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Match Preview

Tiverton Town v Walton & Hersham

Saturday March 21st

3pm Kick Off

At The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium

Darren Holmes

Gabriel Billington v Walton & Hersham (a) (Viv Curtis)

Hosting top of the table Walton & Hersham will be the toughest of propositions and the Yellows’ will need to be at the very top of their game, if they're to make Saturday's fixture a competitive encounter.

Preparation's for this one couldn't have gone much worse, Tiverton going down heavily at home to Basingstoke on Tuesday evening. Four goals without reply in a nightmarish first half, was enough to end our hope's of realistically taking anything from the game. 

There was no addition to the score and we were better in the second period, but there is no hiding from the manner of the loss, as Asa Hall alluded to in his after match interview.

Walton & Hersham's footballing ethos is one of total football and although their attractive brand of football has been slightly adapted since the concept of its young owners was applied, that philosophy is an admirable one.

This season they have been relentless in their pursuit of promotion and occupy top spot. All this has been achieved despite National League Yeovil prizing away their then manager Billy Rowley, back in November.

Polish Elite Coach Jakub Pietrzak, who was already coaching at the Swans was the man tasked with carrying on Rowley's good work and he has done just that. He has an interesting background, having worked as first team scout for Millwall and in a role identifying players for the Polish FA.

Pietrzak’s team are Fifteen points ahead of second placed Farnham (who they defeated at the weekend), which is quite a margin, even with Farnham having Two games in hand. Tuesday night they entertained Wimborne and emerged 4-1 winners.

Centre Forward Dawid Rogalski, has 20 Southern League Premier South goals from 32 games this term. Born in Poland, Rogalski moved to England aged 5 and attracted non league Maidenhead and was in their academy between 2015 and 2017, making one first team appearance.

In 2017 he returned to his Poland and his football career started to blossom. Playing in the second tier for Resovia Rszeszow being a high point there. In 2021 he moved back to England, playing for Chalfont St Peter and then Marlow. 

The dangerous all round striker's 43 goals in 64 games for them, caught his current club’s attention and he signed for the Swans last season. It was a campaign in which he finished with 22 goals from 38 appearances.

Striker Francis Amartery has a strong Non League CV. He had a particularly prolific season in this division, back in the 2021/22 season for promotion challenging Hayes & Yeading, notching 24 goals then. His overall stats for the London Side were 57 games played and 35 scored.

The powerful, pacy and quick footed Amartey has appeared for many clubs further up the Non League pyramid. Slough, Braintree, Aldershot, Hampton & Richmond have all sought his services and in this league his clubs include; Farnborough, Hendon and Bracknell, which is where he signed from in January.

Lucas Defise is a strong presence in the Thames side's midfield and is an established player for the top side. Defise spent time in both Southampton and AFC Wimbledon's academies in his early career and the athletic technician was previously with Dartford and Eastbourne Borough.

Another permanent fixture for the Swans’ is Johl Powell. Coming through the youth system at Charlton, he went on to make a senior appearance for the Addicks’. Powell played a level higher for Maidstone, Dulwich, Tonbridge and Dover, prior to joining his current club in the 2023/24 season. 

The cultured 24 yr old attacking midfielder is also a huge goalscoring threat, finding the net 19 times so far, this term and will need close attention on Saturday.

Likewise, Mason Obeng is a midfield mainstay. He too has double figures in the scoring charts and Obeng's formative years were spent emerging through the ranks at Aldershot. He is another gifted footballer and is an ever present in this campaign.

With a century of appearances made over the past Three season's, Eoin Bolger a homegrown talent is a local successful story. The 19 yr old midfielder is an integral part of the side.

Joey Jones is a Roll's Royce of a footballer in this league. The Kingston upon Thames born defender/ midfielder has outstanding pedigree. Still only 31, he was in the youth teams of Arsenal, Leicester and Yeovil. After being released by the Glovers’, he played nearly 200 times, for top non league side Woking.

Moving on to Eastleigh, he was then snapped up by EFL new boy’s Salford in the 2019/20 campaign. Making 21 league appearances for them and then going on to represent National League teams; Dagenham & Redbridge, Grimsby, Solihull Moors and Altrinham. The Swan's captain joined in the 2024/25 season.

Previously a Fulham loanee at the club, highly promising defender Stefan Parkes was quickly signed by Walton & Hersham on his release, during pre season.

Veteran 35 yr old EFL left back Joe Bennett is another with massive pedigree. Capped by England at Under 19, 20 and 21 levels, he was still performing in the Championship last term for Oxford United. 

Beginning at Middlesbrough, he made Premier league appearances for his first club(1), Aston Villa(30) and Cardiff(30) and played 285 games in the Championship for; Boro, Brighton, Cardiff, Wigan, Sheffield Wednesday and the aforementioned Oxford.

Hitting the ground running has been defender Aaron Williams- Fernandes. A mid-season acquisition from Chertsey Williams has slotted straight into the side.

Keeper Jos Barker had attracted many suitors with his performances for local side Knaphill, before Walton made their move in the 2024/25 campaign and the commanding keeper and strong shot- stopper is very much considered the number one at the Elmbridge Excel Sports Hub.

This will be the sternest of tests for Tiverton, who will need to be firing on all cylinders and have plenty of self-belief at the weekend. So let's get down to the ground and support the lad's.