Slough Town
0
AFC Sudbury
1
Hughes (83)
League
Attendance: 238
Sean Sonner
Slough Town lost more ground on the title-chasing sides after a late strike from AFC Sudbury's Craig Hughes condemned the Rebels to a disappointing home defeat.
Sudbury's away form this season is strong and more in keeping with a top five side, and the Suffolk visitors showed why with a hard-working performance which denied Slough space and restricted goalscoring opportunities.
The Rebels were almost caught cold in the opening minute as Sudbury went on the attack down the right wing, but recent signing Kane Dobrowolski fired over Ricky Perks' goal through a crowd of bodies.
Slough's first meaningful attempt came from a Dean Clark free kick which whistled just over Richard Wilmot's crossbar after Kean had been tripped 25 yards out.
With the usually potent threat of Steve Sinclair cancelled out by tight marking, and top scorer Elliot Buchanan unable to make an impact on the opposite wing, chances were at a premium and it was the visitors who had a shout for a penalty denied by referee Dave Bushell following an alleged handball as a shot was charged down.
Simon Martin saw a deflected shot easily dealt with by Wilmot before the chance of the half arrived for Sean Sonner. His control from Buchanan's long pass was exquisite, but his left-footed effort was parried away superbly by Wilmot.
Sonner slashed another effort wide before half-time, whilst Sudbury's Jemel Fox put a dangerous low ball across goal, forcing a good save from Perks at the feet of onrushing strikers.
Slough's best chances of the game came in the second half, both from Nathan Bowden-Haase. First, a free kick from Dean Clark was played to the near post, where the big defender got a shot on goal - but found Wilmot in top form, turning the ball over the bar, much to the amazement of both sets of players.
From the resulting corner, Bowden-Haase picked the ball up outside the box and curled an effort towards the bottom corner, but Wilmot saved well again, parrying the ball behind.
Slough were finding that Sudbury were cancelling them out all over the pitch and winning the midfield battle, and the visitors got on top with a period of sustained pressure. A jinking run from the dangerous Daniel Emmanuel on the right wing almost brought about a chance, but a Slough block came in just in time.
With Slough's attacking play increasingly rushed and error-strewn, more long balls were pumped forward which were dealt with comfortably by the Sudbury defence - similarly debutant Yiadom Yeboah's long throws proved no threat as Rhys Darg in particular repelled every ball.
Sudbury dealt the killer blow with seven minutes remaining. The ball was played in for Craig Hughes on the left hand side of the box, and although the angle was not ideal, he lashed the ball high into the goal past a surprised Perks to give his side their reward for a workmanlike performance.
Garry Sippetts was introduced late on and his first sniff of goal in a Slough shirt came as the ball dropped from a long Yeboah throw, but his half-volley bounced wide.
The result leaves Slough in fourth place, but the Rebels will not have long to wait to put right the disappointments of the last two home games, with an away game at Beaconsfield SYCOB on Monday evening.
Sudbury's away form this season is strong and more in keeping with a top five side, and the Suffolk visitors showed why with a hard-working performance which denied Slough space and restricted goalscoring opportunities.
The Rebels were almost caught cold in the opening minute as Sudbury went on the attack down the right wing, but recent signing Kane Dobrowolski fired over Ricky Perks' goal through a crowd of bodies.
Slough's first meaningful attempt came from a Dean Clark free kick which whistled just over Richard Wilmot's crossbar after Kean had been tripped 25 yards out.
With the usually potent threat of Steve Sinclair cancelled out by tight marking, and top scorer Elliot Buchanan unable to make an impact on the opposite wing, chances were at a premium and it was the visitors who had a shout for a penalty denied by referee Dave Bushell following an alleged handball as a shot was charged down.
Simon Martin saw a deflected shot easily dealt with by Wilmot before the chance of the half arrived for Sean Sonner. His control from Buchanan's long pass was exquisite, but his left-footed effort was parried away superbly by Wilmot.
Sonner slashed another effort wide before half-time, whilst Sudbury's Jemel Fox put a dangerous low ball across goal, forcing a good save from Perks at the feet of onrushing strikers.
Slough's best chances of the game came in the second half, both from Nathan Bowden-Haase. First, a free kick from Dean Clark was played to the near post, where the big defender got a shot on goal - but found Wilmot in top form, turning the ball over the bar, much to the amazement of both sets of players.
From the resulting corner, Bowden-Haase picked the ball up outside the box and curled an effort towards the bottom corner, but Wilmot saved well again, parrying the ball behind.
Slough were finding that Sudbury were cancelling them out all over the pitch and winning the midfield battle, and the visitors got on top with a period of sustained pressure. A jinking run from the dangerous Daniel Emmanuel on the right wing almost brought about a chance, but a Slough block came in just in time.
With Slough's attacking play increasingly rushed and error-strewn, more long balls were pumped forward which were dealt with comfortably by the Sudbury defence - similarly debutant Yiadom Yeboah's long throws proved no threat as Rhys Darg in particular repelled every ball.
Sudbury dealt the killer blow with seven minutes remaining. The ball was played in for Craig Hughes on the left hand side of the box, and although the angle was not ideal, he lashed the ball high into the goal past a surprised Perks to give his side their reward for a workmanlike performance.
Garry Sippetts was introduced late on and his first sniff of goal in a Slough shirt came as the ball dropped from a long Yeboah throw, but his half-volley bounced wide.
The result leaves Slough in fourth place, but the Rebels will not have long to wait to put right the disappointments of the last two home games, with an away game at Beaconsfield SYCOB on Monday evening.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Ricky Perks
- 2 Simon Sweeney
- 3 Danny Murphy
- 4 Rob Kean
- 5 Nathan Bowden-Haase
- 6 Dean Clark
- 7 Steve Sinclair
- 8 Yiadom Yeboah
- 9 Sean Sonner
- 10 Elliott Buchanan
- 11 Simon Martin
Substitutes
- 12 Garry Sippetts
- 14 Chris Herron
- 15 Dean Harper
- 16 Sam Bateman
- 17 Thomas Hayes
AFC Sudbury Lineup
Wilmot, Speed, Swain, Dobrowolski, Brown, Darg, Emmanuel, Heath (c), Hughes, Walker, Fox. Subs not used: Wild, Ifield, Tracey, Smith.