Hanwell Town’s Geordies confirmed their strength this season with a hard fought draw on Tuesday (10 September 2024) at league leaders Walton & Hersham, keeping them in the division’s top 6, in a game that was never a classic encounter.
The match began in driving rain, leaving the opening 20 minutes quiet and it gave no indication of the match to come, and just as Hanwell began to think they’d settled into the game comfortably, they conceded the first goal.
Midfielder Lucas Defise took the ball down the Hanwell left, and clipped in a cross which evaded the Hanwell defence, leaving Dawid Rogalski with the easiest of finishes.
The lead wasn’t held for long, as a clumsy challenge in the penalty area on Alfie Pendlebury was deemed a foul, the referee awarding the penalty, which Jordan Edwards stroked home past keeper Jos Barker.
The rain eased over half time but the Geordies had barely time to notice the fact when Defise picked up the ball at the edge of the area and fired a shot past keeper Sam Beasant, going in of the underside of the bar.
Hanwell had to regroup and get themselves back into the game, and just after the hour, Mat MacKenzie hit a lovely shot that gave Barker no chance, in the Walton goal.
Neither side were able to break through for an equaliser, with the best chance falling to the home side, Rogalski firing in a shot which Beasant parried comfortably.
Manager Chris Moore, speaking after the game, was content with the result.
“We were good in the first half and got the press upfield right. In the second half, they had lots more of the ball but we kept our shape well with discipline, and Mat MacKenzie’s got another goal with a great finish.”
“There’s a real good vibe in the dressing room right now and it come from the results. The boys are bouncing, they’re fighting for each other and you could see that today from minute 1 to the end.”
Hanwell return to FA Cup action this coming weekend, as they take on fellow Southern League side, Chertsey Town at the Powerday stadium on Saturday 14th, with the action kicking off at 3pm.
1 Sam Beasant, 2 Joe Wilson, 3 Dan Carr, 4 Callum Woodcock, 5 Dwayne Duncan, 6 Harry Seabrook, 7 Kameron English, 8 Mat MacKenzie, 9 Alfie Pendlebury, 10 Jordan Edwards, 11 Kyron Richards (Rod Orlando-Young, 81′).
Substitutes
12 Leo Donnellan, 14 Nathanael Boayke, 15 Louis Le Paih, 16 Ezekiel Coker, 17 Rod Orlando-Young.
 at league leaders Walton & Hersham, keeping them in the division's top 6, in a game that was never a classic encounter.){kind=link}