Swans' win marred by injury

Nov 19 2008 By Steve Parsons, Staines News

Ryman Premier League Tooting & Mitcham United...............1 Staines Town.....................................2

Staines Town's victory at promotion-rivals Tooting & Mitcham on Saturday was overshadowed by an injury to Elliot Onochie.

The Swans hotshot suffered a sickening 75th-minute collision and was stretchered off with broken ribs.

Onochie (right) had been recalled to starting XI at the expense of Marc Charles-Smith.

The first-half was a competitive affair, Dean Thomas sent a header just past Dave King's post, while Matt York hammered a free-kick that was tipped over the bar by Louis Wells.

Staines did get their noses in front following an innocuous looking free-kick on 54 minutes.

Andre Scarlett touched the ball to Thomas, who smashed in a remarkable 35-yard drive with King beaten all ends up. Staines searched for a second, and doubled their lead just before the hour when Richard Butler turned smartly in the box and had his ankles clipped by Joe Vines.

With regular penalty taker Dave Sargent on the bench, Butler stepped up to fire the spot kick into the corner of the net.

Not surprisingly, Staines were affected by Onochie's injury, and Tooting pulled a goal back two minutes from time through Craig Pitterson.

Moments later, another Tooting attack ended with Pitterson meeting a deep cross with his head, forcing Wells to touch it over the bar.

Ten additional minutes were added, in which there was still plenty of frantic action.

But Tooting's cause was undermined when Jake Newton was fouled by home skip-per Allan McLeod, who then lunged at him, with Howard Newton quickly on the scene to pull him off. The Staines forward was booked, and McLeod received a straight red.