Reece Barrett
Salisbury FC will look to clip the wings of the high-flying Swans, as they host newly-promoted Walton & Hersham FC at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.
Walton & Hersham were promoted back to a Step Three division last season for the first time since 2007, and are already proving that they belong with four wins in their first six games.
They sit fourth in the table despite playing one less game than every other team due to their opening fixture against Winchester City being abandoned mid-game.
Salisbury are currently in sixth place, and the Whites will want to build on their unbeaten start to the season – they have now won four games out of their first seven and are unbeaten in all competitions.
With both teams starting the season well, Salisbury manager Brian Dutton is welcoming the challenge that Walton will bring, saying in an interview with the club: “It’ll be a really entertaining match.
“They’re a fantastic footballing team that like to play through the thirds, and I’d like to think we’re like that as well; it’ll be a great spectacular for the fans, and they’re going to get their money’s worth.”
Salisbury come into this game off the back of a 3-2 FA Cup win last weekend away at Bridgwater United.
The Whites have since learned their next opponents in the Second Qualifying Round of the competition, and Salisbury will make the four-hour trip to Cornwall to play Mousehole AFC away.
READ: Salisbury’s next FA Cup opponents revealed
On the other hand, Walton & Hersham lost their first game of the season last weekend in a 3-1 loss to Chesham United – shattering a 26-game unbeaten record that stretched back to Boxing Day 2022.
Eddie Simon will be the one to watch for Salisbury fans – he made history by being the first player to ever score four consecutive hat-tricks in the top eight English divisions last season, and he already has four goals to his name this campaign, too.
READ: Salisbury “long overdue a cup run,” manager Dutton says
Andy Munns
