Tuesday 25 November 2014. Surrey Senior Cup, 2nd Round.
Metropolitan Police 1 Walton & Hersham 0.
After being second-best to the Premier Division play-off candidates in the first-half, Swans dominated the second and had the chances to at least force extra-time, but a single goal scored after half an hour proved enough to see the home side through.
The rain that had started several hours previously had grown heavier by kick-off and persisted throughout the match, the usually pristine Imber Court pitch suffering as the game progressed.
Swans were unchanged from the previous match, and they were soon under pressure as Dean Bown got round Jahmahl King on the left to drive the ball in to the near-post, where Dominic Ogun cleared. Matt Pattison then played James Aldred down the left and goalkeeper Gary Ross took the ball at his near-post as the ball was driven across. Ross was soon going down on his line to save a shot from outside the box on the right from Elliot Taylor, and both Bown and Jack Knight were close to getting a touch as Taylor drove the ball across the six-yard box from wide on the right.
Swans had struggled to get out of their half for the first quarter of an hour, but they had a chance when Ross made a long clearance, and with Gareth Chendlik’s run unsettling the home defence the ball came to Andrew Mensah on the edge of the box, but he drove his shot wide of the left-post. Mensah then turned 30 yards out to put a left-foot shot over.
Ross was again forced into action as he did well to take a dangerous cross from the right by Knight at his near-post.
Mensah made room 30 yards out to get in a good strike for Swans, but it was well wide of the right-post.
Ross was showing excellent handling in the difficult conditions, and he again made a good take when Pattison got in a glancing header from Aldred’s left-side cross.
Harry Mills got forward for Swans, but again a shot from distance flew wide.
Swans had settled after an uncertain start, but they fell behind after half an hour. Bown struck a shot from the edge of the box on the right, and the ball took a deflection to hit the far-post, and former Swan Pattison was there to nudge the ball over the line.
There was one more chance for the home side before the break when Taylor crossed from the right for Knight to get in a looping header, but again Ross took the ball safely.
Ross was again in action straight after the resumption as he just got a touch to deflect the ball wide of his far-post when Taylor sent in a high cross from deep on the right. Following the corner Pattison got possession in the right of the box to get the ball over to the far-post, where Mekhail McLaughlin put a header over.
Swans started the second-half well however, moving the ball around neatly, and when Ogun made a good run on the left Mensah took over before cutting inside and drilling a shot wide of the near-post. Taylor almost got in for the home side, and the ball had to be cleared for a corner, but Swans responded with some good play around the edge of the box that led to Vernon Francis driving a shot over.
With an hour played Chendlik burst clear, but he slipped at the vital moment and a good chance was lost. Swans had an even better chance minutes later when the ball was played forward and substitute Dylan Cascoe superbly nodded it down to find Chendlik clear on his right, but he struck his shot wide of the far-post. Cascoe then played an excellent through ball to find Francis on the right, but his driven cross was cleared away. With a quarter of an hour remaining home keeper Alex Kozakis had to be quickly out to prevent Tarome Hemmings getting through inside the right of the box. Chendlik then got the ball to Nathan Daly on the right, and when he drove the ball in low it was just cleared off the line at the near-post.
As they pushed forward to try to force extra-time Swans left themselves vulnerable at the back, and after Alex Harlington put a low shot just wide from the edge of the box Ross saved at his near-post as Aldred made a good run in on the left.
Ross got well behind Charlie Collins’ low shot from the edge of the box just before, in the final minute of normal-time, Swans had another great chance to equalise. Francis played substitute Matt Reece clear into the left of the box, but his low shot failed to beat the advancing Kozakis. In stoppage-time Collins’ free-kick from the left dipped over Ross’s bar, but there was one last chance for Swans when Mensah made a terrific run into the box on the left, but his low ball in was just cleared away.
Swans’ Team: Gary Ross, Nathan Daly, Dominic Ogun, Kadeem Ajeon (Dylan Cascoe 59’), Jahmahl King, Harry Mills, Tarome Hemmings, Vernon Francis, Gareth Chendlik (Matt Reece 82’), Andrew Mensah, Anthony Oaks (André Scarlett 76’). Subs. not used: Daniel Ranger, Ashley Thompson.
Met. Police Team: Kozakis, Taylor, Aldred, McLaughlin, Lovett, Ahamed, Collins, Neita, Bown (Crook 76’), Pattison (Harlington 63’), Knight. Subs. not used: Joseph, Hudson-Odei. Scorer: Pattison (30’). Caution: Ahamed, foul (57’).
