Slough Town
0
Chesham United
1
Blake (34)
League
Attendance: 438
Nathan Fox
Slough Town were left disappointed as Ryan Blake's 34th-minute headed goal separated these two sides in a tight, scrappy Boxing Day match at Holloways Park.
For the most part, this was a dour spectacle which was very stop-start in nature and which threatened to boil over at times in the second half.
The home side could have scored in the first five minutes as Dan Hicks' effort was blocked in the Chesham goalmouth. Hicks got on the end of Lewis Putman's corner and tried to force the ball home, but a combination of teammate Charlie Mpi and Chesham defenders prevented a goal and eventually a free kick was given to the visitors.
Chesham produced a good team move on the quarter hour mark which saw Dave Pearce set up Matt Taylor for a shot which flew across the home goal – harmlessly so, as it turned out.
Chesham grew into the game and threatened through the evergreen Barry Hayles, whose shot after half an hour was blocked, and then minutes later a corner was cleared as far as Matt Taylor, whose fierce effort was beaten away by Mark Scott.
The resulting corner was cleared by Scott Harris as far as the taker, Dave Pearce, and the winger had ample time to cross back in, where Ryan Blake was able to head the ball past Scott from around 12 yards.
Shortly before the interval, the Generals almost doubled their lead with Blake heading a dangerous cross from George Casey just over the bar after a quick break.
Slough rarely got near Chesham's goal, with the Generals successfully shackling Rebels' winger Lewis Putman and keeping Mpi and Harris quiet. In the last minute of the half Ryan Case got in an effort from outside the box, volleying powerfully towards goal after a free kick had been cleared by former Slough defender Curtis Ujah, but the ball flew a couple of feet wide.
The second half was very stop-start in nature with a number of fouls disrupting the flow of the game. Chesham looked the more likely to score again, but neither side really tested the two goalkeepers.
Early in the half Blake set up Pearce, who could only fire over the bar, and later Toby Little broke down the left before cutting inside and bending a right-footed shot well over Scott's crossbar.
Chesham were angered as Ryan Case was awarded a yellow card after a challenge on Adam Martin, and the former Slough midfielder would face an early exit from the match after suffering a facial injury later in the half.
Slough looked livelier with the introduction of young striker George Hallahan, who volleyed into the side netting as the ball dropped to him in the area.
Hallahan then went agonisingly close on 85 minutes. Slough played the ball forwards and the striker got past substitute Joe Gater before taking an early shot from outside the box which hit the inside of the post and somehow bounced across goal and wide of the far post.
Slough may have thought that was their last chance to take a point, but there were chances for both sides in the eight minutes of time added by the referee. Six minutes in to added time, Hicks saw a goal bound header turned over by Shane Gore, and then two minutes later Hayles hit the post after being teed up by Blake, but time ran out for the under-par Rebels.
For the most part, this was a dour spectacle which was very stop-start in nature and which threatened to boil over at times in the second half.
The home side could have scored in the first five minutes as Dan Hicks' effort was blocked in the Chesham goalmouth. Hicks got on the end of Lewis Putman's corner and tried to force the ball home, but a combination of teammate Charlie Mpi and Chesham defenders prevented a goal and eventually a free kick was given to the visitors.
Chesham produced a good team move on the quarter hour mark which saw Dave Pearce set up Matt Taylor for a shot which flew across the home goal – harmlessly so, as it turned out.
Chesham grew into the game and threatened through the evergreen Barry Hayles, whose shot after half an hour was blocked, and then minutes later a corner was cleared as far as Matt Taylor, whose fierce effort was beaten away by Mark Scott.
The resulting corner was cleared by Scott Harris as far as the taker, Dave Pearce, and the winger had ample time to cross back in, where Ryan Blake was able to head the ball past Scott from around 12 yards.
Shortly before the interval, the Generals almost doubled their lead with Blake heading a dangerous cross from George Casey just over the bar after a quick break.
Slough rarely got near Chesham's goal, with the Generals successfully shackling Rebels' winger Lewis Putman and keeping Mpi and Harris quiet. In the last minute of the half Ryan Case got in an effort from outside the box, volleying powerfully towards goal after a free kick had been cleared by former Slough defender Curtis Ujah, but the ball flew a couple of feet wide.
The second half was very stop-start in nature with a number of fouls disrupting the flow of the game. Chesham looked the more likely to score again, but neither side really tested the two goalkeepers.
Early in the half Blake set up Pearce, who could only fire over the bar, and later Toby Little broke down the left before cutting inside and bending a right-footed shot well over Scott's crossbar.
Chesham were angered as Ryan Case was awarded a yellow card after a challenge on Adam Martin, and the former Slough midfielder would face an early exit from the match after suffering a facial injury later in the half.
Slough looked livelier with the introduction of young striker George Hallahan, who volleyed into the side netting as the ball dropped to him in the area.
Hallahan then went agonisingly close on 85 minutes. Slough played the ball forwards and the striker got past substitute Joe Gater before taking an early shot from outside the box which hit the inside of the post and somehow bounced across goal and wide of the far post.
Slough may have thought that was their last chance to take a point, but there were chances for both sides in the eight minutes of time added by the referee. Six minutes in to added time, Hicks saw a goal bound header turned over by Shane Gore, and then two minutes later Hayles hit the post after being teed up by Blake, but time ran out for the under-par Rebels.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Mark Scott
- 2 Ryan Case 15
- 3 Nathan Fox
- 4 Guy Hollis
- 5 Daniel Hicks
- 6 Nathan Webb
- 7 Lewis Putman
- 8 James Jepson
- 9 Charlie Mpi
- 10 Scott Harris 16
- 11 Sean Fraser 12
Substitutes
- 12 Justin Clayton 11
- 14 Jhai Dhillon
- 15 Gurkan Gokmen 2
- 16 George Hallahan 10
Chesham United Lineup
Shane Gore, George Casey, Toby Little, Nick Beasant (Joe Gater 74), Curtis Ujah, Adam Martin (Stephan Hamilton-Forbes 79), Dave Pearce (Sam Youngs 81), Matt Taylor, Ryan Blake, Barry Hayles, Bruce Wilson (c). Subs unused: Kelvin Bossman, Jamie Eames.