Swans robbed of victory- in Klopp time

Arriving at the Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub, it was difficult not to feel a slight melancholy.

We’ve been here before- indeed we were here for the opening of the facility, on 14th September 2017. At that point it was about to become home to two clubs, Walton Casuals and Walton & Hersham; one of them a current Isthmian club, one of them having fairly recently left our ranks. We watched as Casuals won promotion from the old Isthmian South Division, in May 2018, we wished them bon voyage as they left us for the Southern League Premier- and then, earlier this summer, we watched on from a distance as the Stags folded, finding their continuation financially impossible. The world of football, particularly non-league football, is often precarious, and we’ve been here before- Thurrock, Thamesmead, Whyteleafe, Staines- but it never gets any less painful. Football is about love and loyalty more than money, but when the money dries up the love and loyalty is left with nothing to love and be loyal to.

But enough of the doom and gloom- Walton are dead, long live the other Walton (and Hersham)!

The Swans are the new kids on the Isthmian block, and the club bears no resemblance to that which left us after relegation in 2016. Not only has the ground changed- although the jury is out whether it has changed for the better, Stompond Lane did have some charm, despite the running track, and modern stadia don’t always have the same kind of atmosphere- but the entire set up is a world away from their previous Isthmian days. The idea that the old Swans would be social media darlings would have been laughed at, but under new and dynamic ownership that’s exactly what has happened to the current occupants of those red shirts.

You’ve probably read the story, or more likely watched it unfold on video, but four years ago, with the club’s fortunes at an extremely low ebb, seven former school friends-Stephen Karidis, Jack Newton, Thomas Bradbury, Sartej Tucker, Reme Edetanlen (who is no longer involved), Ben Madelin and Calogero Scannella- decided to buy their local football club. They weren’t particularly cash-rich, but the success they’ve had since their seemingly impetuous decision has to be seen to be believed. Had they not taken over, there was a real chance that the club would have preceded Casuals into oblivion, so it isn’t far-fetched to declare that they are the saviours of Walton & Hersham; and they’ve gone from just rescuing a set of dying Swans to creating what is fast becoming a global phenomenon. It seems rather bizarre- brilliantly bizarre, but bizarre nonetheless- that the Pitching In Isthmian League now has two clubs with a world renowned social media presence, but with eighth hundred and three thousand followers on TikTok the Swans are steering the same path as Hashtag United, and it is working wonderfully well. This fine old club- and they have a magnificent history, particularly in the FA Cup and FA Trophy- is newly vibrant, growing and successful, and enormous credit must go to their young champions. On the pitch, back to back promotions under manager Scott Harris- who you will remember from his days with both Casuals and Swans- has delighted the ever-growing crowds who actually turn up to watch in person. Last season only Jersey Bulls had a higher average attendance in the Combined Counties Premier South, and that average more than doubled.

The FA Cup was the reason for our visit today. We’re a long way from those glory days which saw wins over Brighton & Hove Albion- Cloughie and all- and Exeter City, and matches against Crystal Palace and Swansea City, but the first two hurdles of Kennington and Littlehampton Town have been overcome, and there was an optimism amongst the fans as Beaconsfield Town moved into view this afternoon.

Today’s visitors would have been familiar with their surroundings. They were also the visitors at the same stage of last season’s competition, and eventually emerged triumphant, so revenge was in the air. With four consecutive wins the Swans were on a good run, and confident. They may still be the underdogs, but the gap had narrowed significantly since the last time they met. The pressure was all on the visitors.

The Swans started with two recent loanees in their line up. Devan Tanton joined up only yesterday, the USA Under 15 and Under 17 international coming in on loan from Fulham, whilst centre back Charlie Nicholas was making his third appearance in eight days after moving over from National League Bromley.

The visitors had a number of familiar Isthmian names. Keeper Ravan Constable has spent time with both Potters Bar Town and Bowers and Pitsea, Oliver Sprague was previously with Hendon, Mark Nisbet played for Hanwell Town, Adam Martin was with Enfield Town, Toby Little and Scott Donnelly with Hayes & Yeading United’s title winners from a few years ago, Nathan Minhas with Bracknell Town, Aaron Minhas with Chalfont St Peter, Kyle Reid most recently with Cray Wanderers. It was almost an ex-Isthmian XI, and add in Liam McDevitt (Horsham), Shaun McAuley (Leatherhead, Kingstonian) on the bench and you’d certainly have a full team of players formerly in our ranks.

The hosts, all in red, got us underway, whilst their visitors were dressed like Manchester City. The Swans hoped they didn’t play like them, too.

Tanton was immediately a danger down the right, his endeavour giving the Town defence work to do. The side in red dominated the early stages, and indeed it was they who were attempting to resemble City, short pass after short pass making inroads. The first real chance, on five minutes, came due to a long pass, however, Max Blackmore- scorer of five goals already this season- the first to read the bounce of the ball. He fired well over, and looked rather annoyed with himself, but the hosts looked completely in control.

Walton had a second chance a minute later. Taurean Roberts robbed a ponderous defender and jinked from left to right, before firing over from the edge of the box. Roberts was involved in everything in the early stages, dropping to the base of the midfield to collect the ball, moving further forward to threaten, but the early goal didn’t arrive despite his efforts and Beaconsfield began to emerge from their shells, winning a dangerous free kick just in from the corner flag, and then a corner, neither of which came to anything despite- or perhaps because of- a great deal of elaboration.

