Tom Waudby hat-trick sees Swans start season with win

A Tom Waudby hat-trick sealed the Swans’ first opening day win since 2012 with an 8-goal thriller at newly-promoted Rossington Main.

Barton went one-down through Jordan Buckham’s goal midway through the first half but rallied through Waudby, Craig King and Harrison Coley, going in 3-1 up at the break. On came Ross Hannah for Rossington who converted a penalty before scoring again to level for the hosts. However Tom Waudby’s penalty and wondergoal sealed the win for the Swans.

Clark Greaves and Danny Chapman made their competitive debuts for the Swans with Jack Cross making his debut from the bench. Josh Lacey, Scott Matthews and Tom Davie were all unavailable.

The first ten minutes saw the Swans enjoy the majority of possession without causing too many chances. It was in fact the hosts who had the first effort of the game when a shot just inside the area went over the bar.

Perhaps a warning of things to come as ten minutes later Rossington took the lead. Midway through the half the ball was sprayed to the left with Jordan Buckham in space. He struck his left footed effort across Ryan Musselwhite and into the bottom right corner. The hosts’ first ever goal at step five.

The Swans reacted well, fighting to get back in the game, waiting only five minutes. A crossfield ball to Tom Waudby saw the winger run in from the right and strike left footed into the bottom right corner. The Swans’ top scorer last season was off the mark.

Another Barton goal came just a few minutes later when Craig King hit the ball first time inside the area with a smooth curling effort into the bottom corner to score his first competitive goal for the club.

Shortly before the break it was three. Musselwhite’s goal kick was helped on by the wind and Harrison Coley ran onto it, before slotting the ball into the bottom corner for his 20th Barton goal.

The Swans came out in the second half looking for another goal to kill off the game, Sam Cable’s effort was blocked before Tom Waudby lashed a shot high and wide. These missed chances would come back to haunt the Swans as with 20 minutes to go Rossington won a penalty after a clumsy challenge in the area. Rossington substitute Ross Hannah scored but Musselwhite got a strong hand to the spot kick and was unlucky not to save it.

The momentum had well and truly swung and Rossington were in the ascendancy, and a third goal was imminent. 74 minutes in and it was Hannah again, as he bundled the ball into the back of the net to level for the hosts. There was a suspicion of handball in the build up but the referee awarded the goal.

With five minutes to go both sides were chasing the winner, but after a free kick was floated in, there was a challenge in the area which saw the referee point to the spot. Up stepped Tom Waudby to restore the Swans’ lead with his second of the game.

In stoppage time Tom Waudby secured his second Swans hat-trick after he saw the keeper off his line from a ball over the top. He took a touch and flicked it over the keeper from distance to seal the win for the Swans.