Swans 9 Bagshot 0

Tuesday 15th September 2020.        Cherry Red Combined Counties League, Division One.

Walton & Hersham 9    Bagshot 0.

Swans went back to the top of the table with another goal-fest, as they made it 19 goals scored and none conceded in their first four games. Jamie Byatt showed all his old goal-scoring talents as he weighed in with four of the goals against a Bagshot side that continued their poor start to the season. The win did not come without cost however, as Dominic Ogun was added to the lengthening injury list, the versatile player picking up what looked like a fairly serious knee injury with just a quarter of an hour played, while the score was still at 0-0.

Owen Coleman had already had to drop out of the starting line-up, the left-back, who has had an excellent start to the season, having aggravated a foot injury at Fleet Spurs. Michael Cayford came in for his first start.

Swans went close to going ahead after just two minutes. A clever build-up on the right led to a free-kick when Ogun was fouled just inches outside the right of the box. Yucef Azzouz took the kick, and drove a terrific left-foot shot against the crossbar. Ogun was soon powering forward to strike a left-foot shot from outside the box that Bagshot goalkeeper Sam Cobbett just pushed away with a diving save to his right. Darren Simpson then ran onto a through ball to lob just wide of the right-post from 20 yards out, and Reece Brewster’s diagonal pass from the left almost got Byatt in on goal as Swans continued to dominate.

Ogun was clearly fouled from behind as he got forward on the left and lay injured, but play was allowed to continue, and when Simpson laid the ball off to Azzouz just outside the box, he sent a great shot just over the goal. Cobbett then just managed to beat away a shot from the right-corner of the box from Byatt, who had been played in by Azzouz.

After coming back-on after treatment Ogun could not continue, and was replaced after a quarter of an hour by Will Kouadio. Byatt’s fine ball got Sean McCormack away on the right, and his low cross had to be cleared behind for a corner, leading to Swans taking the lead after 17 minutes. Azzouz swung-in the kick, and when the ball could only be cleared up in the air by Cobbett and his defenders, Byatt followed-in to nod it home.

It only took two minutes for Swans to double their lead. Stuart Baldwin’s long ball out got McCormack down the right, and he got to the corner of the box before driving a fine shot past Cobbett.

Swans’ attacks were relentless, and after Brewster won the ball 30 yards out he drove a low shot just wide of the left-post. Brewster then slipped the ball through to get Byatt clear into the box to strike a low, first-time shot that Cobbett just kept out with his legs.

But after 26 minutes the Bagshot keeper was helpless as McCormack burst down the right to drive the ball low into the 6 yard-box, and Jordan Ranger to put it into his own goal and make it 3-0 to the home side.

Cobbett fumbled away a free-kick from 30 yards out from Azzouz, and the visiting keeper then again came out to block when Byatt was played clear. With ten minutes left of the half Brewster sent a first-time half-volley flying just over from 30 yards out after good play by Alex Kelly.

The visitors had a rare opportunity, but Aaron Ross put a clear chance wide of the left-post from inside the box.

But after 39 minutes McCormack played a superb ball low into the 6 yard-box from the right for Byatt to tuck home at the far-post and make it 4-0.

Another fine ball in from the right by McCormack just failed to pick out Byatt at the far-post, before Kelly went off, to be replaced by sixteen year-old Max Lohmeier.

In the final minute of normal-play of the first-half Swans went 5-0 up. Byatt was picked out in the box by Azzouz on the right, and some neat play almost opened up a chance, but the ball broke for Kouadio to drive in.

Brewster went close to making it 6-0 at the break in stoppage-time, but his terrific effort from way out on the left dipped just over.

It was again almost 6-0 soon after the resumption when Kouadio played the ball in from the left to Simpson just outside the box, and following a neat step-over the ball came back to him, and he drove in a shot that deflected just wide of the left-post.

But, just four minutes into the second-half, McCormack broke clear on the right to again play a low cross into the 6 yard-box, and set up Byatt for a tap-in for his hat-trick.

Just a minute later it was 7-0, Byatt getting his fourth of the night with a super finish into the top, right corner from inside the box.

Bagshot had an opportunity to put a blemish on Swans’ goals against column, but after being played through by Ed Cardona, Tom Brazil sent his shot over.

McCormack was just closed out after bursting into Bagshot’s box from the right, before Ranger added to his own goal with the first booking of the night, after he had brought down the youngster Lohmeier with a crude tackle.

It was still two minutes short of the hour when the eighth goal went in. Byatt broke into the right of the box before laying the ball in to Simpson, who drove the ball home after his first effort had been blocked.

Swans’ keeper Liam Allen had been a virtual spectator, but he made his first save, albeit a comfortable take on his line, when Brazil sent in a speculative effort from 35 yards.

Byatt was hunting his fifth goal, and after being played through on the left, he forced Cobbett to block a low shot. The Bagshot keeper again denied him with another block after he had been played into the box by Kouadio.

But Byatt was the provider for Swans’ ninth goal after 73 minutes, getting into the right of the box to lay the ball inside to Kouadio, who scored his second of the night from 15 yards.

Swans were hungry for the magic double figures, and Simpson drove just over after Kouadio laid the ball in to him from the left, 25 yards out. Cobbett denied Byatt yet again, coming out to block after the striker had been sent clear by Lohmeier. With the match entering the final five minutes Azzouz cut in from the left to send a shot dipping over, and Simpson was played through to also clear the bar with a shot.

To their credit Bagshot did not give up trying to get a goal, and in the final minute Brandon Eaton got in a shot from 35 yards, but Allen had plenty of time to get well behind the ball on his line.

Swans’ Team: Liam Allen, Dan Taylor, Michael Cayford, Alex Kelly (Max Lohmeier 41’), Reece Brewster, Stuart Baldwin, Yucef Azzouz, Jamie Byatt, Dominic Ogun (Will Kouadio 15’), Darren Simpson, Sean McCormack (Joe Sewell 61’). Subs. not used: Joe Hicks, Joe Clayton. Scorers: Byatt (17’, 39’, 49’ & 50’), McCormack (19’), own goal (Ranger) (26’), Kouadio (45’ & 73’), Simpson (58’).    

Bagshot Team: Cobbett, Chapman, Brainch, Dell, Griggs, Ranger, Ross, Connelly, T. Brazil Jnr., Cardona, Roseboom. Subs. used: Leatherbarrow, Eaton, Sebo. Sub. not used: Baniya. Caution: Ranger, foul (56’).