Match day

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Truro City (A)
Fri Mar 29
17:00

Match day

Team logo
Truro City (A)
Fri Mar 29 17:00
The Vanarama National League South
12th
56pts

Slough beaten by late goal at Banbury

Banbury United

Banbury United

1
McEachran (88)
Slough Town

Slough Town

0
League Attendance: 423 Brad Hewitt
Luck deserted Slough Town on Tuesday evening as the Rebels went down to a late goal at Banbury, having had much the better of the game.

Slough threatened early on when a mix-up in the hosts’ defence allowed Gavin James to get to the ball, but he was forced wide and Banbury cleared the danger.

James Dobson sent a looping header wide of goal a minute later but the clearest chance arrived for Charlie Moone on 13 minutes, who tried to lob goalkeeper Jack Harding from a Dobson ball over the top, as defender Jack Westbrook misjudged the bounce, but couldn’t get enough power on it.

As the Rebels kept the pressure on, James should have done better when he turned and squeezed in a shot which was easily held by Harding, with team-mates waiting for a pass. Simon Dunn fired over the bar shortly after good build-up play around the edge of the box.

Banbury’s first meaningful assault on the Slough goal did not arrive until the 27th minute, when a free kick from midway inside the Slough half was played into the penalty area, but Mark Scott punched the ball clear.

Slough continued to dominate the game, and whilst Banbury ventured deep into the Slough half more often, they failed to give Scott any work to do. Indeed, Slough had further chances to take the lead in the dying minutes of the first half; first James poked the ball over the bar from around eight yards from a Dobson corner, and shortly after James fired just wide of the far post from an angle.

After missing a glut of chances in the first 45 minutes, Slough still looked the more likely to break the deadlock in the second, though it was not one-way traffic with the hosts creating chances of their own whilst continuing to defend resolutely.

Dobson’s low corner evaded everyone at the near post and was kicked off the line by Zac McEachran. Later, as Banbury ventured forward, Ricky Johnson headed over at the near post and Guy Hollis defended well to cut out a dangerous cross.

With twenty minutes left, Dobson clipped a cross to the back post, but Brad Hewitt failed to direct the ball goalwards from close range. Five minutes later, Dunn’s 25-yarder was held well at full stretch by Harding.

Paul Stonehouse and Nathan Webb picked up bookings as Slough’s frustrations grew, and the Rebels gambled in trying to win the game rather than hold on for a point in the closing stages. There were chances at both ends with a combination of Guy Hollis and Warren Harris snuffing out a break from Mark Bell, and later on, Bell went down in the box under a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge with Sean Fraser and claimed a penalty, but the decision went the other way.

The killer blow was delivered by McEachran with two minutes remaining. Substitute Leam Howards attacked down the left and pulled the ball back for the midfielder, who had time and space to control the ball and shoot low past Scott.

Slough went straight back on the attack and won a corner as a result of Dunn’s deflected shot, but time ran out for the Rebels.

Banbury United Lineup

Jack Harding, Callum White, David Lynn, George Nash, Jack Westbrook (Leam Howards), Andy Gunn, Zac McEachran, Duran Martin, Ricky Johnson, Felipe Barcelos (Mark Janes), Darius Browne (Mark Bell). Subs not used: Michael Hopkins, Jacob Blackstock.

Rebels

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