Tuesday 14 January 2003 Ryman League, Division One South

Chertsey Town 1 Walton & Hersham 6

Swans finally got back to action after an enforced midwinter break that resulted in five straight postponements, and gave Laurence Batty and Alan Dowson a convincing win in their first match in full charge.

However a result that gave Swans a resounding double over their near neighbours did not look on the cards at half-time with the match evenly balanced at 1-1, and the home side also having missed a penalty.

It was a different affair in the second-half however as Swans, with the wind in their favour, totally dominated their hosts and rammed in five goals without reply.

Jamie Laister came in to the side to form a central defensive trio with Adam Thompson and Chris Whelan, and Wes Goggin, Garfield Blackman and Marcus Rose made up a three man midfield.

Paul Harkness returned to partner Scott Edgar up front, and justified the recall with a hat-trick.

Walton started with Rose neatly playing Nicky Andrews down the left, but with time and space Andrews put his cross disappointingly behind the goal. The home side replied with Pomroy stealing in on the left, but Thompson did well to block his shot away for a corner.

A further succession of three corners for Chertsey was ended by Swans breaking clear through Goggin and Whelan, but Rose was flagged offside as he looked set to score.

Rose had better luck after 28 minutes however as he brought the ball forward on the left, before sending in a low shot from 25 yards. Home keeper Seuke appeared to get both hands to the ball, but it slipped inside his right-post.

Chertsey almost replied immediately as Bonaventura was played in on the right, but his shot was wide of the far-post.

But five minutes before the break Whelan was adjudged to have ended a Chertsey attack by pulling a player back just inside the penalty area. Pomroy's spot-kick lacked power however and was too close to Tony Tucker, and the Swans' keeper made a comfortable save down to his left.

Chertsey had better luck as the half entered stoppage-time when a the ball was squared across from the left, and Jackson was left unmarked on the edge of the box to drive a firm shot inside Tucker's left-post.

With the wind in their faces in the second-half the Chertsey defenders began to have difficulty dealing with the runs of Harkness and Edgar, and Harkness soon stole in on the left to rap a shot against the near-post.

Seuke just managed to clear on the edge of the box as Harkness tried to latch on to a bouncing ball, and when Andrews put over a fine cross from the left, Harkness put a diving header disappointingly wide at the far-post.

But on the hour Whelan played a fine ball through to put Goggin clear, and when he squared the ball across from the right Harkness drove in a firm shot that Seuke just failed to keep out.

Just three minutes later Swans went 3-1 up. Seuke had again just managed to gather as Harkness chased on to a long-ball, but he was soon left helpless as Harkness challenged Hams to the right of the box before getting a touch that sent the ball past the Chertsey keeper and in to the far-corner of the net.

With the match entering the last quarter of an hour Harkness set Rose free on the left, and when the cross came over Edgar sent in a first-time shot that Seuke did well to block.

But Seuke had no chance a minute later as Rose did superbly on the left before getting in a cross that Harkness neatly deflected just inside the right-post to complete his hat-trick

Chertsey's problems were added to when Davies made a crude tackle on Rose, and was dismissed for his second booking of the evening. With ten minutes left Blackman played Francis Dolan down the right and was ready to meet the cross in the six-yard box, and although Blackman's shot was blocked on the line Goggin followed up to score his first senior goal.

Dolan was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet as he drove a free-kick in low from 25 yards, and when the first effort was blocked, Dolan's follow-up forced a good save from Seuke.

With time running out the home side went close to reducing the arrears as Pomroy broke on the right to get the ball over, and when Whelan failed to clear, substitute Taylor drove the ball against the crossbar.

But Swans had the last say in the final minute when they were awarded a free-kick wide on the right. Rose floated the ball in with his left-foot, and Seuke was totally deceived as it drifted in to the far, top-corner of the goal.

Match Statistics

Walton Team: Tucker, Dolan, Andrews, Thompson, Whelan, Rose, Laister, Blackman, Edgar, Harkness (Savage 81), Goggin. Subs. not used: Dowson, Frontin, Gindre, Wimble.

Goalscorers for Walton: Rose (28 & 89 mins.). Harkness (60, 63 & 77 mins.). Goggin (80 mins.).

Goalscorer for Chertsey: Jackson (45 mins.).

Cautions & Dismissal: Davies (Chertsey), sent-off, 2 cautions. Hams (Chertsey), caution. Taylor (Chertsey), caution.