford striker turned to hit a powerful shot that Wells did well to turn round his near-post.

Ten minutes after the restart Bryan had an even better chance as he capitalised on some slack defending by the home side, but when faced with a clear opening to the right of goal, he drove the ball over the bar.

But despite having the bulk of possession Swans continued to create little in the way of chances, whereas Driscoll put an opportunity wide for Ashford, and Butler was clear on goal, only to be denied by a fine last-ditch tackle by Chris Whelan.

Then with thirteen minutes remaining Swans seemed to have salvaged at least a point when Steve Warren put over a corner from the right, and Edgar headed in from inside the six-yard box. But almost straight from the restart Butler was allowed to run unchallenged in to the left of Swans' penalty box, and an acutely angled shot somehow found it's way past Garrard and in to the far-corner. Swans' last chance came and went deep in to stoppage-time when Warren brought the ball forward before sending a clever lob over Wells, but unfortunately the ball just cleared the crossbar.

Match Statistics

Walton Team: Garrard, Blackman, Andrews, Thompson, Whelan, Frontin, Rose (Warren 61), Pickett, Edgar, Bryan (Newbery 72), Wimble. Subs. not used: Edwards, O'Donnell.

Goalscorer for Walton: Edgar (77 mins.).

Goalscorers for Ashford: Davidson, penalty (38 mins.). Butler (78 mins.). Cautions: Frontin (Walton), 53 mins., foul. Pickett (Walton), 60 mins., foul.