Heybridge Swifts
3
Lee (30, 46), Daly o.g. (90)
Slough Town
2
Markman (45), Hall (80)
League
Attendance: 168
Darron Wilkinson
A last-minute Steve Daly own goal handed Heybridge three points they barely deserved after a closely-fought encounter at Scraley Road.
Slough Town started slowly but managed to play some neat possession football for the majority of the game, the only downfall being the lack of chances being created again in the final third of the pitch.
The opening chances of the game fell to Heybridge who had much the better opening, settling quickly. Lee met a right wing cross from Miyoba, but made poor contact with the ball and could not get it on target. A good break down the left from Miyoba saw him put in a good cross-shot, but again, the ball did not find the target.
Slough's first chance came courtesy of a free kick with the ball being touched short to Lambert who hit his shot through the wall, but it was a comfortable save for Banks in the Swift's goal.
Moments later a good burst from Marshall saw him get some space around the Swifts area and his square ball to Rainford looked to set up the midfielder playing at right back, but he was well tracked and could not hit the target with his attempt.
With thirty minutes of the game gone, Heybridge managed to get the opening goal of the game when Payne got past two men down the right wing and put in a low cross across the six yard line. Honey dived at the ball, but did not make contact leaving Lee with an easy finish at the back post.
Slough got themselves back into the game and had the better of the remainder of the first half. Another half chance fell to Rainford, but again he was well tracked and could not make a good enough connection on his shot to trouble Banks.
A Rainford right wing cross was cleared to the edge and the incoming Wilkinson saw his effort well blocked as the ball went off for a corner. Slough did manage to get the ball into the net from the corner, but the referee had seen an infringement and disallowed the goal.
On the stroke of half time, Markman cut inside from his right wing position and curled the ball into the far corner with a fantastic strike leaving Banks rooted to the spot to bring Slough level right on half time.
Straight from the start of the second half, Heybridge re-established their lead in the game with Lee breaking through down the right and placing a lob which Honey could not get near as he dived backwards giving Heybridge the perfect start to the half.
Lee again nearly got another goal after he controlled the ball on his chest on the Slough area and then put his shot in, but some good early pressure meant it went wide of Honey's goal.
Defences were certainly both on top for the majority of the half, making sure neither side had much opportunity to get a goal. A good cross fell into the path of Parker after 75 minutes, but he misjudged the flight of the ball and it was quickly gathered by Honey.
Slough now made the substitution to bring on Townley upfront alongside Hall and Marshall, and Rainford being moved to sweeper, and it soon paid dividends. A ball from Rainford got to the feet of Lambert at left wing back. His pass into the feet of Hall found him on the edge of the Swifts area in some space. He brought the ball forward into the box and neatly lifted the ball over the advancing Banks to bring Slough back onto level terms.
Heybridge quickly found themselves searching hard for a winner and Lee had a good chance from a tight angle with just three minutes remaining, but Honey managed to hold the ball well.
But with what was almost the last touch of the game, Miyoba managed to get some space to get a cross in and Daly, in an attempt to cut it out, only managed to put into his own net past the stranded Honey, giving Heybridge three points they barely deserved.
Slough Town started slowly but managed to play some neat possession football for the majority of the game, the only downfall being the lack of chances being created again in the final third of the pitch.
The opening chances of the game fell to Heybridge who had much the better opening, settling quickly. Lee met a right wing cross from Miyoba, but made poor contact with the ball and could not get it on target. A good break down the left from Miyoba saw him put in a good cross-shot, but again, the ball did not find the target.
Slough's first chance came courtesy of a free kick with the ball being touched short to Lambert who hit his shot through the wall, but it was a comfortable save for Banks in the Swift's goal.
Moments later a good burst from Marshall saw him get some space around the Swifts area and his square ball to Rainford looked to set up the midfielder playing at right back, but he was well tracked and could not hit the target with his attempt.
With thirty minutes of the game gone, Heybridge managed to get the opening goal of the game when Payne got past two men down the right wing and put in a low cross across the six yard line. Honey dived at the ball, but did not make contact leaving Lee with an easy finish at the back post.
Slough got themselves back into the game and had the better of the remainder of the first half. Another half chance fell to Rainford, but again he was well tracked and could not make a good enough connection on his shot to trouble Banks.
A Rainford right wing cross was cleared to the edge and the incoming Wilkinson saw his effort well blocked as the ball went off for a corner. Slough did manage to get the ball into the net from the corner, but the referee had seen an infringement and disallowed the goal.
On the stroke of half time, Markman cut inside from his right wing position and curled the ball into the far corner with a fantastic strike leaving Banks rooted to the spot to bring Slough level right on half time.
Straight from the start of the second half, Heybridge re-established their lead in the game with Lee breaking through down the right and placing a lob which Honey could not get near as he dived backwards giving Heybridge the perfect start to the half.
Lee again nearly got another goal after he controlled the ball on his chest on the Slough area and then put his shot in, but some good early pressure meant it went wide of Honey's goal.
Defences were certainly both on top for the majority of the half, making sure neither side had much opportunity to get a goal. A good cross fell into the path of Parker after 75 minutes, but he misjudged the flight of the ball and it was quickly gathered by Honey.
Slough now made the substitution to bring on Townley upfront alongside Hall and Marshall, and Rainford being moved to sweeper, and it soon paid dividends. A ball from Rainford got to the feet of Lambert at left wing back. His pass into the feet of Hall found him on the edge of the Swifts area in some space. He brought the ball forward into the box and neatly lifted the ball over the advancing Banks to bring Slough back onto level terms.
Heybridge quickly found themselves searching hard for a winner and Lee had a good chance from a tight angle with just three minutes remaining, but Honey managed to hold the ball well.
But with what was almost the last touch of the game, Miyoba managed to get some space to get a cross in and Daly, in an attempt to cut it out, only managed to put into his own net past the stranded Honey, giving Heybridge three points they barely deserved.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Danny Honey
- 2 Darron Wilkinson
- 3 Junior Harvey 15
- 4 Chris White 14
- 5 Keith McPherson
- 6 James Lambert
- 7 Steve Daly
- 8 David Rainford
- 9 Dwight Marshall
- 10 Damian Markman 12
- 11 Mark Hawthorne
Substitutes
- 12 Mark Hall 10
- 14 Paul Holsgrove 4
- 15 Leon Townley 3
Heybridge Swifts Lineup
Banks, Cranfield, Wiles, Haydon, Tomlinson, Pollard, Payne, Parker, Gillespie, Lee, Miyoba.