23/4/2008

Sport

Football - Derby draw has end of season feel

Molesey                              1      
Walton & Hersham            2

WALTON & Hersham failed to make their dominance pay in an uninspiring derby with Molesey on Saturday that had a distinct end of season feel about it.

After falling behind early against their already relegated neighbours Swans equalised in first half stoppage-time, but despite having the bulk of the play in the second-half they rarely looked like creating the opening that would enable them to go on to win.

With Rob George suspended, Jack Watkins made his first start and Academy player David Banjo was given his debut in place of Adam Moriarty.

Will Jenkins sent an early far post header looping just over from Cedric Kabongo's  corner, but Molesey had a chance when Anthony Gale crossed and Jamie Findlay shot wide at the near post.

Despite most of the play taking place in their half it was the home side that took the lead with a quarter of an hour played.

Swans surrendered possession in the middle of the pitch and Findlay broke forward to strike a good shot against the bar from outside the box, but Paul Cross was on hand to latch onto the rebound and roll the ball into an open goal.

Walton continued to press forward, Watkins driving a free kick over from just outside the box, and Jenkins making a terrific surging run down the right from his own box to that of the opponents before being tackled.

Midway through the half Swans looked to have a reasonable claim for a penalty turned down when Banjo skipped past a couple of tackles to get into the right corner of the box before being brought down.

Molesey were mainly reliant on breakaways, and when Walton again lost the ball in the home half it was played to Findlay wide on the right, and he laid it inside to Steve Brown, whose low shot from 25 yards forced keeper Rob Webb to save on his line.

Webb then dived to his left to clutch a header from Cross when Brown crossed from the right.

The last five minutes of the half saw Swans pressuring the home goal, with Jon Neal turning outside the corner of the box to strike a low shot into the side netting, and Julien Thompson putting a far-post header just over when Banjo crossed from the right.

Watkins drove a first-time effort over when Banjo laid the ball back from outside the right of the box, but Swans best chance came when a fine move set up Banjo to get a good cross over from the right.

Thompson was picked out free inside the six-yard box, but he somehow failed to get in a clean header, and when the ball ran loose he couldn't force it home.

Molesey keeper Matt Nash then did well to take the ball at his near post when Watkins got to the by-line to whip in a fine cross.

Swans equlaised as the match entered first half stoppage time when the home defence failed to deal with a long ball into the box and Watkins finish well past Nash.

Molesey were almost gifted a second goal shortly after the interval when a bouncing ball into the box led to a mix-up between Nowacki and Webb that allowed Findlay to shoot wide.

Further opportunities came and went as Kabongo struck a low shot just wide from 22 yards and Jenkins drove into the side netting after a good ball from Banjo.

Gale's long range free kick for Molesey flew wide of the left post, but with Gavin Rose dominating the midfield Swans continued to dominate possession.

The introduction of substitutes Fabio Rodriguez and Abby Nsubugu gave the home side fresh impetus late on and caused some anxious moments to the Walton defence, but a pretty tame affair always looked like fizzling out to a draw.

First printed in: News & Mail Series