Marlow ease past Betts men

Slough Town

Slough Town

0
Marlow

Marlow

2
Couch (70), Roche (73)
League Attendance: 238 Carl Dennison
Two goals in the space of four minutes provided Marlow with victory at Holloways Park in a game largely low on entertainment.

Slough were under heavy pressure for large periods of the first half, with the visitors building attack after attack and winning a succession of throws and corner kicks. Most of these were dealt with well by the Rebels rearguard, featuring debutant Donnell Allen, signed from Hayes & Yeading United, and the returning Carl Dennison in goal.

Marlow almost found themselves ahead following a defensive mix-up between Lee Riddell and Dennison. The former’s header back was too short and was latched onto by Jermaine Roche, who put his effort wide.

In reply, Slough were frustrated by the assistant referee’s flag on a number of occasions when balls were played through for Jermaine Gumbs to utilise his pace. Gumbs managed one effort on target, an effort on the turn from 18 yards straight at former Rebel Keiron Drake.

A free kick was won out on the right by Gumbs, from which Lee Rendell’s short pass was struck goalwards by Chris Robinson, but the effort was not hit with enough venom and was easily cleared. Minutes later, a dangerous Rendell cross was just missed by Gumbs, diving in to try to get his head to the ball.

Chances were few and far between, but Jermaine Roche will feel he should have done better when played through on goal. His initial shot was blocked superbly by Carl Dennison at close range, but the rebound was lashed high and wide.

At the other end, Marlow had a let-off when Robinson’s inswinging corner was punched by an unsteady Drake straight onto the back of one of his defenders, with the ball going the wrong side of the post from a Slough perspective. Soon after, Drake made another nervous-looking save from Gumbs, who was played through on goal. The striker’s attempted lob was dropping wide of goal but Drake, perhaps unsure of his position, palmed the ball wide for a corner.

In the second half the game degenerated into a scrappy affair, in which one got the impression that the first goal would probably settle it.

Neither side offered much of a threat until the 70th minute, when a Marlow corner was not cleared. Jermaine Roche crossed the ball back in, where it was nodded down at the far post to Aaron Couch in the middle, who was left with a simple finish.

Lee Charles replaced Gumbs in an attempt to freshen up the Rebels attack, but Slough were in more trouble as Couch found himself with space on the edge of the box, only to see his effort tipped over superbly by Dennison.

However, one goal became two shortly after. A long ball forward from the right was controlled well by Roche who finished superbly on his left foot across Dennison to give Slough a mountain to climb.

Marlow came close to a third late on as substitute James Flint fired narrowly wide. Moments after that, Couch struck from outside the box, but another fine save from Dennison denied him his second goal.

Slough offered precious little in attack in what was a disappointing and disjointed overall performance, with Marlow ending up deserved victors. The Rebels must now pick themselves up ahead of Boxing Day’s derby clash at Windsor & Eton.

Marlow Lineup

Drake, Smillie, Roberts, Cahill, Elsegood (c), Lamb, Coyne, Dickens, Stone (Flint 75'), Roche, Couch. Subs not used: Shepherd, Neptune, Stringer, Mactaggart.

Rebels

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