Uxbridge slumped to their third successive league defeat with a disjointed performance against Walton & Hersham. The Swans had made a poor start to the season but surprised the Reds with their determination and work rate. The complexion of the game could have been different though had Uxbridge scored in only the second minute. Gavin Bamford cut in from the left and beat his marker before sending over a cross which flashed across the six-yard box with no one able to get a touch on it. Before the Reds had time to rue that missed opportunity they were a goal behind. Wes Harrison’s deep cross from the right was met at the far post by Rose who headed past Sean Dawson. There was certainly a suspicion that Rose was climbing all over Paul Mills but that was not to be the last disputed decision that referee Mr Smith gave. In the fifteenth minute Lee Tunnell tried his luck from twenty yards with a shot which went wide and then a minute later Mark Gill headed Dean Clark’s free kick into the danger zone but Chris Moore just couldn’t reach it. Meanwhile at the other end Harrison headed over from Greg Ball’s cross. Gill was just off target with a shot for the home side but on the half hour Walton’s Alan Dowson should have done better when Liam Collins’ cross set him up from close range but he shot over. Uxbridge continued to press for an equaliser and Gavin Bamford’s fierce drive was just wide of the upright before Dean Clark’s effort was deflected over. Walton should have wrapped the game up shortly before half time and the Reds had ‘keeper Dawson to thank for them still being in contention. Firstly he made a fine diving save to block Ball’s shot and then the same player cut in from the right hand side and shot from an acute angle where Dawson once again thwarted him by turning the ball round the post. Uxbridge should have drawn level ten minutes into the second half when Tunnell fed Moore but with just Adrian Blake in the Walton goal to beat the young striker put his shot over the bar. That miss was even more costly midway through the second half when Dawson could only punch a corner out into the path of Chris Whelan who made no mistake hitting it back into the net. Three minutes after the second goal Blake made a vital save which stopped Uxbridge getting a foothold back into the game. When Clark let fly with a powerful shot it looked to have goal written all over it until Blake saved with his legs and though the ball rebounded to Moore he couldn’t keep it on target. A few minutes later Stuart Bamford was sent off for a second bookable offence as frustration got the better of him and the game descended into a stop/start pattern which halted any flowing football. Four minutes from time Uxbridge shocked the visitors by scoring when Clark’s free kick was headed home by Gill. Though there were five minutes of added time to play as well, the Reds were never able to threaten the Walton goal and were consequently consigned to another loss which dimmed that bright start to the season even further.

UXBRIDGE: Dawson, S.Bamford, Granville, K.Cleary, Weedon, G.Bamford (Castagnette 78), Mills (Ryder 60), Gill, Tunnell, Moore, Clark.

Sub not used: Brooks

WALTON & HERSHAM: Blake, Dolan, Rose, Whelan, Craker, Dowson, Collins, Ball (Boateng 85), Harrison, Phillips, Blackman.

Subs not used: Moody, Harris