Cambridge City
3
Paterson (36), Relizani (pen 74), Gent (90+3)
Slough Town
4
Dunn (11), James (32), Flood (51), Harris (84)
League
Attendance: 208
Mark Nisbet
Slough secured a third straight league victory at Cambridge City and remain in the hunt for promotion, with Simon Dunn, Gavin James, Chris Flood and Warren Harris all on target in this seven-goal match.
This was the Rebels’ third trip of the season to Westwood Road to take on City, and whereas Slough slumped to a defeat against St Ives recently, this time the Rebels came away with three deserved points despite the scoreline making it look like a close contest.
Joint manager Neil Baker was pleased with the performance and the way his side coped with the conditions.
“We played with intelligence, the players did what we asked of them today.
“I thought we played some really good stuff at times, on a difficult pitch. We should have had it wrapped up before they scored the penalty.
Slough altered the system which has brought them success of late, bringing wide players Warren Harris and James Dobson back in to the side. There was also a late enforced absence, with the ill Guy Hollis unable to play any part – so Lee Togwell slotted in to partner Mark Nisbet at centre back.
“We needed the scrappiness of Warren (Harris) and Dobbo (James Dobson) today. This was a pure out and out battle, you’ve got to scrap for your lives and try and get up the pitch as high as you can”.
The improving hosts started confidently, with Matt Foy unable to direct a Robinson cross goalwards, and then Goldy Capela fired wide at the near post.
But Slough took the lead with 11 minutes played, as Dunn showed great technique to hit a superb swerving volley past Dean Snedker from Dobson’s pass.
The away side threatened again with Flood unable to get much power on a shot after being played in over the top, whilst Harris fired a first-time effort wide from the edge of the area.
Slough doubled their lead on 32 minutes when Dobson’s trickery got him into a shooting position. Snedker spilt the ball, but James was on hand to tap in his 13th goal of the season.
City went close to reducing that lead back to one on 35 minutes as Foy went clear and saw his shot half-saved by Mark Scott, and as the ball rolled toward goal, the keeper got back to smother it.
Just a minute later though, a deep cross was touched back by Foy to captain Ross Paterson, who hit a first-time effort into the bottom corner.
The hosts could have equalised before the interval, but Salim Relizani put the ball over the bar at the back post from Foy’s cross.
Slough started the second half with another change to the back four, as Josh Jackman replaced the injured Paul Stonehouse – but the Rebels restored their two goal lead with Flood firing just inside the post from a Dunn cross.
The away side looked relatively comfortable with their lead, and could have extended it but Harris’ effort from an angle was well saved by Snedker.
Later, Dobson saw an effort blocked and Robinson cleared a shot from Dunn off the line, and Slough’s top scorer was also thwarted by Snedker.
City reduced the arrears again as Nisbet was penalised for a handball offence, and Relizani put the ball down the middle of the goal from the penalty spot.
Six minutes remained when Slough scored a fourth goal which really killed off City’s resistance. Great work from Gavin James down the left led to a cross from the by-line which Harris volleyed in superbly at the far post for his ninth goal of the season.
City pulled another goal back deep into stoppage time to make the win seem narrower as Jordan Gent fired a rebound past Scott, but the Rebels had done enough to secure the points.
This was the Rebels’ third trip of the season to Westwood Road to take on City, and whereas Slough slumped to a defeat against St Ives recently, this time the Rebels came away with three deserved points despite the scoreline making it look like a close contest.
Joint manager Neil Baker was pleased with the performance and the way his side coped with the conditions.
“We played with intelligence, the players did what we asked of them today.
“I thought we played some really good stuff at times, on a difficult pitch. We should have had it wrapped up before they scored the penalty.
Slough altered the system which has brought them success of late, bringing wide players Warren Harris and James Dobson back in to the side. There was also a late enforced absence, with the ill Guy Hollis unable to play any part – so Lee Togwell slotted in to partner Mark Nisbet at centre back.
“We needed the scrappiness of Warren (Harris) and Dobbo (James Dobson) today. This was a pure out and out battle, you’ve got to scrap for your lives and try and get up the pitch as high as you can”.
The improving hosts started confidently, with Matt Foy unable to direct a Robinson cross goalwards, and then Goldy Capela fired wide at the near post.
But Slough took the lead with 11 minutes played, as Dunn showed great technique to hit a superb swerving volley past Dean Snedker from Dobson’s pass.
The away side threatened again with Flood unable to get much power on a shot after being played in over the top, whilst Harris fired a first-time effort wide from the edge of the area.
Slough doubled their lead on 32 minutes when Dobson’s trickery got him into a shooting position. Snedker spilt the ball, but James was on hand to tap in his 13th goal of the season.
City went close to reducing that lead back to one on 35 minutes as Foy went clear and saw his shot half-saved by Mark Scott, and as the ball rolled toward goal, the keeper got back to smother it.
Just a minute later though, a deep cross was touched back by Foy to captain Ross Paterson, who hit a first-time effort into the bottom corner.
The hosts could have equalised before the interval, but Salim Relizani put the ball over the bar at the back post from Foy’s cross.
Slough started the second half with another change to the back four, as Josh Jackman replaced the injured Paul Stonehouse – but the Rebels restored their two goal lead with Flood firing just inside the post from a Dunn cross.
The away side looked relatively comfortable with their lead, and could have extended it but Harris’ effort from an angle was well saved by Snedker.
Later, Dobson saw an effort blocked and Robinson cleared a shot from Dunn off the line, and Slough’s top scorer was also thwarted by Snedker.
City reduced the arrears again as Nisbet was penalised for a handball offence, and Relizani put the ball down the middle of the goal from the penalty spot.
Six minutes remained when Slough scored a fourth goal which really killed off City’s resistance. Great work from Gavin James down the left led to a cross from the by-line which Harris volleyed in superbly at the far post for his ninth goal of the season.
City pulled another goal back deep into stoppage time to make the win seem narrower as Jordan Gent fired a rebound past Scott, but the Rebels had done enough to secure the points.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Mark Scott
- 2 Sean Fraser
- 3 Paul Stonehouse 12
- 4 Nathan Webb
- 5 Mark Nisbet
- 6 Lee Togwell
- 7 James Dobson
- 8 Simon Dunn
- 9 Gavin James
- 10 Chris Flood
- 11 Warren Harris 14
Substitutes
- 12 Josh Jackman 3
- 14 Jesse Wilson 11
- 15 Manny Williams
- 16 Ashan Holgate
Cambridge City Lineup
Dean Snedker, Ben Robinson, Paul Cooper, Harry Norman, Jordan Gent, Jordan Williams, Salim Relizani, Ross Paterson (c), Goldy Capela, Matt Foy, Darren Foxley. Substitutes: Charlie Woolfe, Buster Harradine, Manny Osei, Ryan Sharman, Ollie Snaith.