Sinclair nets three as Rebels sink Waders

A Steve Sinclair hat-trick was the highlight of a comfortable win for Slough Town at the Carlsberg Stadium, which keeps the Rebels second in the table.

With Steve Bateman’s side looking to continue the fine recent run, it took Slough just ten minutes to find the breakthrough after a very positive start in which Shaun Sonner saw a headed effort correctly disallowed for climbing on the back of a defender.

Adam Logie scored in both of his previous starts for the club, and the ex-Wealdstone man made it three in three as Simon Martin played him in on goal. Logie’s exquisite low finish with the outside of his right foot nestled in the bottom corner of Dean Bull’s net.

The goal signalled a long spell of composed, attractive passing football which saw the Rebels go close a number of times, whilst rarely troubled at the other end. Martin volleyed wide on the turn from another Sinclair cross, before Logie hit the outside of the post with a curling left foot effort from the edge of the box with Bull a mere spectator.

More good interplay soon after saw Sonner play in Martin over the top, but the striker couldn’t get enough power behind his strike under pressure from the Waders defence.

The pressure from the Rebels was incessant, and captain Michael Cox almost conceded an own goal as he sliced a Danny Murphy cross over his own bar.

The new-look centre-half partnership of the returning Dean Harper and experienced debutant Steve Perkins generally looked comfortable against Biggleswade attacks, and the hosts’ clearest sight of goal came as Paul Barnes surged past Murphy on the right, but the striker lashed his cross-shot across and wide of goal.

Martin had a good chance to head Slough into a two goal lead just before half time, but his effort from Murphy's cross sailed over the bar and the Rebels, somewhat frustratingly, went into the break a single goal ahead.

That statistic was to change seven minutes into the second half. A great ball from Swift found Martin free in the box, and after he elected to control the ball instead of strike first time, he was crowded out, but Sinclair was on hand to drill the ball low past Bull’s legs.

This second goal did not to deflate the hosts, and after a scramble from which Murphy had to clear off the line, a mix-up at the back saw Jamie Jackson hesitate at the crucial moment as he rushed out to meet Barnes. The striker coolly poked the ball around Jackson and finished into the open goal to reduce the deficit.

There was to be no comeback though, and after the industrious Sonner had hit the woodwork again from Logie’s long throw, Slough regained their two goal advantage. A long raking ball from Harper found Sinclair in space on the right, and the winger controlled the ball beautifully, moving in on goal before cutting inside onto his left foot and delivering a low effort which again slipped through the legs of the red-faced Bull and into the back of the net.

As the second half wore on, it was clear that clear that Slough had the upper hand mentally and physically, and the Rebels midfield dominated proceedings. Coyne went close with a long-range effort, but it seemed only a matter of time before Slough added to the scoreline. A fourth goal duly arrived, as the ball was gifted to Sinclair after a mistake at the back for Biggleswade. He ran clean through and finished coolly into the bottom corner to complete his hat-trick.

Shaun Sonner and Simon Martin, who were both replaced late on, had enjoyed excellent games for the Rebels without getting on the scoresheet, adding further weight to manager Steve Bateman’s claim that his team is full of goals and should not be heavily reliant on strikers.

Slough wrapped up the scoring with six minutes remaining. Substitute Garry Sippetts, on for Martin, received the ball in the box and worked some space for a shot which hit the post yet again, but fellow substitute Sam Bateman reacted quickest six yards out to finish easily to add further gloss to the score.