Saturday 17 January 2015. Ryman League, Division One South.
Walton & Hersham 0 Guernsey 3.
Not for the first time this season Swans were left ruing not capitalising when dominating the game. In the early stages they took the game to a Guernsey side that were slow to settle, creating, but not taking the opportunity of several good openings. Despite the visitors taking the lead after half an hour Swans looked well capable of coming back from the setback, but a highly contentious penalty awarded against them four minutes later left them with a mountain to climb against a highly competent side that had settled down after a sluggish start.
Swans attacked from the first minute when Kadeem Ajeon sent Harry Mills, who had come back into the side at right-back, on a surging run down the right. Mills drove a low cross in to the near-post, where Gareth Chendlik was just denied as the ball was put behind for a corner.
Swans had made a really positive start, but after three minutes they allowed Guernsey’s Matt Loaring to run down the middle and into the box where he was finally tackled.
At the other end Chendlik was just denied again as Vernon Francis’s through ball down the middle sent him clear. Swans should have taken the lead after eight minutes when Dominic Ogun took a corner from the right. Jahmahl King nodded the ball back at the far-post, and it could well have been dropping into the goal until Chendlik got his head to it and put it over the bar from point-blank range. There was still only ten minutes on the watch when Mills’ fine pass sent Chendlik racing down the right before driving in a low cross. Dylan Cascoe got in front of Chris Tardif at the near-post to deflect the ball goal-wards, but the Guernsey goalkeeper just kept it out. Cascoe regained possession, but Tardif again blocked his shot. Ajeon was soon crossing from the right for Cascoe to turn on the edge of the box and strike a fine, low shot that Tardif dived to keep out on his line.
Some casual play by King almost led to the visitors taking the lead as Dominic Heaume was allowed to get possession and set up Marc McGrath to his right, but he struck a low shot wide of the far-post.
But Swans continued to create openings, and when Cascoe set Chendlik up for a run on the left, he turned inside before striking the ball to the far-post, where it was cleared off the line.
Guernsey had withstood Swans’ pressure without conceding, and they began to build up some good attacks of their own. Home keeper Gary Ross had to combine with King to get the ball away high at the near-post when Jamie Dodd sent over a dangerous cross, before Swans were hit by a sucker punch on the half hour. Guernsey won the ball in midfield before releasing Tom De La Mare on the left, and he found the net with a good shot.
The visitors quickly had a chance to make it 2-0 when Loaring crossed from the left and Dave Rihoy volleyed wide at the far-post.
Then, after 34 minutes, Swans were left with a daunting task when Guernsey were awarded a penalty, a decision that looked extremely harsh. The ball was driven in from the right, and Jack Battie was only a couple of yards away just inside the box with his arms by his side, but it was judged he had deliberately handled. McGrath made no mistake from the spot.
Battie quickly tried to make amends with a shot from 30 yards, but although well-struck the ball went well over.
With five minutes left to the break Guernsey’s Rihoy drove into the right of the box to get in a shot, and Ross had to make a good block.
Swans were desperate to halve the deficit before half-time, and from Battie’s corner from the left King was just denied a header at the far-post. Mills then put over another fine cross from the right, but it went just over the head of Francis at the far-post.
Soon after the resumption Swans won a free-kick by the right touchline, and when Ogun sent the ball in it just failed to find the head of Chendlik. Swans had another fine chance when Ogun put over a great cross from the left to find the head of Chendlik, but he failed to get enough on the ball and it skewed wide of the target. Then, still inside the first ten minutes of the second-half, Chendlik got into the left of the six-yard box to get in a shot that Tardif blocked with his legs at the near-post.
Guernsey began to look comfortable again, having withstood Swans’ early second-half pressure.
With just over ten minutes remaining Cascoe sent over a superb cross from the right, but again Chendlik was just prevented from getting in a header.
Guernsey had brought on the prolific Ross Allen, and he got into the left of the six-yard box before getting in a shot that Ross pushed round his near-post.
With eight minutes of normal-time remaining Swans had the chance that could have set them up for a final push for at least a point. Guernsey failed to clear on their right touchline and Chendlik set off on a fine run that beat his marker and took him into the box. Chendlik could have opted to shoot, but he unselfishly laid the ball across to Cascoe in front of goal, but with time and space to pick his spot he went for power and drove the ball over the crossbar. Another chance came when more pressure in the visitors’ box led to the ball coming to Tarome Hemmings close in on the right, but in trying to make sure he allowed Tardif to save at his feet.
With Swans committing men forward Guernsey broke away with two minutes of normal-time remaining, and Rihoy was played clear on the right to slot the ball past the exposed Ross, giving the score an unbalanced look.
Swans’ Team: Gary Ross, Harry Mills, Dominic Ogun, Anthony Oaks, Jahmahl King, Louis Clark, Kadeem Ajeon, Vernon Francis (Daniel Ranger 79’), Gareth Chendlik, Dylan Cascoe, Jack Battie (Tarome Hemmings 64’). Subs. not used: Nathan Daly, André Scarlett, Kwabena Osei. Cautions: Battie, foul (56’), Francis, foul (74’).
Guernsey Team: Tardif, Mahan, Dodd, Cochrane, Strawbridge, Mackay, Rihoy, De La Mare, Heaume, McGrath (Allen 66’), Loaring (Dyer 66’). Subs. not used: Steel, Winch. Scorers: De La Mare (30’), McGrath, penalty (34’), Rihoy (88’).
