Rebels claim convincing victory

Slough recorded their fourth consecutive victory with a dominant display against Biggleswade Town.

The hosts and their Bedfordshire visitors were level on points going into the game, but Slough carried the greater threat early on as Sinclair’s fierce drive produced a good full-length save from Bull in the Biggleswade goal.

The strike partnership of Danny Jordan and Craig O’Connor, unchanged from the previous Saturday at Tring, were being fed regularly by the dangerous wide players Sealey and Sinclair, and the former set up skipper Paul Edgeworth to fire wide before Craig O’Connor was denied in front of goal by a combination of Bull and defender Webster, who did well to make up the ground and hack the ball to safety after the ‘keeper had saved.

However, the Rebels were dealt a blow with just twenty minutes played as O’Connor was forced off with a leg injury and replaced by Hayes.

With Paul Edgeworth and Robbie Kean increasingly dominant in midfield and Biggleswade struggling to gain a foothold in the game, it seemed to be only a matter of time before Slough took the lead, but Sinclair fired a volley across goal and wide before Hayes forced Bull to turn his low drive around the post.

In a rare attack, Jack Weedon fired the visitors’ first real half-chance well wide from distance, with Jamie Jackson, replacing the suspended Ricky Perks, largely untested.

Slough had two great chances to take a lead into the half-time break. Firstly, a storming run through the middle from Sinclair after a one-two with Danny Jordan, whose link-up play was magnificent all game, saw the winger shoot wide after skipping past two challenges.

Soon after, a ball from Sinclair to the far post was brought down by Hayes, who shot wastefully into the side-netting.

The pattern of play resumed in the second half and Slough picked up where they left off, dominating possession. This time, the deadlock was broken just nine minutes in. Tommy Hayes brought the ball infield and played Edgeworth in through the middle. The skipper used the run of Sinclair intelligently to create the space for a thunderbolt from 20 yards out, which flashed past Bull and into the back of the net.

With the first goal on the board, more looked likely to follow, and the Rebels netted a second just four minutes later. Great link-up play between Jordan and Hayes released the former, whose cross was half-cleared and finished at the far post by the energetic Tyron Sealey, who notched his second goal in as many games.

However, Slough were caught out just four minutes after this. Substitute Hall was played in on goal and his drive across Jackson ended up in the back of the net via the far post, with neither Sweeney or Edwards able to get back in time.

Biggleswade now looked much livelier, and for a short spell looked just as likely as Slough to add to the score sheet - however they could not find a way past the hosts’ resolute back four and suffered a further setback with sixteen minutes remaining.

Paul Edgeworth was fouled 20 yards out, and from more or less the same spot he scored his first effort, the Slough captain curled a beautiful effort into the top corner past a helpless Bull from the resulting free-kick to hand Slough their two-goal cushion back.

Edgeworth, who by now was dictating the pace of the game, squandered a great chance to complete his hat-trick, electing to head Sinclair’s cross back across goal, but Bull was able to push the ball wide with his fingertips.

The result was made safe with five minutes to go, as Sinclair cut inside and delivered a left-footed chipped effort high into the goal past the reach of Bull from around 25 yards.

Biggleswade ensured they had the last word as Glen Lamacroft sent Jackson the wrong way from the penalty spot with the last kick of the game after the midfielder had been brought down by the Slough stopper, but it was too little too late as Slough set themselves up nicely for the big FA Cup tie at Hemel Hempstead.