Football round-up: Rogalski scores hat-trick as Marlow kick-off with thrilling win

Jordan Brown was sent off in Marlow’s 4-3 win

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Marlow 4, Walton & Hersham 3

After an underwhelming pre-season and the loss of several key players over the summer, Marlow kicked off their Isthmian League South Central Division campaign with an entertaining 4-3 victory over Walton & Hersham this afternoon.

Blues boss Mark Bartley will be delighted with the efforts of his much-changed squad who won this absorbing clash at Oak Tree Road with a last-minute winner from Dawid Rogalski after having played more than half the match with only 10 men.

Last season the Blues were known for grinding out results with solid defensive displays, but this campaign looks like it might be a little more entertaining if this result is anything to go by.

They took the lead through Louis Rogers goal after only 11 minutes but, in a see-saw clash they were pegged back three times by their persistent visitors. Harry Mills drew Walton level from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark before Rogalski grabbed the first of a hat-trick of goals on his home debut a few minutes later.

Momentum swung back to Walton however, when Alex Salmon scored an own goal in the 39th minute before Jordan Brown was given his marching orders a couple of minutes before half-time.

Given the sweltering conditions, Marlow's hopes of registering a positive result on the opening day seemed remote, however, they kept plugging away and Rogalski's second, from the penalty spot in the 65th minute, gave the hosts something to cling onto.

It looked like their hopes of all three points would be denied in unfortunate circumstances, as Adam Green scored the Blues' second own goal of the day in the 75th minute, however, most of the 163 crowd went home happy after Rogalski netted a winner in the dying moments.

Afterwards, Bartley tweeted: “Any questions about the commitment and determination of this year's squad were emphatically answered with a last-minute winner in a game that had everything. Three points and a hat-trick on debut (for Rogalski) will go down as a satisfactory outcome for our first outing this season.”

The Blues - in third after today's win - are back in action at Thatcham Town on Tuesday evening.

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Holyport 1, Harefield United 1

Holyport claimed a point from their first league match of the season after being pegged back at home against Harefield United.

Port hoped to carry the positivity and momentum from their unexpected FA Cup win over Risborough Rangers into the Combined Counties Premier Division North season, and it appeared they might do just that when Johnson fired them in front after 25 minutes.

But, having been thwarted by one or two superb stops from Port's Matteo Giacobbe, Harefield equalised in the 79th minute, Luke Baldwin firing home on the volley with his first touch after coming on as a substitute.

The result leaves Port 10th in the table ahead of Tuesday's trip to Chalfont St Peter.

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Windsor 1, Ascot United 5

Topping the table this evening are Ascot United after they thrashed Mick Woodham's Windsor 5-1 at Stag Meadow.

It proved a convincing win for the Yellamen, but they had to come from behind after James Rogers-Oben rose highest to head the hosts in front after 11 minutes.

Brendan Matthew headed the equaliser five minutes later before Usman Lalustani and Marcus Mealing combined to set up Matthew again for his second.

The points were all but wrapped up just before the break, when Lalustani's strike was deflected in to make it 3-1 and Jay Welch's strike from distance flew in to make it 4-1 at half-time.

Windsor improved after the break but there was no way back into the contest for them. Mealing missed the chance to make it 5-1 from the penalty spot, but Matthew rounded off a fine opening day for the Yellamen, meeting Harris' cross to score his hat-trick in the 92nd minute.

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Egham Town 4, Flackwell Heath 1

Windsor might be propping up the division, but Flackwell Heath are just a couple of places above them after they were beaten 4-1 at Egham Town.

Egham finished third in the division last season and look strong again as they dismantled Chris Ayres' Heathens.

Two goals from James Richardson gave the hosts a comfortable 2-0 advantage at half-time before a Samad Kazi penalty and a goal from Jabir Laraba completed the win. Bunting converted a late penalty for the visitors.

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Hilltop 4, Burnham 1

Burnham were beaten in similar circumstances, losing 4-1 at Hilltop on the opening day.

The Blues took the lead in this match but were well beaten by the end of a scorching-hot 90 minutes.