Walton & Hersham brought an end to their recent dip in form as they defeated title rivals Gloucester City 2-0 at the Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub.
The Swans had recently suffered defeats to Weymouth and second-placed Poole Town to reduce their dominant lead at the top of the Southern League Premier South to eight points.
It was a tense first-half at the Hub with not many chances going either way. The hosts did have a great opportunity to take the lead after just 15 minutes though when Johl Powell made a darting run down the right side before playing a ball in for Dawid Rogalski, whose first time effort went just over the crossbar.
There wasn't much to separate the sides for the remainder of the opening half, meaning they were deadlocked at the break.
Jakub Pietrzak's side switched it on following half-time though as they went ahead just four minutes after the restart. Joey Jones met Mason Obeng's teasing corner delivery and pounced on the loose ball to get a shot away at goal. His effort was blocked, but the rebound went straight into the path of Rogalski, who reacted well to fire it into the corner.
Gloucester grew into the game after going behind as they looked to get themselves back in the tie. The Tigers enjoyed much of the possession and went agonisingly close to equalising when Joe Hanks rose to meet a cross and headed just inches wide of the post.
With seven minutes of six added played, the Swans, who had defended their lead so well, looked to run down the clock deep into stoppage time. Rogalski picked the ball up in the corner of the Gloucester half, but under pressure, he opted to drift inside, doing well to find Elliott Bolton.
The substitute did brilliantly to set himself and curl a fine strike into the far corner of the goal to seal a crucial win and extend his side's lead at the top of the table to 11 points.
The Swans turn their attention away from the league this weekend as they welcome county rivals Woking to the Hub for a blockbuster FA Trophy fifth round clash.
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