Rebels ease past struggling Ducks

Elliot Buchanan and Nathan Bowden-Haase both struck twice as Slough comfortably saw off bottom side Aylesbury United to maintain second place in the league table.

Daniel Murphy also netted in the second half before the hosts netted two late goals - but they proved to be mere consolation for the struggling Ducks, who battled well throughout.

Looking to make it three successive league wins, Slough immediately went on the attack and a sustained period of pressure paid dividends after just seven minutes. From a short corner routine, Steve Sinclair picked up a pass from Chris Herron and chipped a cross into the six yard box, which Nathan Bowden-Haase emphatically headed past ‘keeper Jack Sillitoe and defender Jamie O’Grady.

Immediately after, Ricky Perks was called into action to tip over a long shot from Ashley Harewood-Williams, reminding the Rebels that Aylesbury carried a threat despite their lowly league position.

However, for most of the first half, Slough laid siege to Sillitoe’s goal and, but for some fine saves, the young Ducks ‘keeper would have been picking the ball out of his net at least another three times.

Dean Harper, again a solid presence at the back for Slough, chested the ball down and hit a dipping volley from fully 40 yards out, but Sillitoe got back to tip the ball over and deny Harper a certain goal of the season contender.

Sillitoe produced another quality save to keep out the returning Elliot Buchanan’s headed effort, and from the resulting corner he was well-placed to hold Kean’s low drilled shot.

The pressure continued as Buchanan and Edgeworth shot over the bar before the latter turned provider, laying the ball off to Herron whose drilled shot was beaten away by Sillitoe again.

A second goal looked certain as Sinclair’s shot was blocked by Sillitoe, but Herron’s effort on the rebound came back off the unfortunate Sinclair.

United settled down in the final ten minutes of the first half, and with Slough unable to make their incessant pressure count, were looking to go into the break only one goal behind and try to create chances themselves. Tyrone Taylor attempted an acrobatic effort from the edge of the area, but Perks caught the ball easily.

Tony Joyce’s half-time team-talk was however changed slightly as Slough eventually scored a second goal just before the whistle. Nathan Bowden-Haase headed an Edgeworth free-kick to Elliot Buchanan, who had time to swivel and drill home a shot into the far corner from 15 yards.

With many feeling the result was now beyond doubt, the Ducks went into the second half trying to prove otherwise, and Newby flashed a shot wide before the lively Harewood-Williams cut inside and danced his way through the Slough defence but fired straight at Perks, when an earlier shot may have been more dangerous.

The ever-dangerous Sinclair shot wide and Paul Edgeworth had another attempt from distance, this time dipping just over the bar with Sillitoe well beaten.

With 65 minutes played, Slough registered a third goal. A superb through ball from Harper found Sean Sonner on the left hand side of the box, and his cross into the middle was headed in again by Bowden-Haase for the centre-back’s seventh goal of the season.

Slough threatened more goals but had to wait until the 77th minute for a fourth. A neat one-two on the left saw Buchanan release Murphy, who elected to shoot past Sillitoe at his near post, with the ‘keeper going to ground in anticipation of a cross into the middle.

The deluge of Slough goals anticipated by many never arrived, and Aylesbury managed a consolation goal with five minutes to go. A shot by Harewood-Williams fell kindly for substitute Darren Woolard, who finished coolly into Perks’ bottom corner on debut.

However Slough went straight up the other end and scored the goal of the game to restore their four-goal lead. Buchanan received the ball on the edge of the box, and with a nifty drag-back and quick footwork, left defender Ayodele on the ground before lashing the ball past Sillitoe again from an angle.

There was still time for United to have the last say as Harewood-Williams delightfully curled a free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards, to give his side further reward for their endeavours.