Another limp performance saw Crawley Down Gatwick beaten 2-1 away at Walton & Hersham on Tuesday night - the third successive defeat to the Swans since joining the Ryman League last year making it three matches without a win.
Anvils made three changes from last week’s match against Three Bridges with Jamie Cade replacing the suspended Gaby Odunaike, Jack Page replacing Callum Donaghey and Craig Richards moving from full-back to centre back.
A bright Anvils start in contrast to other matches, Luke Blewden with an early sighter before, on five minutes midfielder Ross Morley fed Jamie Cade, who then found space before driving home for a 1-0 lead.
The early promise from the visitors was to prove a false dawn however as the Swans fluttered their wings and found parity on nine minutes when a misplaced Crawley clearance found the waiting Dave Lawrence who made no mistake.
This mistake shook the Anvils confidence and heads dropped as the hosts started to get up a head of steam, Graeme Purdey and Dave Lawrence with snap shots saved by Anvil custodian Tony Di Bernardo.
By now the visitors were beginning to look ragged and vulnerable as the Swans continued to pour forward and on 23 minutes they got their just reward when, from a Phil Williams corner an unmarked Ashley Quashie nodded home.
The Swans were holding the likes of Blewden, Cade and Baff Addae at bay while at the other end the tricky Williams was causing the visiting defence problems without an end product.
The second half saw Crawley go for broke with all three subs coming on and Blewden had two headers saved, though the hosts were always a threat and sub Smart had a shot hacked off the line.
In the final minute a smart move between Cade and Blewden saw the ball played across the face of goal which was just missed by a lunging Richards and that proved Anvils’ last chances as Walton & Hersham took the spoils.
After seeing their excellent start stumble somewhat in recent weeks Crawley Down have four big games coming up, starting away at Chipsted - one place below Anvils in fourth - this Saturday.
Anvils: Tony Di Bernardo, Jack Page, Miles Mitchell, Craig Richards, Tom Graves, Ross Morley, Steve Sargent, Fraser Logan, Jamie Cade, Luke Blewden, Baff Addae.