Tuesday 19 April 2016. Ryman League, Division One South.
South Park 1 Walton & Hersham 1.
Swans finally picked up their first point in twelve matches with a well-deserved draw as they put on their best performance for some time. Although young goalkeeper Liam Beach again had to make some fine saves they could well have gone on to register a rare win.
With several players unavailable, including player/manager Gary MacDonald, Mark Corbett was left with just thirteen players to select from, but the team responded well.
Swans soon won a corner on the left, but Dylan Casey’s kick could only find the side netting.
The home side’s Kofi Quartey was then played in on the left to net, but was ruled offside. Kieran Lavery then laid the ball back from the right of the box to Jack Stafford, who drove a shot over. Swans were again fortunate when James McElligott drove the ball low across the goal-face from the right and wide of the far-post.
But they took the lead after 25 minutes when they forced a corner on the right. From Seb Castello’s kick Michael Salako sent a strong header into the ground and past home keeper James Wastell.
Unfortunately, as so often this season, Swans could not hold onto the lead for long. Just two minutes after they went ahead Dean Lovegrove got into the left of the box and went down under a tackle, the referee awarding a penalty. Beach just failed to keep out Lavery’s spot-kick.
Swans continued to build up some promising attacks, and with just under ten minutes left of the half Gareth Chendlik got the ball over from the right, and Ola Akinwande was just denied at the far-post by Wastell. A free-kick was then won just outside the left corner of the box, but Scott Todd drove the ball wide of the left post.
Five minutes before the break Beach kept Swans level with a fine save, clawing the ball away from the left, top corner after a free-kick had been played into the box. There was still time for Beach to make another good stop, getting down well to save Lavery’s shot from the left of the box.
South Park won two corners early in the second-half, the second of which was just scrambled clear.
Swans soon had a chance when they broke following a home free-kick and Todd played Chendlik into the left of the box, but Wastell was out to block.
Beach was soon making another good save at the other end as a shot came in from the right.
Akinwande looked to have got through when Chendlik nodded on from a long kick from Beach, but the referee spotted a handball by the Swans’ player. Chendlik was then sent clear down the right, but his cross went disappointingly over the bar. Another chance came when Chendlik charged down an attempted clearance by Wastell and was able to get clear into the right of the box, but he dwelt too long and the home keeper was able block his shot for a corner. Then, with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, Swans played a short corner on the right, and when the ball was played in Akinwande sent a header against the near-post.
But Swans soon had an escape at the other end when Lavery sent a lob over Beach from the left, and the ball hit both the crossbar and far-post before rebounding into the hands of the keeper. Beach had to make another fine save, pushing away a strong shot from the right, and as the match entered the final five minutes he made a good block at his near-post as South Park got in on the left.
But in the final minute Corbett and Chendlik found the home team short at the back, but neither could get a shot away.
Swans had to withstand one final threat in stoppage-time when South Park sent in a free-kick from the right, but Beach confidently took the ball.
Swans’ Team: Liam Beach, Connor Channon, Veejay Miller, Cristiano Goncalves Neto, Lea Van Sullivan, Dylan Casey, Michael Salako, Sebastien Castello, Gareth Chendlik, Scott Todd, Olakunle Akinwande (Mark Corbett 80’). Sub. not used: Theo Newton. Scorer: Salako (25’). Cautions: Akinwande, simulation (44’), Casey, foul (90’).
South Park Team: Wastell, McElligott, Lovegrove, Rixon-Nicholls, Merchant, Stafford, Ayling, Watts (Gill 59’), Lavery, Moody, Quartey. Subs. not used: Brown, Higgins. Scorer: Lavery, penalty (28’). Caution: Rixon-Nicholls, foul (60’).
