Swanage Town & Herston 3

Blandford Youth Wanderers 4

Swans Narrowly Lose Out To League Leaders

Swanage entertained the league leaders at Day's Park, but were without four regulars, including their two top scorers, so they had to draft in players into different positions.

Blandford started off well and threatened early on, taking the lead after 10 minutes as the Swans defence was guilty of ball watching.

Swans then had a player injured, and as the side reshuffled, they conceded again to go further behind.

Swans tried hard to get a foothold in the game but Blandford were by now full of confidence, and scored a third from a free kick as the home defence were caught out.

Despite trailing by three, Tubbs had earlier missed an oppurtunity and then Churchill shot tamely as he went through with a one on one with the visitors' keeper, so there was certainly hope for the second period.

Half Time: 0-3.

Swanage staged a remarkable come back in the second half as they rocked the away team with a show of outstanding football.

First TUBBS scored on 50 minutes to make it 1-3, and from this, Swanage at last, started to believe in themselves.

CHURCHILL then scored on 70 minutes with a shot on the turn, as Swans turned up the heat on the Wanderers.

Best then hit a post with a free kick as Swans piled on the pressure, searching for an equalising strike.

And it was KING who then scored the goal of the game, with a fine header from a set piece to, remarkably, pull Swans level at 3-3.

With time running out it looked like Swans were going to get a deserved point or even a winner, but from a through ball, a Blandford striker got through and scored the winner on 87 minutes, 3-4.

Despite losing out so late, manager Paul Brassington was proud of the effort and determination shown by his makeshift side, telling the website that "I wish we could have played in the first half like we did in the second. Another few minutes and I am sure we would have got a result. It was always going to be difficult against a side who have lost just once in the league, which was to us by the way! The last goal had more than a hint of offside and was certainly very hard on the lads ".

Reporter's man of the match: 
Ricky King: non stop effort and a fine goal.

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