Tuesday 27 September 2016. Cherry Red Combined Counties League, Premier Division.
Walton & Hersham 1 Abbey Rangers 1.
Swans maintained their unbeaten league record, but in somewhat disappointing fashion, drawing with their near neighbours in a first-time meeting at Stompond Lane. It was overall an under-par performance, and despite having, but spurning, a chance to win the match from the penalty-spot, they could have few arguments against the visitors deserving their point.
They were due to field an unchanged starting line-up, but a rib injury sustained by Corey Haywood-Roye in the warm-up meant a last-minute change, with Seb Castello coming in.
The visitors soon won a free-kick on the left, and from Jordan Timbrell’s kick a header had to be cleared away. Timbrell then got in a header from a right-side cross, but home goalkeeper Liam Beach was well placed.
Swans’ first chance came after eight minutes when Jamil Okai got in on the left, and his shot took a deflection to go just wide. After 24 minutes Matt Rose-Hazel launched a long throw from the right and Castello was at the far-post to get in an overhead kick, but Rangers’ keeper Jason McGregor got behind the ball.
Rangers immediately got to the other end and Beach went down to take a low, snap-shot from the left edge of the box by Phillipe Baettler.
Swans had a chance when Rose-Hazel was brought down on the right edge of the box, but Castello drove the free-kick well over. With half an hour played Louis Taylor played Scott Todd into the right of the box, but as he went down claims for a penalty were rejected.
But a minute later they took the lead as Taylor and Jamie Thoroughgood combined on the left, and it was Castello who stabbed the ball in at the far-post after Thoroughgood had drilled the ball across the six-yard box.
Jake Newton was soon getting his head to the ball as Todd took a corner from the left, and it was headed off the line. Jake Newton then made a run forward before almost playing Okai in, but McGregor was out quickly to take.
The visitors equalised with six minutes left of the half in somewhat fortunate fashion. A corner was taken from the right, and when the ball was cleared it hit Tom Bentley and rebounded into the net to register the first goal in the league against Swans at Stompond Lane this season.
Swans soon replied with Okai turning well 22 yards out to strike a strong, left-foot shot that McGregor beat down.
Beach then had to take the ball at his near-post when Paul Hodges got in on the right.
Swans had a free-kick out on the right touchline, but Lea Van Sullivan headed over from Todd’s kick.
The last opportunity of the half fell to the visitors as they won a free-kick by the left corner flag, and following the kick a shot went wide from outside the box.
Rangers made a strong start to the second-half and Beach had to save at his near-post when Hodges got to the left byline to get in a strong shot. Sullivan then had to head the ball behind at the near-post as a cross came in from the left, and Beach had to make a block from Baettler.
The visitors continued to dominate, and with a quarter of an hour of the half played Hodges was brought down just outside the box on the right. From Michael Carey’s free-kick Sam Bates did well at the far-post to head the ball behind, and a near-post header went over from the resultant corner-kick.
TJ Nkoma had come on for Swans, and with a quarter of the game left he made a fine run on the right, and this led to Jake Newton striking a powerful low shot just wide from 35 yards out.
Swans had the chance to regain the lead after 72 minutes when Howard Newton was brought down in the right of the box. Todd took the penalty, hoping to repeat his successful spot-kick at the weekend, but McGregor got a good hand to the ball to deflect it onto the left-post.
A 2-1 deficit would in truth have been harsh on the visitors, and they went close to going ahead with a quarter of an hour left when a Swans’ attack broke down. Patric Ruzicka broke away on a great run from his own half, but after getting clear to the edge of the box his low shot hit the right-post, and the ball rebounded across the goal-face.
Inside the final five minutes Beach had to put the ball behind when Carey sent a free-kick into the box, but in stoppage-time Swans had one last chance when Nkoma made a good run on the right before being brought down just outside the box. But from Elliott Simpson’s free-kick Taylor put a header over at the far-post.
Swans’ Team: Liam Beach, Seb Castello (TJ Nkoma 63’), Sam Bates (Elliott Simpson 80’), Jake Newton, Lea Van Sullivan, Jamie Thoroughgood, Howard Newton, Louis Taylor, Jamil Okai (Jordan Wisdom-Muir 63’), Scott Todd, Matt Rose-Hazel. Sub. not used: Victor Asombang. Scorer: Castello (31’). Cautions: Todd, foul (87’), H. Newton, foul (90’).
Abbey Rangers’ Team: McGregor, Shannon, Macklin, Bentley, Carey, Kersley, Arnold, Baettler, Timbrell, Hodges, Ruzicka. Subs. not used: Davies, Taylor-Crossdale, Ford, Fitzsimmons, North. Scorer: Bentley (39’). Cautions: Carey, Bentley.
