Saturday 27 September 2014. Ryman League, Division One South.
Walton & Hersham 1 Chipstead 0.
Swans made it three 1-0 wins in their last four matches as they kept their supporters sweating until the end of six minutes of stoppage-time to edge another tight game. They had to survive a number of scares, but they also had chances to boost their low goals scored ratio of just over a goal a game.
With Vernon Francis injured Yinka Salami came into his midfield role, while Louis Glace-Palmer and Julian Bartos started in place of Andrew Mensah and Andrew Juett to try to increase that goals record.
Chipstead had the first chance after eight minutes when Dan Moody struck a low shot from the edge of the box that was just wide of the right-post.
Swans’ best piece of play came soon after when Josh Bonnett made a fine run on the left before being fouled to win a free-kick.
The visitors again went close when they were awarded a free-kick close to the right corner flag. Joel Jacobs swung the kick over, and this led to a scramble in Swans’ box before Dan Llacer stabbed the ball wide of the left-post.
Swans had a chance to take the lead after 21 minutes when Bonnett took a corner from the right, but Glace-Palmer failed to get his head on the ball at the far-post. Glace-Palmer had an even better chance two minutes later. Bonnett was again the provider with a cross from the right to pick out Glace-Palmer unmarked at the far-post, but he planted his header wide. A ball forward was then pulled down by Bonnett, but his half-volley flew just wide of the left-post.
Swans scored what proved to be the decisive goal after 26 minutes. Some good play by Bartos ended with him slipping the ball through to Glace-Palmer inside the right of the box, and he clipped it just inside the right-post past goalkeeper Milan Stojsavljevic.
Swans were conceding several free-kicks, and with their former striker, the tall Will Turl, in the Chipstead side these were always a threat. Mark McLeod put one into the box and Turl nodded the ball across from the left before following up and clipping a shot over the bar.
With half an hour played Bartos was picked out by a long ball to send a volley just over for Swans. Glace-Palmer then made a fine run on the left to get past Shaun Preddie, but the Chipstead player just got in a tackle on the edge of the box to deny the Swans’ striker.
With just a minute left to the break Swans were almost undone by another free-kick. Jack Buckle took the kick from deep on the left for Turl again to get his head to the ball, and when a shot came in Louis Clark hooked the ball off the goal-line.
The second-half was only 15 seconds old when Swans won a free-kick 25 yards out, but Dominic Ogun’s effort lacked power and the ball was easily taken by Stojsavljevic. Another free-kick was won deep on the left, but Bartos headed a good chance well wide at the far-post from Tarome Hemmings’ kick.
Swans had to survive a shaky spell just before the hour. Turl scuffed his shot when the ball was played into the box, and Moody had successive shots from the left both well blocked by Daniel Ranger.
Midway through the half Swans won a free-kick on the left, and when Hemmings played it short to Ogun, his driven cross into the six-yard box passed just wide of the far-post.
Swans had to thank keeper Gary Ross for preserving their lead with a quarter of an hour left. Moody was played into the box on the left and Ross made a fine save to push his low shot just wide of the far-post.
Swans then held out well for the rest of the match, including the lengthy period of stoppage-time, to secure the three points.
Swans’ Team: Gary Ross, Nathan Daly, Dominic Ogun, André Scarlett, Louis Clark, Daniel Ranger (Sacha Mbaye 79’), Tarome Hemmings (Kwabena Osei 79’), Yinka Salami, Louis Glace-Palmer, Julian Bartos, Josh Bonnett (Andrew Juett 65’). Subs. not used: Kadeem Ajeon, Tony Reid. Scorer: Glace-Palmer (26’). Cautions: Bonnett, dissent (51’), Glace-Palmer, did not retire (90’).
Chipstead Team: Stojsavljevic, Charles, Jacobs, Preddie, Betancourt, J. Buckle (D. Buckle 70’), Llacer (Webbe 70’), McLeod (Willis 79’), Turl, Gallagher, Moody. Sub. not used: Rickson-Nichols. Caution: Charles, foul (50’).
