Gloucester City manager Mike Cook felt his side were second best after 2-1 home defeat to play-off rivals Walton and Hersham, which ended their 12-game unbeaten streak in the process.
“I think they had the better chances so that’s a little disappointing, overall they’ve probably done enough to win it I think. We just needed that second goal really, I think there were a couple of shots that came in. If we hit the target with them it may have been a little bit different.”
“I’m a bit more disappointed for the crowd because we’ve got a lot of people turning up today and we just didn’t quite get there, we weren’t where we needed to be.”
The first-half was very tight, with not much to split the two sides, but the second-half came and City opened the scoring.
Ed Williams got onto the end of a deflected Jake Evans free-kick, to tuck the ball into an open net, setting the scene for a good day in the office for the Tigers.
🎯 @EdWilliams_95 at it again for city🐯
— Gloucester City AFC (@GCAFCofficial) March 2, 2025
Courtesy of some help from hanksy 🙈#TigerCity #GCAFC pic.twitter.com/XHrxjaSdno
The clear game plan for the Swans was to hit on the counter-attack, Billy Rowley‘s side were persistent in that and the substitution of top-goalscorer Dawid Rogalski ended up being the difference.
Ralph Vigrass broke up the left-hand side for Walton, cut inside and unleashed a venomous shot at City keeper and Coventry City loanee Luke Bell, who made some great saves in the game, parried the ball into the feet of Rogalski, who poked home to the delight of the loyal travelling support.
“He’s [Luke Bell] done really well, we are really pleased with him. We’ve already asked Coventry if we can extend the loan so we are just waiting for them to get back to us but he’s done really well, his kicking has been great, his handling, he has come up with two or three really good saves, he looks like a really good prospect for having a Football League career doesn’t he so fair play to him.
Mike Cook’s side fought back and were pushing for a late winner in front of the infamous T-End, shooting themselves in the foot by leaving one too many men forwards, allowing the Swans a chance to execute the gameplan to perfection, in which they took the chance with aplomb.
Vigrass penetrated the left-wing as blue and gold shirts flooded the box, flashing the ball across the box, City attempted to clear but Rogalski was there again, placing the ball effortlessly into the top left corner, sending the opposition dugout into raptures, with just three minutes left on the clock.
City fought back and made a few attacking substitutions to try and revert the situation, however their efforts were not enough, and the Swans went back to Surrey with all three points, which now means they sit three points behind City with a game in hand.
