Saturday 28 January 2012. Ryman League, Division One South.
Corinthian-Casuals 0 Walton & Hersham 2.
Swans bounced back from their abject performance of a week earlier to secure a fine win, the two goal margin not doing justice to their dominance over their neighbours. So many times this season their supporters have seen them dominate teams, creating numerous scoring opportunities, only to finish empty-handed, and for over an hour they must have thought this match was going to follow a similar pattern as Swans did everything but score. But the excellent Graeme Purdy finally got the goal his play deserved, and Greg Andrews made the score-line at least somewhat more reflective of the play in stoppage-time with his second goal in two games. Swans continue to remain an enigma however, as one week they can look a match for any side in the division, and another like relegation fodder, but with the obvious talent in their side the former should more regularly be the case.
They made a bright start, but it was the home side that had the first attempt on goal after seven minutes, Jamie Byatt’s good strike from 25 yards passing wide of the left-post. Swans soon attacked and could have taken an early lead as Andrews got down the left before striking a superb cross to the far-post where Phil Williams, coming in unmarked, should at least have got something on the ball. After twenty minutes some fine play by Purdy inside the right of the box enabled him to get the ball across the edge of the six-yard box, where it was just cleared away.
Adriano Moraes struck a shot from 22 yards after Shaun Elliott had laid the ball back from the left, but home goalkeeper Adam Peck got well behind the ball on his line. The Brazilian was soon driving another effort over the bar from a similar position, this time Purdy being the provider with a lay-back from the left. A fine ball from Liam Collins got Purdy into the right of the box, but he was just closed out, and Casuals quickly broke down the other end for Jamal Carr to put a shot just over from outside the box after Byatt had set him up. Swans immediately got forward again, and Williams cut into the right of the box to drive in a low shot that forced Peck into a save.
As the first-half entered the last ten minutes Collins played a good ball forward to get Andrews into the box, but he couldn’t get a shot away and the ball was put behind for a corner. Some fine play by Andrews enabled him to play Purdy clear into the left of the box, and he will be disappointed that he drove his low shot straight at keeper Peck. Andrews then did well on the left, getting to the byline before playing the ball across, but neither Purdy at the near-post, nor Williams at the far, could get a touch.
Swans had created the openings that should have seen them leading at the break, but the best chance came in the final minute of the half. A terrific ball by Andrews picked out Williams on the right, and he made a typical, jinking run into the box before laying the ball across to Purdy ten yards out, but with just Peck to beat he drove the ball over the crossbar.
The match had followed an all too familiar pattern for Swans this season, and soon after the resumption they could well have gone behind, had it not been for the fine goalkeeping of Rodney Chiweshe. Casuals’ Dave Hodges found space on the left before crossing to the far-post, where former Swans’ youth player Joe Hicks was unmarked to get in a downward header, but Chiweshe made a superb save.
Swans immediately had the chance to capitalise as Collins’ through ball sent Williams shrugging past the last defender to leave him with just Peck to beat, which he did with a low shot, but the ball struck the left-post. A fine ball by Purdy found Andrews in space on the left, and he struck a left-foot, half-volley that Peck just managed to beat away at his near-post. Casuals were soon clearing the ball off their goal-line, and Moraes followed up to drive in a shot that unfortunately struck one of his teammates to deflect wide. A clearance by Chiweshe then found the head of Purdy, who nodded through to Andrews on the left, but he shot straight at Peck at the near-post.
The first ten minutes of the second-half had seen Swans attack incessantly, and when Williams got the ball through to Andrews, he struck a fine, low shot from 25 yards that Peck just managed to push wide of his right post. With an hour played Collins took a corner from the left, and this led to Moraes playing a low ball into the box that picked out Dan Sintim close in by the left-post, but the ball ran off his foot and just wide.
Casuals almost took the lead totally against the run of play when Byatt got free into the right of the six-yard box after looking well offside, but his shot to the near-post was superbly blocked by Chiweshe.
Swans finally made the breakthrough after 66 minutes, and fittingly the goal was scored by the splendid Purdy. Moraes had a shot blocked, but the ball ran through to Purdy inside the right of the box, and he deftly turned to beat his marker before drilling a fine, left-foot shot low inside the left-post.
More good play by Purdy almost got Moraes through, but Peck was quickly out to fall on the ball to deny him. The home side had an opportunity when they were somewhat fortunate to be awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal, but although Byatt got the ball through the wall Chiweshe saw it all the way and pouched it on his line.
With the match entering the final quarter of an hour Swans went close to sealing the points, but Purdy’s far-post header came back off the crossbar when Collins took a corner from the right. Andrews was then played clean through on goal, but was unfortunate when the referee’s assistant flagged for offside, seemingly against Purdy, who was not interfering with play.
Byatt had been Casuals’ main threat, and he volleyed over from inside the box as the ball was played in from the right. With three minutes of normal time remaining Casuals forced three corners in succession as they tried to gain an undeserved point, but Swans’ defence stood firm.
Then with the last of the five minutes of stoppage-time being played Purdy played Andrews into space on the left, and he struck a shot that Peck got his hands to but could not prevent entering the goal to seal the win for Swans.
Swans’ Team: Rodney Chiweshe, Josh Webb, Shaun Elliott, Adriano Moraes, Dan Dean, Dan Sintim, Liam Collins, Victor Kiri, Graeme Purdy, Greg Andrews, Phil Williams (Saul Otobo 71’). Subs. not used: Sol-Patterson-Bohner, Ashlee Quashie, Josh Bonnett, Sheikh Ceesay. Scorers: Purdy (66’), Andrews (90+5’). Caution: Purdy, foul (28’).
Casuals’ Team: Peck, Williams (Finnie 63’), Ellis (Stevenson 73’), Hicks, Hassell, Hodges, Carr, Green (Defoe 60’), Thompson, Byatt, Barilli. Sub. not used: Quintyne. Cautions: Hicks, foul (82’), Defoe, foul (90’).