Ace keeper Allen saves Swans
WALTON & Hersham manager Scott Harris hailed his side’s ‘greatest moment’, as the Swans triumphed in a penalty shoot-out away at Guildford City.
After a competitive contest saw the scores level with goals by Sean McCormack and Andre Smith, it was the Step 6 club who moved closer to a first Wembley trip since 1973 as forward Alex Kelly scored the decisive spot-kick.
With both sides playing their first competitive fixture of the year, the match began at a surprisingly fast pace and it was Paul Barnes’s Guildford who took an early lead.
A low cross from winger Eli Ogunseye was cleared only as far as Smith, who finished well from eight yards for his eighth goal for the Sweeney.
Barnes, taking charge of his first game despite being in the role three months, believes his side are in a good position for next season, telling The NLP: “Today has given us a great opportunity to see where we’re at and we can look forward to starting again ahead of next season.”
After falling behind, Walton & Hersham fought their way back into the contest and with half an hour played winger McCormack had a penalty well saved by City keeper Stuart Norman after Kelly was fouled in the area.
The visitors also had a goal ruled out for offside before Zack Dainkeh saw his volley at the back post rattle the crossbar just before the break.
The early stages of the second half saw the Swans take charge of proceedings, with McCormack making amends for his penalty miss, tapping in Dainkeh’s low cross from close range.
A series of half-chances fell to both sides as the game drew to a scrappy and labouring close, but neither could find a winner.
Step 5 City saw their first penalty blazed over the top by captain Jamie Higgins and there was to be no repeat of Norman’s earlier heroics, as Walton & Hersham held their nerve to convert all four of their spot-kicks.
Walton keeper Liam Allen produced a fine save from Smith before Kelly calmly scored the decider.
The Swans can now look forward to their first ever appearance in the fourth round of the FA Vase as they travel to Leyton next Saturday.
Manager Harris said: “It’s this side’s greatest moment, thankfully we eventually got the ball in the net for the equaliser.
“We didn’t realise there was no extra-time until ten minutes to go!
“If we don’t aim for Wembley then there’s no point being in this competition, it’s a good building block for us.
“I said to the boys I’ve really enjoyed the past couple of weeks and don’t want it to end.
“Thankfully it hasn’t and let’s just see where this journey goes.”