The visitors had their first chance in the seventeenth minute. A quick ball out of defence fell to Toby Little on the edge of the box, and he seemed to strike it with his shin, but it looped upwards and over Liam Allen in the Swans goal. The crowd held their breath- and then it looped over the bar, too. At the other end a mazy run from Jordan Adeyemi led to a chance for John Gilbert, keeper Constable down smartly to block. Constable was soon called into action again, Roberts completely bamboozling his marker on the edge of the box but firing his shot too close to the keeper. We reached the midway point of the half goalless, and it would be the hosts most disappointed by that.

The game then lost some of its energy. The hosts still had most of the play, but few chances- until Arsen Ujkaj forced a save from Constable from a tight angle on thirty five minutes. Almost immediately the keeper was called into action again, saving from Gilbert, and home supporters at the back of the stand began to bemoan the fact that their side hadn’t taken their chances- which meant, of course, that they immediately did take one. A run down the left, a cross which the keeper couldn’t claim in a crowded area, and Gilbert fired home from six yards, to general delight. It was, on the balance of play, the least the Swans deserved for their endeavours.

The visitors almost levelled right on the stroke of half time. A free kick from the right went to the back post, and Adam Martin just failed to find the target, putting it wide of the post and then kicking the post in annoyance. On the balance of play it would have been a travesty; but it proved to remind the home faithful that, despite their dominance, it was only one-nil. The game most certainly wasn’t over yet.

Town came out with purpose at the start of the second half, but could have been two down within a minute, Gilbert’s hurried attempt clearing the bar after a quick break. The visitors made two half time changes, introducing McAuley and Bradshaw, and were almost immediately forced into a third due to injury, Togwell on for Little. Gilbert was then found by Adeyemi at the far side of the box, but another shot cleared the bar. A clearance charged down by Blackmore could then have gone anywhere, but luckily for the visitors- and their keeper- it went wide.

An equaliser then silenced the home crowd, and it came from nowhere. A cross, keeper Allen didn’t seem to know whether to come out or stay back, tried to do both, and a header from Nathan Minhas went over him into the net. It was the visitors first attempt on target, and it had been handed to them on a plate.

Gilbert forced Constable into a save as the hosts tried to reassert their dominance, but the visitors then tried to shoot themselves in the foot. Seemingly from nowhere, the referee was waving a red card. We’re not sure what Dan Bradshaw did to deserve it, the suggestion being that it must have been for something he said rather than did, but he was soon wandering down the tunnel nonetheless. Even the home side seemed perplexed, but they had a man advantage, and thirty two minutes to make it count.

Initially, for some reason, the dismissal seemed to unnerve the hosts, another defensive error almost letting Town in. Scott Donnelly then talked himself into the book for Town, as the visitors seemed to be losing their heads, and that was followed by a pushing and shoving match which left Aaron Minhas on the floor and the referee seemingly giving the entire opposition team a lecture. It didn’t work, as soon McAuley had also found his way into the book.

Another Gilbert chance, this one a free kick which beat the wall but not the keeper, and we had twenty two minutes left. The next chance also came to the hosts, good work from substitute Eddie Simon ending in a cross which Ujkaj met, but a defender got in the way and the ball went wide of the post for a corner. Another shot from Gilbert, another save from Constable. But the Town keeper was then beaten- Adeyemi, played into the box, fired goalward- and despite a touch, the ball went under Constable and into the net. The Swans were ahead once more, and the ten men had sixteen minutes to find a way back.

It took one minute before they had a chance, Luke Neville only able to head into Allen’s arms, but the hosts soon regained control, and Roberts forced a diving save from Constable at the other end; a chance which was soon followed by another, Simon firing across the goal and agonisingly wide of the far post, seemingly with a touch from the keeper. Into the last ten minutes we went, and Roberts went off, to deserved applause, whilst below the main stand three small children in red shirts climbed loudly up and down the perimeter barriers. Liverpool, Manchester United and Walton & Hersham, in case you were wondering.

Into the last five minutes, and the pressure was coming from the ten men, but the hosts stood firm- until a rash challenge saw another red card. This one went to the hosts, Alex Kelly making the long walk, and giving the visitors the chance to launch the ball into the box. The home fans applauded, but applause wasn’t really deserved- luckily the free kick was awful, straight to Allen. A break, and Gilbert had the choice of three red shirts rushing into the box to finish the match, but his cross inexplicably found only the visiting keeper; it was as if he had too much time to think about it. He almost made amends, another shot desperately blocked, but we moved into the third added minute and the match still hung in the balance.

Into the fifth added minutes and the home fans were questioning the referees ability to tell the time. “Come on ref, the final’s in June,” yelled one, to general mirth. Into minute six we went- Klopp time- and - of course- the equaliser arrived. A ball into the box, and Aaron Minhas hooked home, and seemingly gave himself cramp in the process.

We’d played eight and a half minutes of added time when the whistle finally went, and we’ll have it all to do again in midweek.

The Swans will wonder how they didn’t win the match. Indeed, they had enough chances to win three matches. “Crushing disappointment” was the sentiment uttered by one fan at the back of the stand. But let’s put it into perspective. Walton & Hersham outplayed a side from a level above them for almost all of the ninety eight minutes. They deserved to win.

They might, yet.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.