Saturday 22 March 2003

Ryman League, Division One South

Carshalton Athletic 1 Walton & Hersham 2

Swans put on a superb display at Colston Avenue to defeat the Division One South leaders, at the same time completing the double over the Robins, and becoming the only side to accomplish that this season.

It was a fine overall team performance, but no one added a bigger contribution to the win than Swans' young goalkeeper Nick Gindre.

Gindre had a tremendous game between the sticks, and it was his two point-blank saves in the early stages that laid the platform for his team to go on and win the game.

He then had to make a crucial save in the last minute of stoppage-time to preserve the three points after the home side had just reduced the deficit to a single goal.

Swans had to make two changes from midweek, both Sean Thurgood and Lee O'Donnell being unfit, O'Donnell unfortunately now being out for the rest of the season with a recurring ankle problem.

Tommy Moorhouse and Garfield Blackman came in to the side, with Adam Fennell also starting in place of Wes Goggin.

Gindre had to make his first crucial save after just eight minutes, showing great reactions to deflect the ball over the bar after Meah had got in a first-time effort at the near-post from Timothy's cross from the right.

Then just before the half-hour he pulled off a superb block from Hay's point-blank shot.

Despite these chances for the home side it was Swans who had been playing the better football and looking the more composed, Fennell having their best opening, but shooting over from the left of the box after Rob Wimble had crossed from the right.

Neil Lampton was played down the right to chip over a dangerous ball that unfortunately failed to find a teammate, and it was by no means against the run of play when Swans took the lead after 34 minutes.

Carl Gibbs harried Dublin in to losing the ball midway inside the Robins' half on the right, and as goalkeeper Searle came out Gibbs stabbed the ball past him.

With Searle desperately trying to get to it, the ball seemed to take an eternity to roll just inside the left-post.

Wimble's cross from the right was just too high for David Cory, but five minutes before the break it was Cory who doubled Swans' lead with a superb goal.

Cory started the move inside his own half by cleverly flicking the ball over a defender before setting off towards the Robins' goal.

Cory found Gibbs to his left, who beat a defender before laying the ball back to Cory on the edge of the box, and he carefully set himself up to drive the ball just inside the left-post.

Close to the break Gindre was fortunate when he could only watch as a Carshalton free-kick took a deflection for the ball to drop over the bar.

But Wimble almost made it 3-0 straight after the resumption when he hooked in a first-time shot from Gindre's long clearance.

Searle just got his fingers to the ball to take the pace off it as it went over his head, giving him time to get back and prevent it going over the line.

Swans defended well against increasing Carshalton pressure although Olusesi wasted a fair chance, and a scramble in their penalty box finally ended with Hay being booked for diving under a challenge.

But Swans were still making chances, Adam Thompson heading over from Fennell's corner, and Cory laying the ball back for Wimble to force Searle in to a full-stretch save to his left with a low shot.

Wimble put another shot just wide of the post after Alan Dowson had played a short free-kick for Gibbs to get the ball over from the left.

Gindre confidently took a low 20 yard shot from York, and was then well-placed at the near-post after Olusesi had beaten Dowson on the right to get in a shot.

With time running out Searle had to tip over a fine header from Lampton from Francis Dolan's cross, and Gibbs superbly beat two defenders on the left before crossing just too high for Fennell to head in.

Three minutes in to stoppage time the home side pulled a goal back when the ball came out to Todd after Swans failed to get a long throw-in from Elliott clear, and he shot past Gindre from the edge of the box.

It was then left to Gindre to prevent Robins from stealing a point when he made a fine save down at the feet of Olusesi who had stolen in on the left.

Match Statistics

Walton Team: Gindre, Dolan, Dowson, Thompson, Moorhouse, Fennell, Lampton, Gibbs (Christie 90), Cory, Blackman, Wimble. Subs. not used: Wye, Batty, Goggin.

Goalscorers for Walton: Gibbs (34 mins.). Cory (40 mins.).

Goalscorer for Carshalton: Todd (90 mins.).

Cautions: Lampton (Walton), 38 mins., foul. Timothy (Carshalton), 48 mins., foul. Dowson (Walton), 52 mins., foul. Hay (Carshalton), 58 mins., unsporting behaviour.