Andover
1
Barron (41)
Slough Town
2
Romeo (36), Platt (38)
League
Attendance: 195
Yashwa Romeo
First half goals from Yashwa Romeo and Matthew Platt helped Slough Town record a 2-1 win at Andover and move up into eighth place in the league.
Slough travelled to the Portway Stadium looking for a third successive league win. There was one change to the side that beat Cirencester with Adam Durrant returning from injury to replace the now departed John Gray.
Slough’s formidable front three were quickly into their groove with Romeo using his pace to break down the right hand side and his whipped cross flashed just beyond the reach of Platt. Two quick free kicks in the space of two minutes nearly provided Slough with the opening after quarter of an hour but neither Jordan or Harper could get enough on the ball to fully test Hook.
The chances were becoming gradually more clear cut and on 23 minutes Danny Jordan who was playing deeper than Romeo or Platt fired a delightful 40 yard pass which Matt Platt chipped over Hook but just wide of goal.
Minutes later a cleared corner fell to Lee Riddell whose scissor kick volley from 25 yards flew against the post with Hook beaten.
As the pressure began to tell a neat corner routine from Platt was met by Romeo who fired just wide.
Finally the breakthrough arrived after 37 minutes and it was a gift from Dave Hook. He failed to collect a routine through ball under some pressure from Yash Romeo who was able to scamper clear and slot home from a tight angle to put the Rebels one nil up.
Like buses, Slough’s second goal followed immediately, good work from Danny Jordan allowing him to slide the ball across for Matt Platt to finish expertly past a stranded Hook.
The goal rush was not over however and just three minutes later Andover had reduced the arrears with their first clear-cut effort on goal. Barron managed to evade two challenges with neat footwork before firing a shot into the bottom right hand corner passed the despairing dive of Jamie Jackson.
Romeo nearly doubled Slough’s lead on the stroke of half time as he burst through and fired at goal for Hook to save well, only to see the rebound fired over the bar.
Slough continued brightly in the second half with a fizzing Platt volley going just over.
The game was opening up and Andover broke rapidly from a free kick and Stow, clean through, fired goalwards and Jackson was able to raise his right arm to push the ball clear.
Pressure was starting to build and Harper was forced to volley over the bar from close range. Derek Sweetman soon made a change with Bubb replacing Durrant causing Riddell to slot in at wing back.
On 77 minutes Rusher fired from distance and the ball was gathered at the second attempt by Jackson. Slough were forced into another reshuffle when Attrell replaced Brown resulting in Jordan dropping into midfield and Slough were starting to cling on desperately.
Despite no injuries of note the referee seemed content to add more and more time with anxiety beginning to show both on and off the field. In the dying seconds a long ball forward evaded Fenton and Rusher nearly capitalised. His shot thankfully for the Rebels was weak and Jackson was able to save.
Despite dominating the first half Slough in the end held on through a tense second period to claim a third straight victory and move up to eighth in the league.
Slough travelled to the Portway Stadium looking for a third successive league win. There was one change to the side that beat Cirencester with Adam Durrant returning from injury to replace the now departed John Gray.
Slough’s formidable front three were quickly into their groove with Romeo using his pace to break down the right hand side and his whipped cross flashed just beyond the reach of Platt. Two quick free kicks in the space of two minutes nearly provided Slough with the opening after quarter of an hour but neither Jordan or Harper could get enough on the ball to fully test Hook.
The chances were becoming gradually more clear cut and on 23 minutes Danny Jordan who was playing deeper than Romeo or Platt fired a delightful 40 yard pass which Matt Platt chipped over Hook but just wide of goal.
Minutes later a cleared corner fell to Lee Riddell whose scissor kick volley from 25 yards flew against the post with Hook beaten.
As the pressure began to tell a neat corner routine from Platt was met by Romeo who fired just wide.
Finally the breakthrough arrived after 37 minutes and it was a gift from Dave Hook. He failed to collect a routine through ball under some pressure from Yash Romeo who was able to scamper clear and slot home from a tight angle to put the Rebels one nil up.
Like buses, Slough’s second goal followed immediately, good work from Danny Jordan allowing him to slide the ball across for Matt Platt to finish expertly past a stranded Hook.
The goal rush was not over however and just three minutes later Andover had reduced the arrears with their first clear-cut effort on goal. Barron managed to evade two challenges with neat footwork before firing a shot into the bottom right hand corner passed the despairing dive of Jamie Jackson.
Romeo nearly doubled Slough’s lead on the stroke of half time as he burst through and fired at goal for Hook to save well, only to see the rebound fired over the bar.
Slough continued brightly in the second half with a fizzing Platt volley going just over.
The game was opening up and Andover broke rapidly from a free kick and Stow, clean through, fired goalwards and Jackson was able to raise his right arm to push the ball clear.
Pressure was starting to build and Harper was forced to volley over the bar from close range. Derek Sweetman soon made a change with Bubb replacing Durrant causing Riddell to slot in at wing back.
On 77 minutes Rusher fired from distance and the ball was gathered at the second attempt by Jackson. Slough were forced into another reshuffle when Attrell replaced Brown resulting in Jordan dropping into midfield and Slough were starting to cling on desperately.
Despite no injuries of note the referee seemed content to add more and more time with anxiety beginning to show both on and off the field. In the dying seconds a long ball forward evaded Fenton and Rusher nearly capitalised. His shot thankfully for the Rebels was weak and Jackson was able to save.
Despite dominating the first half Slough in the end held on through a tense second period to claim a third straight victory and move up to eighth in the league.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Jamie Jackson
- 2 Dean Harper
- 3 Ryan Fenton
- 4 Roy Gumbs
- 5 Adam Durrant
- 6 Lee Riddell
- 7 James Pritchard
- 8 Laurence Brown
- 9 Danny Jordan
- 10 Matthew Platt
- 11 Yashwa Romeo
Substitutes
- 12 Byron Bubb
- 14 Thomas Attrell
- 15 Tom Windsor
- 16 Stanley Mugisha
- 17 Alex Tullett
Andover Lineup
1. David Hook, 2. Gary Connolly, 3. Rory Williams, 4. Matt Jones, 5. Owen Elias (c), 6. Paul Jones, 7. Alex Ward, 8. Vince Rusher, 9. Dean Stow, 10. Ashley Jarvis, 11. Jamie Barron. Subs: 12. Stuart Gates, 14. Brynley McKay, 15. Mike Turvey, 16 .Mike Andrews, 17. Neil Champion