Saturday 15 November 2014. Ryman League, Division One South.
Hastings United 1 Walton & Hersham 2.
There is a well-used cliché that football is a funny old game, and the match at The Pilot Field did nothing to disprove that. Swans had been beaten 5-0 at Faversham Town just eleven days previously, while Hastings United had been the next visitors to the Kent club, coming away with a 5-1 win. So the home side went into this match firm favourites, but Swans put on an excellent performance to defy the odds. They held a 2-0 lead until a minute from the end of normal-time when Hastings pulled a goal back, the Sussex club then missing a clear chance to equalise in stoppage-time, but that would have been an injustice to Swans, who were good value for the win.
Gareth Chendlik and Harry Mills, both cup-tied in midweek, were able to return, replacing Matt Reece and Martin Beard.
Swans had the first attempt on goal, Andrew Mensah catching the ball on the volley 25 yards out to send a shot dipping over after five minutes.
But the home side had the best chance to take the lead three minutes later. Evan Archibald got clear on the left before laying the ball inside to Kenny Pogue, who turned close to the penalty-spot to drive in a shot, but Swans’ goalkeeper Gary Ross just got a hand to the ball to turn it over the crossbar. From the resultant corner on the right a header came in that Ross took on his line.
Swans soon won two successive corners, both taken from the right by Dominic Ogun, the second curling in to force home keeper Josh Pelling to clutch the ball under his crossbar. And it was another excellent dead ball from Ogun that led to Swans taking the lead after 13 minutes. He curled in a free-kick from the right and Mills made a run to the near-post to send a fine, glancing header into the far, top corner.
Archibald broke down the right for Hastings, but his cross was over-hit and the ball went harmlessly wide of the far-post.
Swans were playing well, looking composed on the ball, and midway through the half Chendlik’s through-ball almost got Mensah through, but he was just denied by a defender’s tackle.
Just past the half-hour Hastings got the ball over from the right for Archibald to get in a hook shot from the right of the six-yard box, but Ross got well behind the ball.
André Scarlett found Chendlik on the left, and he moved forward before striking a low shot that Pelling fumbled at his near-post, but he just denied Mensah from getting to the loose ball.
Swans doubled their lead with two minutes of normal-time left of the half. Nathan Daly spotted the run of Mensah and pumped a long ball forward down the right. Although faced with four defenders the Swans’ striker showed too much pace and power and burst through the home back-line before neatly slipping the ball past Pelling.
Early in the second-half a patient build-up by the home side led to Sam Adams getting in a low strike from 22 yards that Ross again got well behind.
Swans replied with Vernon Francis finding Mensah, who took the ball down neatly before making space and striking a low shot from outside the box that Pelling took on his line.
Hastings’ continued to play some neat football in midfield before attacking mainly down the flanks, but the final ball was either poor or the attacks were snuffed out by the excellent Mills and Jahmahl King. They had a chance just before the hour when they broke down the right and Ross dashed across in an attempt to clear, but the ball was crossed into the box. With Ross struggling to get back King made a superb header away at the far-post to deny the club he started the season with.
Swans looked content to defend their lead and Adams stuck a good shot wide of their goal from 30 yards Archibald then sent a glancing header wide from a right-side cross.
Ross took the ball well at his near-post when Taser Hassan drove the ball in low from the right, and a shot from outside the box on the right from substitute Jordan Woodley was wide of the near-post.
Swans had opportunities to catch Hastings on the break and Daly got in on the right, but his low shot was just wide of the far-post. Mensah then tried a speculative half-volley from 40 yards that flew wide.
With normal-time running out the home side gave themselves a lifeline as they won a corner on the right. From Adams’ kick the ball was flicked on and Swans could only head the ball away at the far-post. Archibald got possession and stabbed the ball home.
He then had the chance to be his side’s saviour as the match entered the third minute of stoppage-time. The ball was played in from the left to find him unmarked six yards out, but he poked the ball wide of the near-post with just Ross to beat. The final whistle blew seconds later and Swans could celebrate a deserved win.
Swans’ Team: Gary Ross, Nathan Daly, Dominic Ogun, André Scarlett, Jahmahl King, Harry Mills, Tarome Hemmings (Kadeem Ajeon 77’), Vernon Francis, Gareth Chendlik (Dylan Cascoe 72’), Andrew Mensah, Anthony Oaks (Kwabena Osei 79’). Subs. not used: Josh Bonnett, Daniel Ranger. Scorers: Mills (13’), Mensah (43’).
Hastings Team: Pelling, Rose, Crutwell (Woodley 72’), Olorunda, Pullan, Farmer, Shelley, Adams, Archibald, Hassan (Hunt 90’), Pogue (Boswell 77’). Scorer: Archibald (89’).
