Saturday 18 April 2015. Ryman League, Division One South.
Hythe Town 2 Walton & Hersham 3.
A battling performance by Swans gave them the win that ensured they will finish the season clear of the third relegation spot. Things looked bleak when they went 2-1 down with ten minutes of normal-time remaining, but Gareth Chendlik’s quick equaliser from the penalty-spot, followed by substitute Tarome Hemmings’ stoppage-time free-kick gave them their second double of the season. That late winner meant they had gone on to take all three points from a match for the first time this season after falling behind.
Jack Battie had come into the side for Hemmings and Chendlik made his first start in five matches, while Vernon Francis was still absent.
A blustery wind allied to a dry, hard pitch made control difficult and led to a somewhat scrappy affair.
Swans started with the wind in their favour, but this led to a fair number of forward passes being over-hit and the ball running out of play. André Scarlett had the first attempt on target after 11 minutes, but his shot from outside the box was comfortably taken by home goalkeeper Dan Eason, diving to his right. Both sides struggled to create openings, although midway through the half Swans forced three corners, with two in succession, the second of which taken by Battie from the right led to Anthony Oaks putting a shot well over the bar. With ten minutes remaining of the half Battie sent over a free-kick from out by the left touchline, but again the wind took the ball dipping just beyond the far-post.
Hythe fashioned an opening when Craig Thompson’s backheel flick put Jordan Wells through to the edge of the box on the left, but he scuffed his low shot wide of the far-post. Some slack play almost let the home side in again, but Swans immediately broke with several men getting forward, only for Battie’s run to be ended by a tackle. With five minutes left of the half it took a fine tackle by Harry Mills to deny Hythe’s Sam Conlon, who had had been played in by Wells’ through ball, but Swans immediately had a chance at the other end when Chendlik got in a volley from the edge of the box that Eason took above his head.
With the wind going to be against them in the second-half, to take a lead into the break would be invaluable to Swans, and in the final minute of normal-time they got it. They won a corner on the left, and following Battie’s kick the ball ran loose in the six-yard box before Shawn Lyle drove it inside the left-post. There were heated and prolonged protests from the home side, presumably claiming a foul had been committed, but the referee was not swayed and awarded the goal.
Seven minutes into the second-half Hythe won a free-kick on the right, and when Sam Bewick laid the ball inside Bradley Jordan drove in a shot from the edge of the box, but it went well over. Two minutes later the home side had their best chance so far. The wind caused Jahmahl King to miskick as a high ball came into the left of the box, allowing Shaun Welford a clear chance, but Swans’ keeper Gary Ross made a terrific block. The ball came back to Welford, but he struck it wide of the far-post. Michael Yianni put in a shot from outside the box, but despite a slight deflection Ross got well behind the ball.
Swans continued to be put under pressure, and midway through the second-half their resistance broke. Bewick took a long throw from the right, and when the ball reached the left of the box Conlon hooked it back over his head and it entered the far corner of the goal.
Swans immediately brought on Andrew Mensah in place of James Cottee.
Ross got well behind a shot from outside the left of the box by Wells as Hythe continued to press, but Swans also had a chance of their own. Chendlik was found in space just outside the box on the left, and he struck a low shot that ran just wide of the far-post, with Mensah coming in but unable to get a touch.
But with ten minutes of normal time remaining Hythe took the lead. Welford was played into the right of the box, and as Ross came out he rolled the ball past him and into the goal.
That could have spelt the end of Swans’ hopes, but they hit back a minute after the restart. Chendlik was played clear into the left of the box, but before he could shoot he was tripped by James Morrish. A penalty was awarded and the Hythe skipper was somewhat fortunate to avoid at least a second yellow card to add to the one he had been shown earlier. With regular penalty taker Cottee off the pitch Chendlik elected to take the kick himself, and he calmly slotted the ball past Eason.
Hemmings and Jake Bedford were then brought on for Battie and Lyle with five minutes remaining.
With the final minute of normal-time being played Mensah was sent clear into the left of the box, and he clipped the ball towards goal, but it just deflected off a defender and went over. Then with the match entering stoppage-time Mills was brought down just outside the box and a free-kick was awarded to Swans inside the ‘D’. After some deliberation it was Hemmings who took the kick, and he sent the ball superbly over the wall and into the right top corner for a dramatic winner.
Swans’ Team: Gary Ross, Nathan Daly, Ed Mason, André Scarlett, Jahmahl King, Harry Mills, Jack Battie (Tarome Hemmings 85’), Anthony Oaks, Gareth Chendlik, James Cottee (Andrew Mensah 67’), Shawn Lyle (Jake Bedford 85’). Subs. not used: Dylan Cascoe, Martin Beard. Scorers: Lyle (45’), Chendlik, penalty (81’), Hemmings (90+2’). Caution: Mason, foul (30’).
Hythe Town Team: Eason, Bewick, Stevenson, Yianni, Wells (Philpott 85’), Laurence Harvey, Conlon, Morrish, Welford, Thompson (Luke Harvey 61’), Jordan. Subs. not used: Carr, Hayward, Walker. Scorers: Conlon (67’), Welford (80’). Cautions: Welford, foul (43’), Morrish, foul (65’).
