Thursday 13 February 2003

Southern Combination Challenge Cup, 2nd Round

Chessington United 0 Walton & Hersham 3

Swans belatedly started their Southern Combination Challenge Cup campaign with a visit to Combined Counties side Chessington United, and after an evenly contested first-half ran out convincing winners in the second.

With the bulk of the regular first-team line-up sitting out the game, starts were given to reserves Nick Gindre, in goal, Ben Newby, Michael Lyons and Carl Gibbs. Adam Fennell was also given a full game following his injury problems, and came through well on a heavy pitch.

After a quarter of an hour Chessington's Marecheau put an effort wide from the edge of the box following Parmanter's cross from the left, Swans replying with a shot from Fennell straight at keeper Andrews after he was played in on the left by Gibbs.

On the half-hour Gindre was fortunate to just stretch back to take a looping header from Barnes after venturing well out of his goal.

Wes Goggin fired over the bar after being played in by a neat backheel from Rob Wimble, Marecheau then replying by cutting inside from the left and driving a shot just wide of the far-post.

In an eventful last few minutes of the half, Chessington's Beasant struck Gindre's near-post with a shot from the right, with Reggie Savage then just being denied by Andrews leaving his area to clear following Gibbs' through ball.

Savage was then played through by a quickly taken free-kick by Lyons to force a good save from Andrews.

Early in the second-half Andrews came to the edge of his area in an attempt to punch away, but only managed to find Gibbs, who hooked the ball towards goal, only for Leonard to get back and clear.

Wimble and Tristan Frontin then combined well to play Gibbs in on the left for a shot that went just wide. Swans were very much more in charge in the second-half and Gibbs again shot just wide from the left.

A splendid surging run forward by Frontin set up Savage to the right of goal, but he snatched at his shot, Gibbs failing with a flamboyant bicycle kick as the ball fell to the far-post.

But with twenty minutes left Swans finally took the lead, Savage driving a left-foot shot inside the right-post from the edge of the box after Wimble had squared the ball from the right.

Parmanter wasted a fine chance to equalise when he shot in to the side-netting from the right after the home side had broken clear from a Swans' attack. But with five minutes left keeper Andrews gifted Swans a second goal to make the game safe.

Fennell sent a high lob over from the left that Andrews seemed to cover, but he only managed to punch the ball against his crossbar, and Gibbs was on hand to score a simple goal.

Then deep in to stoppage-time Francis Dolan, on as a late substitute, passed to Newby, clear on the right. Newby crossed to find Neil Lampton, who had also just come on, and he turned to place a shot inside Andrews' right-post. Swans are now at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough in the next round.

Match Statistics

Walton Team: Gindre, Newby, Dowson, Laister, Lyons, Fennell, Wimble, Frontin (Blackman 89), Savage (Dolan 86), Gibbs (Lampton 86), Goggin.

Goalscorers for Walton: Savage (71 mins.). Gibbs (84 mins.). Lampton (90 mins.).

Cautions: Frontin (Walton), 21 minutes, foul. Leonard (Chessington), 45 minutes, foul.