Slough Town
4
Russell (6), Own Goal (2-0), Hardwick (46), Benjamin o.g. (60)
Bishop's Stortford
0
League
Unknown
After three successive defeats, Slough needed someone to look kindly upon them and Bishop's Stortford — a pale shadow of the team that won the FA Trophy at Wembley just six months ago — could not have been more charitable had they tried.
For although Slough turned in a workmanlike performance and rediscovered some of their better touches, it was the woeful Stortford defence which contributed most to Slough's £40 bonus winning victory on Saturday.
When their defenders were not setting Slough up with chances left, right and centre, they were actually helping the ball into their own net as the Rebels took full advantage of surely the most inept rearguard seen at Wexham Park all season to collect three useful Isthmian League points.
There was never any likelihood that Slough would let them off the hook, especially as Terry Reardon's side were keen to break a three-match losing sequence.
What must have pleased Reardon most was the return after suspension of Dave Yerby, who not only gave the defence the pace lacking in several recent games, but also ventured forward purposefully to provide extra width in attack.
A week earlier Slough had been hit by two early goals against Hitchin, but on Saturday they themselves started off with a flourish and after only six minutes Dave Russell hammered a rebound past Terry Moore to give Slough the lead.
And the lively Russell sent across the corner which gave Slough their second, with the impressive Steve Hardwick getting a touch and the ball ending up in the net courtesy of the final touch by a visiting defender.
In the first minute of the second half the game as a contest was over when Jeffries turned the ball into his own net for Slough's third after Roy Butler had connected with Russell's header, and Stortford's shame was complete on the hour when a teasing corner from Friend was helped into the net by the unhappy Benjamin.
To their credit the Trophy holders never stopped looking for a breakthrough but as their frustration mounted, Ian Smith was sent off for arguing with the referee. Smith's anger was perhaps justified, for he had seen play waved on after Frank Parsons had raced from his goal area and fouled the advancing Clarke, with the Slough defence spreadeagled.
Parsons had to earn his keep in the last 15 minutes and produced one particularly good save, but it was his opposite number, Terry Moore — one of Stortford's Wembley heroes — who will remember this match with mixed feelings. He pulled off a string of fine saves to keep the scoreline just within the limits of respectability, but must be wondering how his own defence conspired to make life so difficult.
For although Slough turned in a workmanlike performance and rediscovered some of their better touches, it was the woeful Stortford defence which contributed most to Slough's £40 bonus winning victory on Saturday.
When their defenders were not setting Slough up with chances left, right and centre, they were actually helping the ball into their own net as the Rebels took full advantage of surely the most inept rearguard seen at Wexham Park all season to collect three useful Isthmian League points.
There was never any likelihood that Slough would let them off the hook, especially as Terry Reardon's side were keen to break a three-match losing sequence.
What must have pleased Reardon most was the return after suspension of Dave Yerby, who not only gave the defence the pace lacking in several recent games, but also ventured forward purposefully to provide extra width in attack.
A week earlier Slough had been hit by two early goals against Hitchin, but on Saturday they themselves started off with a flourish and after only six minutes Dave Russell hammered a rebound past Terry Moore to give Slough the lead.
And the lively Russell sent across the corner which gave Slough their second, with the impressive Steve Hardwick getting a touch and the ball ending up in the net courtesy of the final touch by a visiting defender.
In the first minute of the second half the game as a contest was over when Jeffries turned the ball into his own net for Slough's third after Roy Butler had connected with Russell's header, and Stortford's shame was complete on the hour when a teasing corner from Friend was helped into the net by the unhappy Benjamin.
To their credit the Trophy holders never stopped looking for a breakthrough but as their frustration mounted, Ian Smith was sent off for arguing with the referee. Smith's anger was perhaps justified, for he had seen play waved on after Frank Parsons had raced from his goal area and fouled the advancing Clarke, with the Slough defence spreadeagled.
Parsons had to earn his keep in the last 15 minutes and produced one particularly good save, but it was his opposite number, Terry Moore — one of Stortford's Wembley heroes — who will remember this match with mixed feelings. He pulled off a string of fine saves to keep the scoreline just within the limits of respectability, but must be wondering how his own defence conspired to make life so difficult.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Frank Parsons
- 2 Dave Yerby
- 3 Steve Norman
- 4 Steve Hardwick
- 5 Joe Moloney
- 6 Les Barrett
- 7 Dave Russell
- 8 Keith White
- 9 Rowan Dodds
- 10 Barry Friend
- 11 Roy Butler
Substitutes
- 12 Peter Wesson