THIS EVENING’S MATCH PREVIEW – STAINES TOWN (AWAY) KO 7.45PM

Dulwich Hamlet pay a call on the floundering Swans of Staines Town with revenge on their mind for early season defeat at the Hill. Could be massive!

To say Staines Town’s season has gone pear-shaped in a big way might be unfair to that much castigated fruit. Despite their relegation from the Vanarama Conference (now National League) South after finishing rock bottom of the table some seventeen points shy of safety, the Swans were swiftly installed among the pre-season favourites. Noises issuing forth from Wheatsheaf Lane seemed to confirm that confidence as did a solid start to the season that saw little in the way of goals but important points accumulated.

Game four of the Premier Division season brought the Swans to Champion Hill, the first four figure crowd of the season swarming through the gates. However, the vast majority were to leave more than a little dejected as Pat Cox, making a belated start to his league season after injury, hammered home an early penalty before drilling home the match winner in the second half, Ethan Pinnock having found an equaliser on the stroke of halftime.

That win at Champion Hill had pushed Staines into the top half of the table for the first time in the campaign but a rigid goalless draw away to Wingate & Finchley followed by a heart-breaking last gasp defeat at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough pushed them back towards the wrong end of the division. Against the Beavers Staines seemed to have the points in the bag after Pat Cox had scored a fourth goal in as many games but stoppage time strikes from first Tom Jelley then Charlie Moone turned the contest topsy-turvy. What happened there was by mild in comparison to the 7-0 mauling the Swans suffered at Brentwood Town the following weekend!

It was back on track, albeit only just, as Pat Cox struck with just two minutes left to settle a five goal thriller at Farnborough in the favour of the Swans. The win marked somewhat of a purple patch in the season for the club, five games unbeaten in the league. Against East Thurrock United former Hamlet wingman Luke Wanadio snatched the points three minutes from time with an 87th minute winner at Wheatsheaf Lane in a 3-2 victory. The diminutive flyer was again on target away to highflying Grays Athletic a few days later but hopes of another three points were dashed at the death by Sean Cronin’s late leveller.

The winning league run came to an end at Enfield Town in a narrow 2-1 but already the dreams of the Staines Massive had been turned by thoughts of FA Cup glory. The trail did not begin auspiciously as Faversham Town built up an early 2-0 lead inside 11 minutes at Wheatsheaf Lane. However, Staines fought back to send the game to a replay at Salters Lane, this time packing the early punch themselves Pat Cox adding to his impressive tally as he sank a double and sank the Faversham Lilywhites. Whilst Dulwich were giving their all in FA Cup exit away to Whitehawk, Staines were travelling to Stanway Rovers of the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Premier League. It proved a tougher encounter than the two clubs’ respective rungs on the non-league ladder might have forecast but once more, that man Pat Cox proved the difference. The first half was deep into stoppage time when the striker found the net and his goal proved to be enough to take the Swans through to the next round.

The small matter of an Alan Turvey Trophy tie at Champion Hill had to be dealt with before Staines next step on the road to Wembley, but with both sides fielding a mixture and squad players Hamlet’s 2-1 victory did little to disrupt preparations. Come Saturday and fans saw a Staines side that seemed to have been fed on raw meat for a week such was their ferocity. The game was effectively over as a contest inside the first half-hour as Pat Cox bagged an early brace whilst Jack Hutchinson and Wanadio almost helped themselves to goals. Ubiquitous on the scoresheet Sam Higgins pulled one back for the rocking Rocks before half time only for Wanadio to make to 5-1 on 55 minutes. Higgins struck back once; nerves might have set in as Lewis Smith cut the deficit to just two goals. However, with Wanadio showing some magic on the wings Pat Cox was there to nod in his third of the day to complete an astounding 6-3 triumph. A fortnight later the last qualifying round brought National League North Gloucester City to Wheatsheaf Lane and once more that man Pat Cox proved the go to man for the goals, putting the Swans ahead from the penalty spot before striking late again to send Staines through 2-1.

The draw for the first round proper sent Staines to Brisbane Road to face Leyton Orient but in between times vital league points were dropped in a 3-0 defeat at Bognor Regis whilst defeat at Ryman Premier Division strugglers saw an early exit from the FA Trophy. That FA Cup dream soon became a nightmare as League Two Leyton Orient raced into a 3-0 inside 13 minutes, Ollie Palmer heading the first and sliding in a third after Dean Cox had side-footed home from 18 yards. A delightful lob from Darren Purse, back on one of his old stamping grounds, on 24 minutes gave the Staines travellers something to cheer but that was soon silenced as Dean Cox cracked a stunning 25-yard free-kick into the top corner before John Marquis then Sean Clohessy added further goals late on.

