Five Star Rebels Romp To Victory

Slough Town welcomed back Dwight Marshall for their Ryman Division One North clash with Leyton Pennant. Unfortunately for Marshall, it wasn't a happy return at all for the ex-Rebel.

Slough Town started brightly and took the lead with their first chance of the game. A Michael Gilkes corner was half cleared to the edge of the area where Ryan Spencer hooked the ball back into the box on the turn which found Tony Boot in plenty of space to head past Peter Goodman and putting the Rebels a goal up.

Slough were firmly on top at this stage and Sammy Winston met a cross by Darron Wilkinson with a flicked header which Goodman did well to tip over the bar. Tony Boot was causing problems with his running all afternoon and broke past the left back in the 9th minute. Cutting inside, his cross was cut out by Ian Barnes to a corner, narrowly the other side of the post.

Leyton Pennant's first chance of the game came after 12 minutes when Jermaine Matthews free kick went narrowly wide of the post although Garry McCann had the ball covered all the way..

Ryan Spencer brought out the best of Goodman again after 13 minutes when he cut inside his marker on the right wing. Putting in a curling effort, Goodman again tipped the ball over the bar with a fantastic save.

Steve Daly was close to adding to his tally soon after when a Gilkes free kick was dangerously whipped in and Daly narrowly beat Goodman to the ball but saw his headed effort bounce back off the post before being cleared to safety.

Gary McCann was called into action for the first time on 24 minutes when Craig Bristow was released with a long ball over the defence and then cutting inside Nick Gyoury before firing a shot from a narrow angle which McCann did well to palm away for a corner. McCann was tested again shortly after when Marshall raced onto a square cross field ball but his curling effort looped too much and McCann was able to save comfortably.

Slough began to re-take the initiative in the game now after a brief spell of pressure from Leyton Pennant and Michael Gilkes, who was having a much improved game compared to Tuesday, was beginning to cause problems with his deliveries. Beating two men down the right wing, his cross went across the box but found Winston on the edge of the area. The ball sat up nicely for Winston who struck the ball well first time, but was unfortunate to see the ball slam back off the post with Goodman beaten.

This chance though set the Rebels on their way to a three goal spurt in the space of five minutes. Tony Boot broke again down the right wing and his early cross was headed for the path of Sammy Winston but the inspirational Rebels striker was being held back by Duncan West and the referee deemed it to be a professional foul and red carded the full back. From the resulting free kick which was on the edge of the area and central, Gilkes stepped up and curled the ball around the defensive wall to extend the Rebels lead.

Within five minutes, the returning Winston got the goal he was craving. Boot this time providing the assist with a cross on the turn found Winston in some space at the back post and he was able to plant his header back across the goal past Goodman. The Rebels fans behind the goal had hardly stopped celebrating when Winston again extended the Rebels lead. Being put through by Ryan Williams, the striker made no mistake as he slotted the ball calmly under Goodman and into the back of the net.

With the extra man advantage and the good playing surface, Slough were playing some good football at the start of the second half. Some intricate play set up Ryan Spencer on the edge of the area, but his effort curled wide of the Leyton goal.

Slough now appeared more content to play possession football, and whilst having a lot of the ball, seemed to rarely threaten in their opponents half. The introduction of Byron Bubb for Ryan Spencer changed that as he provided a very useful outlet down the right flank.

Boot was unlucky not to have extended Slough's lead after 62 minutes when he was put through by Williams, but Goodman proved his worth when he blocked the effort of the young Rebels striker. It was Bubb though who got the next Rebels goal with a textbook free kick. Rainford had been fouled on the edge, and despite Boot placing the ball in the net, the referee had called play back for the free kick. Disappointment and frustration soon turned to celebration though as the chrome booted midfielder slammed home the free kick around the wall.

Leyton Pennant though did not give up and got their consolation through Sid Nelson minutes after Bubb's free kick. Slack marking allowed the striker space to place his header from a corner past McCann, and hopes of a clean sheet were dashed.

Slough again seemed focused on possession and shutting up shop and threatened rarely. A brief reminder of David Rainford's shooting ability did come in the 74th minute when the midfielder unleashed a shot from 30 yards which Goodman did well to palm away for a corner.

The game petered out as the rain fell and the mist descended, but the plus three hundred crowd can go home happy knowing they've seen the biggest home win this season so far.