Poor second half costs Rebels

An abysmal second-half performance from Slough allowed Thatcham to take full advantage and win comfortably after overturning a one-goal deficit.

Slough started brightly, with a good opening worked down the right as Evans’ ball forward was collected and brought inside by Makh. James Pritchard met the young winger’s low drilled cross with a late run, but the midfielder poked the ball narrowly wide of the near post.

Minutes later, Romeo was played in by Fermie, but the striker’s shot was palmed away by Mapson with the rebound being headed desperately behind.

Slough were finding acres of space in midfield with Fermie and Pritchard able to pick out passes to the strikers, and the Rebels continued to dominate and another chance arrived for Platt from a Jordan pass, but his first-time effort was comfortably collected by Mapson.

Thatcham settled down and came into the game, with Fenton almost heading into his own net from a right wing cross. Stow fired in a free kick over the wall, but Jamie Jackson was well positioned to make a simple collection.

The danger signs were there for Slough, and Ben McCready should have done better after he charged down a Luke Evans clearance, but he snatched at his shot from an acute angle for which he had more time to compose himself and work Jackson.

Thatcham went even closer minutes later. Evans headed clear from a high lofted cross and the ball fell nicely to Gareth Thomas, but the midfielder fired well over from just inside the area.

Matthew Platt saw an effort from 20 yards touched over the bar by Mapson before an effort from a similar distance found the back of the net on 34 minutes. Ryan Fenton controlled the ball after a deflection from a Pritchard shot and teed up Platt just outside the area. The ex-Crewe striker connected sweetly and gave Mapson no chance with the ball flying into the top corner to put the Rebels one up.

Ryan Fenton, who was finding acres of space to move into on the left hand side, was played in by Danny Jordan, but the defender’s low drive was deflected wide of the near post. From the corner, the ball fell to Evans at the back post, but his volley was wayward.

Both sides went close again in the final minutes of the half. Thatcham worked the ball down the right hand side and a cross was half-cleared by Allaway to the edge of the area. Dave Asker was well placed to steer the ball towards the top corner, but Jackson flung himself to his right to get his fingers to the ball and steer it around the post.

Slough had an effort cleared off the line as they searched desperately for a two-goal cushion. A back post corner was met by Allaway, with Jordan helping the ball on past the keeper, but Mario Nurse was on hand to clear off the line.

Just before half time, Platt stole the ball from his man down the right hand side and cut the ball back to Danny Jordan, but the normally prolific striker wasted a glorious chance, lifting the ball well over the bar.

Slough, holding on to a slim one-goal advantage, started very slowly in the second half and were punished for some sloppy defending in the 57th minute. Ashley Vine out-climbed Smith at the back post and headed past Jackson to give Slough a problem.

Slough seemed to crumble, and Stow missed two chances to put Thatcham ahead before Ben McCready did so after 62 minutes.

Stow was given far too much space to run into but he shot wide from the edge of the box. Just after, Stow found some space on the edge again and tried to curl his shot round a defender into the corner of the net, but the ball fell comfortably wide.

However Slough succumbed and it came as no great surprise when the impressive Jemel Johnson received the ball down the left and cut it across the goal to the back post where McCready volleyed in expertly.

Things got a bit heated when Yashwa Romeo felt he was head butted by a Thatcham defender, but both players were booked for their part in proceedings. Feelings were still running high when Leacock was also booked for the home side following a late challenge on Fenton.

Byron Bubb and Laurence Brown replaced Romeo and Fermie for Slough, but both changes proved ineffective as Thatcham remained on top.

Slough simply did not look like getting back into the game as the game wore on, and Thatcham’s Vine fired onto the top of the net from a narrow angle before Johnson sprung the offside trap and beat Jackson to the ball. The striker turned back inside and slotted under Jackson and just inside the post to punish Slough for some more sloppy play and wrap up the three points with eight minutes remaining.