Postponements meant it would be another three weeks before the Swans could get back to league action but by then the hangover has receded. A home game against rock-bottom Lewes would probably be the best way to get back into the swing of things and so it proved as Nicky Forster’s romped to a 3-0 win. Tonbridge Angels would be a different prospect altogether but again Swans matched the title chasers, sharing the points in a 1-1 at Wheatsheaf Lane. Three points seemed in the bag at Canvey as the Swans led 3-0 with a quarter-hour left only for the Seagulls to give them one almighty scare closing to 3-2 at the final whistle.

That win on the road proved to be a watershed as Staines found it almost impossible to buy a win. Four home games in the space of 11 days brought four straight defeats and a drought of goals. Wheatsheaf Lane became a happy hunting ground for first, Needham Market winners 2-0, then Kingstonian winners by the same margin. Grays smashed home a quartet of goals without replay as Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson helped himself to a hat trick. Finally, the curse seemed to have been lifted as Wanadio levelled against Wingate & Finchley. With time ticking away at least a point might be cause for minor jubilation but it was not to be as Tommy Tejan-Sie got one of those late, late goals that rips out your heart and eats it raw.

At this point the writing seemed to be on the wall for under fire manager Forster. However, a stay of execution was issued from on high in the boardroom, the manager knowing in no uncertain terms that his future in the hot seat rested in taking at least six points from the three games against Hampton & Richmond, Farnborough and VCD Athletic. A spirited display at Hampton seemed the perfect tonic for the Swans woes, fighting back from 2-0 to level only for the Beavers to bite back with an 80th minute winner from Brendan Kiernan. After that setback at the Beveree, a win at home to another of the strugglers, Farnborough, was vital, one achieved thanks to a Pat Cox brace as he ended a five game scoring drought.

With the New Year’s visit of VCD postponed, the trip to Leatherhead proved the chopping block for the manager’s head. Forster must have felt the cold steel of executioner’s axe on the back of his neck from the first minute when his team conceded a first minute penalty, one expertly tucked away by Frannie Collin. With Kiernan Hughes-Mason and an own goal making it three nil at the last blast the death knell had been sounded for former Birmingham City and Reading striker Forster’s tenure as manager. The following afternoon, exactly 12 months to the day he had been appointed, his resignation brought an end to what had been a rollercoaster year in the history of the Swans.

To fill the hiatus turned to old club stalwart Martyn Spong to hold the reins whilst the search for a new boss began in earnest. Yet whilst there might have been a new driver at the wheel under the bonnet there were still glitches to fixed. With a trip to Hendon postponed the interim boss had a little longer to work with his new charges but must have wished for even longer after his first game back at the helm saw Swans ravaged 5-1 at Merstham with former Hamlet players, Calum Willock, Tommy Kavanagh and Kershaney Samuels among the scorers. Though Pat Cox bagged yet another penalty in the 90th minute, thoughts had long since turned from those of victory to those of damage limitation.

Though Staines managed a morale-boosting midweek win in the Middlesex Senior Cup against Uxbridge that counted for naught as they went down 3-1 at home to Hendon, another of the clubs looking nervously into the abyss. It was the same score line last midweek when Swans returned home emptyhanded from a long trek out into Suffolk. Not even the presence of new signing Gary MacDonald and fit again Mitchal Gough in defence could prevent Staines Town from slumping to their 9th defeat in ten league outings. Yet at halftime the Swans had been a goal to the good thanks to an excellent run and finish from Prince M’Bengui, though perhaps a little fortunate that hosts Leiston had been twice denied by the woodwork. The second half would not be fortunate; even if Leiston were reduced to ten men with the dismissal of Seb Dunbar they still made better of their chances to claim a 3-1 win. A swift return to East Anglia was on the cards on Saturday but Staines Town’s trip to Needham Market was one of many blighted by the weather. So whilst Dulwich Hamlet were fighting back into top spot, the Swans were left twiddling their thumbs in 19th position.

This evening’s game kicks off at 7.45 pm at Staines Town Football Club, Wheatsheaf Park, Wheatsheaf Lane, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 2PD. Directions can be found by clicking here.

Admission Prices:

• Adults £12
• OAP £6
• Students £6 with proof
• Under 16's £5
• Under 5 free
• Family Ticket £30 (Mum, Dad + 2 kids)