Rebels defeated at home again

Visitors Daventry Town overturned a half-time deficit and stunned Slough with three second half goals to win 3-1.

In the proverbial game of two halves, Slough opened the scoring through Sean Sonner before squandering a number of chances - and were punished yet again by their opposition, with Ryan Howell netting twice in the opening nine minutes of the second half to turn the game on its head.

Tom Berwick added a late third to confirm a second successive home league defeat for Slough after an inexplicably poor second half showing.

Things had started so well for the home side, with new signing Danny Burnell looking a real handful for the Daventry rearguard. He went close early on, shooting wide on the turn.

With strong wind causing problems for Daventry keeper Andrew Kemp, a Stuart Swift corner caused some panic, but Kemp was able to push the ball over his bar.

But minutes later, Slough took a lead which their early pressure had merited. Another corner, this time from Paul Coyne, was headed in by Sonner from inside the six yard box with Kemp only able to flap at the cross.

The closest Daventry came was from a goalmouth scramble, which ultimately led to a strike being comfortably held by Jackson. But the Slough pressure was incessant at times and Sean Sonner should have done better than shoot wide after Sinclair found the striker with a low cross.

Skipper Steve Perkins was forced off with an injury, but this did not seem to deter the Rebels. Danny Burnell was again in the thick of the action, this time spinning beautifully away from his marker and showing a good turn of pace to put himself clean through one-on-one with Kemp – but the keeper spread himself well to block.

Moments later, Slough went closer still as Sonner saw a volley rebound back off the post after he was teed up by a lovely cross from Burnell.

Burnell also fired an effort over the bar and Sinclair saw a volley beaten away by Kemp. The goalkeeper also turned a looping header from Sonner over the bar moments later as Slough again failed to convert their chances.

And Slough were made to pay for those missed chances with just a minute played in the second half. A long ball was played into the left-back area and with Danny Murphy struggling, Ryan Howell lobbed the ball into the Slough net from outside the box with Jamie Jackson in no man’s land.

Daventry then completed the turnaround just eight minutes later as a cross from the right was headed in at the near post by Howell, who got in front of his marker to beat Jackson.

Slough struggled to apply the same pressure they had in the first half, with their defending more and more error-strewn and the attacking threat much reduced with a lack of ideas and inventiveness.

A long ball forward appeared to present no danger, but Dean Harper let the ball bounce and a mix-up in communication between Sweeney and Jackson saw the former head the ball towards his own goal, only to be saved by Harper, who raced back to clear off the line.

Daventry grew in confidence as the half wore on, and could have extended their lead through Josh O’Grady as the visitors broke away, but Jackson repelled the effort.

Moments after a Sonner effort was ruled out for offside, Daventry broke away again and this time did extend their lead, with Berwick slamming the ball past Jackson after more woeful Slough defending.

The late introductions of Garry Sippetts and Sam Bateman had no effect on the eventual outcome, and Slough could only muster a difficult headed chance for Burnell which Kemp saved easily as the Rebels left Holloways Park frustrated and disappointed for the second time in eleven days.