Match day

Team logo
Tilehurst Panthers LFC (H)
Thu Mar 28
19:45

Match day

Team logo
Tilehurst Panthers LFC (H)
Thu Mar 28 19:45
Thames Valley Counties Women's Football League
1st
45pts

Smith strike wins Slough the points

Slough Town

Slough Town

1
Smith (26)
Arlesey Town

Arlesey Town

0
League Attendance: 252 Luke Williams
Slough got back to winning ways on Saturday with a hard-fought 1-0 win over an Arlesey side which belied its status as the third from bottom team.

Arlesey, though, will have every right to wonder how they didn’t leave Holloways Park with a share of the points after forcing man of the match Luke Williams to make a number of important saves, particularly in the first half and beginning of the second half.

The Bedfordshire visitors started well and Christian Tavernier brought a superb save out of Williams with a fierce strike, and the rebound was put well wide – an early warning for the Rebels after they had switched off at the back to allow the striker to drive into the box.

Slough’s Adam Martin struck a low shot at Nick Thompson as the ball broke to him, and after Kim Forsythe had blasted another long shot wide of goal, Eddie Smith unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty kick after claiming he was hauled back after he ran on to a flicked pass and attempted to beat Thompson.

Play moved to the other end with Arlesey confidently putting together a swift move which ended in Forsythe blocking an attempted clearance and then forcing WiIliams to make a superb one-handed save.

Tavernier was thwarted once again by another super save from Williams after Forsythe had pulled the ball across for him, before it was Slough’s turn to miss good chances. Dan Brown saw his shot well blocked, and Brown’s follow-up was repelled by the legs of Thompson.

But Slough recycled the ball to good effect, and took the lead moments later. Neat interplay between Smith and Jake Parsons led to the latter whipping in a cross which was blocked, but only to Smith, who lashed the loose ball into the roof of the net to give Slough the lead.

Slough looked for a second, with Jake Parsons again showing good work rate down the right to put in a cross which Scott Harris could only head at Thompson.

At the other end, Arlesey were unlucky once more as Tavernier spurned another good chance after running clear, Williams again the hero as he saved with his legs.

Just before half time, Williams was called into action again to get across and save a half volley from outside the area, however the shot did not have enough power to beat the keeper.

Williams was busy again early in the second half, getting down low at his near post to keep out Powell with the assistance of Tom Moran, and another superb near post save shortly after from Tavernier outlined why he was Slough’s star man. The Rebels struggled with the movement of Tavernier, but it was not to be his day.

Slough recovered, and Jake Parsons again did well to weave through Arlesey traffic before feeding Harris, who could only fire just past the post.

An even better chance fell for Harris soon after, as he connected with James Dobson’s inviting cross from wide on the left, but Thompson got down to fall on the ball.

Slough gained control of the match later in the second half and stopped the visitors from creating any further clear chances, with Brown, after a good debut at Histon in midweek, again doing well to win the ball and keep possession alongside Martin.

Late on, Smith had a great chance to seal the three points, but he bent his shot wide on his left foot after doing brilliantly to turn away from a defender – but it did not cost his side, and Slough picked up a welcome three points after a difficult recent barren spell.

Arlesey Town Lineup

Nick Thompson, Brett Longden, Sam Willett, Louis Lee (c), Warren Plowright, James Sage, Leon Lobjoit, Liam McGovern, Kim Forsythe, Christian Tavernier, Martell Powell. Subs: Stefan Bailey, Jack Vessey, George Ironton, Andre Maltay, Josh Mason.

Rebels

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