MATCH REPORT- Walton & Hersham 4-4 Gloucester City

A truly improbable comeback with 20 minutes to go saw Gloucester City share the spoils with Walton and Hersham in a wet and wild thriller at the Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub.

The conditions in Surrey were torrential and the headwind was causing havoc and let to a bizzare own goal four minutes in.

After City keeper Jared Thompson tried to play the ball out to defence he inadvertently fired it against the right hand post before bouncing into the net, a goal which would foreshadow a dreadful first half for the Tigers.

Gloucester could barely progress up the pitch and were being constantly turned over by the Swans who were taking to the conditions like a duck to water.

Just after the 20 minute mark after Johl Powell found the hosts star man Dawid Rogalski who found the net with a half volley after an initial strike was blocked by City's rearguard.

The game was beginning to turn into a rout as the home side turned on the style as they bagged two goals in two minutes to extend the gap to 4-0 leaving the away side shellshocked as they struggled to deal with the constant wave of attacks.

Rogalski on 32 minutes played in Powell who slotted past Thompson to make it three, before Mason Obeng added their fourth after he beat the offside trap and managed to regain his composure to slot home from a tight angle.

With City being backed by the tailwind, and a strong contingent of Gloucester supporters who made the trip down the South East, they weren't going to go down fighting and would soon have a route back into the game.

Tigers boss Mike Cook rung the changes on 55 minutes with new signing Stanley Anaebonam coming on at left wing, with Dan Ball also down that side at left back, in addition to Harry Burns who added versatility to City's play having come on for Brandon Liggett.

City were pushing but were struggling to create chances on goal but they finally got their break with 68 minutes on the clock.

A Dan Ball long throw aided by the wind fell to Daniel Leadbitter and while the right back couldn't quite control the ball it fell straight to Tyrone Duffus, an unlikely scorer prodding home with a strikers finish.

After City pulled a goal back, the initiative was seized as Cook brought on Kieran Phillips and just seven minutes after his introduction, the defecit was halved down to two goals.

Harry Burns’ throw ins with the help of the weather which was becoming even worse was becoming City's secret weapon, with his throw falling straight to Duffus who went from scorer to provider as he tucked it into the bottom right corner to net his first for the season.

There was a sense that the comeback could be on, and just three minutes later City got their third goal, another freakish goal after Jared's own goal at the start of the match.

An inswinging corner from the left hand side of the pitch by Joe Hanks didn't reach any City player but instead looped over the Walton and Hersham keeper Jos Barker and into the net with 12 minutes to go, meaning that in a crazy 10 minute spell City went from being out the contest completely, to a side likelier to take the spoils.

Ben Richards-Everton along with Duffus was becoming a makeshift striker as all the momentum was swinging the Tigers away, while the home side were doing their best to brave the horrific conditions and nearly hit City on the counter attack, but valiant defending by Duffus stopped the game from being out of sight.

City had a goal ruled out with minutes to spare after Hanks was ruled to have taken out Barker, before BRE tapped home an empty net, despite replays showing that he never touched him.

Two minutes into the five added on, another long throw would be the answer as City completely an incredible turnaround.

The throw was headed out by the hosts but could only fall to Bally who connected with the ball, reaching Ed Williams who managed to tap it to Hanksy who was ice cool to hit it right into the roof of the net and send the away fans into pandemonium.

City were pressing for the winner but couldn't fashion out a clear cut chance and the game ended level, a game of two halves in one of the most thrilling games in recent years.

The draw does not aid City's promotion push as they sit two behind Merthyr having played a game more, and two ahead of Totton having played a further game more, after the match between The Martyrs and The Stags was postponed as the conditions were deemed unplayable.