Bennett hat-trick puts Slough out of Trophy

Slough Town

Slough Town

0
Gosport Borough

Gosport Borough

4
Bennett (15, 64, 85), Molyneaux (48)
FA Trophy Attendance: 190 James Warrington
Gosport Borough knocked Slough out of the Trophy for the second season in a row, this time with an emphatic 4-0 victory at Holloways Park.

Whilst in the previous season Slough may have been slightly unlucky not to register a goal after spurning a number of chances, this time the Hampshire side were well in control from the off, and put Steve Bateman’s side to the sword, finishing off the chances that came their way.

Prolific striker Bennett and former Reading midfielder Sammy Igoe were the architects of Slough’s downfall, and the former’s early cross into the box forced Alex Brown into a clearance over his own crossbar.

It was a sign of things to come, and after Dave Woozley cleared off the line from Dan Wooden, Igoe fed midfielder Luke King to fire just wide from distance.

But with 15 minutes played, the visitors made their pressure count. Poor defending from Dom Rhone and Nathan Bowden-Haase, neither able to clear with any authority, resulted in Bennett firing past Warrington from the edge of the box.

The best Slough had to offer was a shot from Dan Burnell which deflected to Nathan Ashmore, whilst Gosport kept playing all the football, penning Slough back and Igoe in particular exploiting the space offered by the Slough defence.

Igoe fired another shot wide from just inside the box, whilst a rare Slough attack saw Burnell touch the ball through to Ed Smith, who dragged his shot wide with the aid of a faint touch from Ashmore.

The visitors held the lead at half time, but this could so easily have been equalised early in the second half as Stuart Swift swung a corner in, but no player in an amber shirt could get a telling touch – instead, Gosport played the ball forward and won a corner of their own, from which Lee Molyneaux rose unchallenged to head past Warrington.

This was a bad goal to concede at a crucial time in the contest, and despite trying to apply pressure of their own, Gosport were content to soak up the pressure and launch counter-attacks, with Daniel Smith shooting wide again.

With 65 minutes played, a clinical Gosport side added a third goal, with Slough being undone again on the left. Bennett scored his second, heading a cross past Warrington.

Rhone tried his luck from distance – with Slough unable to find a clear path to goal – but was wide with his effort, whilst Warrington was called into action to keep the score down, superbly tipping over a strike from the edge of the box.

Steve Bateman introduced Ben Abbey and new signing Jake Parsons, but neither could make an impact and Gosport’s fourth goal came with five minutes remaining – Bennett notching his third goal with a precise left-foot strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. His side go on to face AFC Totton in the next round, whilst Slough's focus now switches back to Margate and the FA Cup.

Gosport Borough Lineup

Nathan Ashmore, Daniel Woodward (Adam Wilde), Ellis Martin, James Ford, Lee Molyneaux, Brett Poate (c), Sammy Igoe (Dean Stow), Daniel Smith (Thomas Dunford), Daniel Wooden, Justin Bennett, Luke King. Subs not used: Aaron Cook, Bradley Norton.

Rebels

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