MVP bow out of the FA Vase

WALTON & HERSHAM 3-1 MERIDIAN VP
Saturday 19th September 2020
FA Vase Preliminary Round

The Walton & Hersham booked a home tie against K Sports in the next round following a match that ended up rather less comfortable to negotiate than it looked after the first-half. Swans will feel their 2-0 half-time lead was rather less than their opportunities warranted, and at that stage even a missed penalty did not look to be crucial. But the visitors came out for the second-half looking determined to get back into the tie, and they began to create chances of their own.

Swans’ early pressure finally bore fruit after twenty minutes, when they went ahead with a fine goal. A neat piece of build-up play ended a ball from deep on the right found Jamie Byatt on the edge of the 6 yard-box, and he dived to head home. With just under five minutes remaining of the first-half Swans put a penalty kick over the goal.

Charlie Martin the Meridian keeper made a couple of good saves but could not stop Yucef Azzouz from driving the ball low into the far corner from the left of the box.

Swans had a scare straight after the break when Akinwale Akisanmi drove just wide of their far-post A free-kick from out on the left touchline was then driven wide of their near-post. The ball was nodded wide of the near-post when the visitors’ Zach Beeden took a huge long throw-in from the right. Meridian had made a really positive opening ten minutes of the second-half and Swans’ keeper Liam Allen did well to punch clear from another long throw into the box from the right by Beeden

Swans went a long way to making the game safe after 63 minutes when an own goal increased Swans lead.

Allen had to be quickly off his line to deny Jason Kaate in the right of the box, and the Swans’ keeper then had to make a fine save when Meridian got into the right of the box, the ball then being headed away from the line after it looped up.

With seven minutes of normal-time remaining Swans conceded their first goal of the season, and it was one all of their own making. A complete mix-up between Allen and his defenders allowed the ball to run loose, leaving Ross Obazee with a simple tap-in.

With four minutes of normal-time remaining Swans were reduced to ten men. There was a scuffle close to the home side’s left touchline, and although Reece Brewster seemed more sinned against than sinning, it was the Swans’ player who was shown a red card, with Meridian’s Kaate escaping with just a yellow.

Swans’ Team: Liam Allen, Dan Taylor (Joe Hicks 72’), Michael Cayford (Will Kouadio 45’), Alex Kelly, Joe Pratley-Jones, Stuart Baldwin, Yucef Azzouz, Reece Brewster, Jamie Byatt, Darren Simpson (Max Lohmeier 88’), Sean McCormack. Subs. not used: Joe Sewell, Jigar Kumar, Sonny Stiller. Scorers: Byatt (20’), Azzouz (44’), Own goal (63’). Dismissal: Brewster (86’).

Meridian VP Team: Martin, Berg, Luvovadio, Camara (Pottinger 82’), Samba, Beeden, Reavill (Kaate 63.), J. Foster, Obazee, Vani (Akinte 45’), Akisanmi. Subs. not used: Nwaogwugwu, Ajim, Boothe. Scorer: Obazee (83’). Cautions: Camara (58’), Foster (74’), Luvovadio (75’), Kaate (86’).