High energy and high intelligence. That’s the philosophy of Walton & Hersham manager, Billy Rowley, and it’s certainly paying off for his young side.
Tuesday’s stoppage time victory at Chertsey Town was their fourth Pitching In Southern League Premier South win in a row as they reached the 50-point mark, sat just inside the top five.
It was also the sixth time they have scored in the 90th minute or beyond in their last seven League games!
“It was a solid away performance on Tuesday evening,” said Rowley, whose own coaching journey has seen him involved with the development and academy set-ups of Chelsea, Millwall and Fulham. “There wasn’t a lot in the game; the pitch was heavy, our hosts sat in and were hard to break down which meant that there were restricted chances at either end.
“We kept going, as has been the hallmark of our recent displays, and got our reward with a well-taken stoppage time goal to make it 2-1 and give us our fourth successive victory.
“In my view, the main factor behind this run is our team spirit. On paper we’ve got one of the youngest teams not only in this League but throughout the Southern League and it took us a while to get to grips with the style and challenges in the early weeks of the season.
“But it’s been a learning process and our hard work is starting to pay dividends. We’ve also had that bit of luck along the way with things dropping for us, which all teams need from time to time and, of course, the ability to keep going until the bitter end.
“The players have a lot of confidence right now and they can’t wait for each game to come around.”
Rowley took over at the helm initially on an interim basis towards the end of last term before landing the role on a permanent basis ahead of the current campaign.
His ability to work with and nurture emerging young talent has served him and the club well over the course of the season.
“The Premier South has not surprised me this season, it’s been exactly as I expected it to be,” he admitted. “There are some extremely talented footballers involved and this, combined with the travelling and some of the pitches that we encounter, makes for a tough challenge.
“We currently sit in the top five and now we’re looking forward to what the run-in has in store for us. The team is in a good place; confidence is high and we’re ready for whatever comes our way. We’ll take it game-by-game and hopefully get to where we want to be.
“Obviously when you find yourself in the play-off places at this stage of the season, you want to stay there. It’s my job to ensure that these young players keep their feet on the ground and finish as high as we possibly can within the top five.
“I thoroughly enjoy working with young players and helping them grow and develop into footballers.
“We have a possession-based style here; it’s high energy stuff with plenty of movement on the pitch. I want highly intelligent players who are adaptable and give their all.
“The lads are giving me that at the moment and hopefully we can continue moving forward together and adding to our momentum."
Saturday sees Rowley’s side at home to Frome Town.
IMAGE: Walton & Hersham FC
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