Saturday 13 August 2016. Cherry Red Combined Counties League, Premier Division.
Walton & Hersham 0 Spelthorne Sports 0.
Swans’ first campaign in The Combined Counties League got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a goalless draw by their neighbours from north of the Thames. Although Swans had marginally the better of the play neither side created much in the way of clear chances, the nearest either coming to scoring being when they both put headers against the crossbar.
Manager Simon Haughney had to make two changes to the side that had won at Westfield, Anthony Charles being unavailable and Victor Asombang unfit, with Jamie Thoroughgood and Matt Rose-Hazel coming in for their first starts.
The visitors had the early possession, and it was over five minutes in before Swans mounted their first attack, winning a corner on the right.
Spelthorne soon won a free-kick on the right, but Jake Flatman’s kick was cleared, and it was Flatman who drove a shot well over when Lea Van Sullivan could only clear to outside the box.
With just over ten minutes played Swans had a chance when Seb Castello was brought down on the left edge of the box, but Elliott Simpson’s free-kick dipped over the bar.
Flatman took a corner on the right for the visitors, and when the ball came back to him he got in a low shot that was easily taken by home goalkeeper Liam Beach.
His opposite number Dane Buss also had no trouble in fielding a low shot from 25 yards by Simpson.
Swans had a good chance to take the lead after 20 minutes when TJ Nkoma played Jordan Wisdom-Muir through, but his low shot failed to beat Buss. Rose-Hazel then almost got through when a clearance was charged down.
After half an hour Beach made another easy save from Flatman’s 25 yard effort, and Sullivan was soon having to head behind to concede a corner on the right. With five minutes left to the break Flatman managed to get off a low shot from outside the box that went just wide of the right post. Spelthorne continued to have a good spell, and when Robert Smith was found in the left of the box he drove a low shot wide of the far-post. Sam Rees then took a long throw from the right and Qaseem Sotonwa got in a near-post header that clipped the top of the bar.
Early in the second-half Swans played a dangerous ball into the 6-yard box from the right, but Simpson could not get it under control. Nkoma made a clever run on the left to get into the box before getting in a strong shot that went just over.
With twenty minutes remaining visiting substitute Frankie Laws got in a good shot from 25 yards that flew just wide. Beach then had to push the ball round his near-post when Flatman played Ahmed Farah in on the right to drive in a shot.
Adam Francis, who had played a few games for Swans in the 2011-12 season, had replaced Rose-Hazel, and he made a fine run down the right before almost playing Corey Haywood-Roye in on goal.
With less than a quarter of an hour remaining Howard Newton sent over an excellent free-kick from the left to pick out Thoroughgood at the far-post, and he sent a header against the crossbar. Francis followed up to have a close-in shot well blocked by Buss, and when the ball came back to him he put wide of an open goal.
Rees was well over with a far-post header for Spelthorne from Law’s free-kick from the right, while Nkoma’s cross from the right for Swans was met at the far-post by Louis Taylor, but his effort was blocked and Buss was able to gather.
Swans’ Team: Liam Beach, Jake Newton, Howard Newton, Louis Taylor, Lea Van Sullivan, Jamie Thoroughgood, Jordan Wisdom-Muir (Corey Haywood-Roye 53’), Seb Castello, Matt Rose-Hazel (Adam Francis 63’), Elliott Simpson (Cameron Gyeabour 71’), TJ Nkoma. Subs. not used: Connor Channon, Sam Bates.
Spelthorne Team: Buss, Rees, Roach, Sotonwa, Richards, Remedios, Flatman, Sitch, Smith, Hughes (Farah 65’), Cobb (Law 45’). Subs. not used: Gooodman, Hicks. Caution: Rees, foul (52’).
