Saturday 6 February 2016. Ryman League, Division One South.
Sittingbourne 2 Walton & Hersham 2.
After a run of four defeats Swans picked up a valuable point at a windy Woodstock Park. Twice coming back from a goal down they had to survive a lot of late pressure from the home side, and had a superb goalkeeping performance from young Liam Beach to thank for clinching the draw. The 18 year-old keeper pulled off a string of fine saves, two of them late-on being outstanding.
Stevie Panayi came in at right-back for the unavailable Harry Mills, while Cristiano Goncalves-Neto returned in place of James Richmond. Gary Holloway was suffering from a groin strain, so Gianfranco Mici started, while Michael Salako continued in place of the still injured Richard Pacquette.
Swans started with the strong wind mainly behind them, but kicking up the slope, and Brendan Murphy-McVey was soon driving a left-foot shot over from the right corner of the box.
Beach was soon making the first of several fine saves, pushing the ball round his near-post when The Brickies’ Miles Cornwell was played in on the right to get in a strong shot.
Mici was fouled just outside the right of the box to give Swans a free-kick, and when Murphy-McVey sent the ball in home keeper Adam Molloy could only push it away and a follow-up shot was blocked. Salako was then fouled on the right, but this time Murphy-McVey’s free-kick was safely taken by Molloy.
Sittingbourne replied with Steven Ita driving a shot over from the left of the box.
With just under twenty minutes played Orlando Smith beat home right-back Callum Naessens on the left, and when he got the ball over Josh Wissons had to head over his own bar. Murphy-McVey’s corner from the left found Gareth Chendlik at the far-post, and his shot was blocked on the line.
When Swans failed to get the ball clear Sittingbourne’s Hicham Akhazzan had a chance inside the right of the six-yard box, but Beach blocked at his near-post.
At the other end Molloy had to go down on his line to save when Smith turned 22 yards out to drive in a shot.
But after being well in contention Swans gifted the home side the lead after 28 minutes. Panayi’s attempted pass out of defence was blocked, allowing Sittingbourne to break into the box, where Ita was fouled from behind by Goncalves-Neto. Akhazzan made no mistake from the spot.
With eight minutes left of the half Mici sent Chendlik down the right, but his cross to the far-post just failed to find the head of Salako. Salako then robbed a defender to get free into the left of the box, but his low shot failed to beat Molloy.
Jono Richardson put a far-post header just wide when Sittingbourne got the ball over from the left, but with two minutes of normal-time left of the first-half Swans went close to equalising. Smith was pulled back just outside the box to win a free-kick in a good position. Murphy-McVey struck the kick superbly and the ball looked destined for the right, top corner, but Molloy made a fine save, diving to his left to push it round the post.
But instead of being level Swans could have gone into the break two down, but for young keeper Beach. Beach first did well to block with his legs when Cornwell was played clear into the box, then he made a fine tip-over save when Ita laid the ball in from the right for Akhazzan to fire in a shot.
Swans got just the start to the second-half they wanted, equalising less than two minutes in. Murphy-McVey made space on the edge of the box before clipping the ball forward to Salako, who forced his way through before finding the net.
Swans soon had another free-kick 25 yards out, but Murphy-McVey sent the ball dipping just over.
The home side’s George Crimmen shot just over at the far-post when Akhazzan took a corner from the left, before his side took the lead again just past the hour. Ollie Bankole was allowed to break forward on the right, and from 25 yards he drove a low shot across Beach and into the far corner.
This triggered a really shaky spell for Swans. A cross dipped just wide of the far-post when Sittingbourne played a short corner on the right, and when a free-kick found Cornwell clear in the left of the box, he sent the ball just wide of the far-post.
Swans had a chance when Salako got into the right of the box, but Chendlik just failed to get a touch at the far-post when the ball was driven low across the goal-face. But with just over a quarter of an hour remaining they won a free-kick outside the right corner of the box. Murphy-McVey drove the kick in, and after a shot was blocked Matt Somner seized on the loose ball to drive it in to make it 2-2.
Akhazzan was allowed to get forward for Sittingbourne to hit a low shot from the edge of the box that Beach saved on his line.
With ten minutes remaining Swans had a chance to go ahead for the first time. Substitute Kambo Smith played Salako through, but he failed to beat Molloy with his low shot.
Beach was soon bringing off a stunning save to prevent Sittingbourne going ahead again. Cornwell turned on the edge of the box to strike a shot towards the right, top corner, but Beach flew to his left to tip the ball over.
With a minute of normal-time remaining the Swans’ keeper made an equally good save as Richardson struck a powerful shot from 25 yards that Beach somehow managed to get to and push round.
Swans had to see out five minutes of stoppage-time to conserve a valuable point, helped by Salako getting forward on the left to win a corner with a minute remaining. There was still time for the home side to win a free-kick on the left, but Swans successfully defended it and the final whistle blew.
Swans’ Team: Liam Beach, Stevie Panayi, Mekhail McLaughlin, Cristiano Goncalves-Neto (Joe Wallbanks 62’), Matt Somner, Dylan Casey, Brendan Murphy-McVey, Gianfranco Mici (Kambo Smith 72’), Gareth Chendlik, Michael Salako, Orlando Smith (Lea Van Sullivan 90+1’). Subs. not used: Eden Dewar-Douglas, Adam Pittwood. Scorers: Salako (47’), Somner (74’). Cautions: Mici, foul (14’), Goncalves-Neto, foul (28’), Casey, kicked ball away (70’), Wallbanks, foul (90+5’).
Sittingbourne Team: Molloy, Naessens, Richardson, Steventon, Crimmen, Wissons, Akhazzan, Bankole, Cornwell (Wells 84’), Hughes (Irvine 71’), Ita (Wright 64’). Subs. not used: Whibley, Algar. Scorers: Akhazzan, penalty (28’), Bankole (61’). Caution: Wells.
