Late Wadkins goal wins the points for Slough

Slough Town

Slough Town

2
Harris (41), Wadkins (80)
Biggleswade Town

Biggleswade Town

1
Hill (24)
League Attendance: 760 Matthew Lench
Substitute Brad Wadkins fired Slough Town to three more points against a dogged Biggleswade side which pushed them every inch of the way.

The visitors had taken a first-half lead which was cancelled out by Warren Harris, and then soaked up a huge amount of Slough pressure whilst also going close to a second themselves.

Slough carried the greater attacking threat early on, with James Dobson’s deflected strike giving goalkeeper Liam Gooch work to do.

Gooch again needed to make a good save on 22 minutes when he kept out Chris Flood’s header. But two minutes later, the Waders took the lead against the run of play as defender Shane Hill got the final touch to a corner kick which Slough failed to cut out.

The Rebels almost responded immediately with Matt Lench drilling a shot just over the bar after a nice passage of build-up play, and Manny Williams went closer still as his close-range header hit a post and rolled agonisingly along the goal line and wide.

Slough pressed hard for an equaliser but had Jack Turner to thank for denying Biggleswade a second goal on 40 minutes. Craig Daniel – who has an excellent goalscoring record against the Rebels – drove towards goal and hit an early low shot which Turner pushed onto a post, with Slough able to clear the ball behind.

That save proved crucial as, just a minute later, Slough levelled with Harris headed in George Wells’ pinpoint cross at the back post after patient build-up play.

Slough could well have gone into the half time break ahead, but Gooch got down well to hold Manny Williams’ low strike.

The visitors did well to limit Slough in the second half, who pressed hard for a second goal. Lench played in a deep cross which dropped just wide of the angle of post and bar, Flood struck the ball off target from the edge of the box, and later Gooch did well to turn away Dobson’s first time strike after a poor Biggleswade clearance.

Waders chances were few and far between, but striker George Bailey almost made contact with a dangerous low ball, and Turner did well to block a fierce strike at his near post.

Slough thought they had made the breakthrough 15 minutes from time as Flood beat Gooch, but the striker was in an offside position.

Then Wadkins was introduced on 76 minutes and he was quick to make an impact, scoring the winning goal less than four minutes later as Slough’s pressure finally paid off. Lench weaved past two Waders defenders before playing the ball to the big striker, who had a stroke of luck as his low shot deflected up off a defender and beat Gooch at his near post to win a hard-fought three points.

Biggleswade Town Lineup

Liam Gooch, Tyler Walker, Lucas Perry, Reece Fielding, Shane Hill (Hugh Alban-Jones 76), Gavin Hoyte, Craig Daniel ©, Nathan Hicks, George Bailey, Robbie Parker, Graeme Montgomery. Subs not used: Daniel Jarvis, Jack Bowen, Charlie Hayford.

Rebels

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