Slough Town
2
Dobson (22), W Harris (86)
Chesham United
1
Swales (10)
League
Attendance: 784
James Dobson
Slough Town recorded three league points against their Buckinghamshire rivals Chesham United for the first time in 12 league matches on Easter Monday - a run stretching back to April 2000.
It looked as if the Generals would maintain their fine unbeaten run against the Rebels when Oran Swales gave Chesham the lead on 10 minutes, but a 30-yard thunderbolt from James Dobson drew the Rebels level and Warren Harris side footed a Dobson cross past Hafid Al Droubi four minutes from the end for the winner.
Swales headed a difficult chance over the bar early on from Lewis Toomey’s cross, but made no mistake a minute or so later.
Jefferson Louis held the ball up in midfield for Adam Watkins, and his pass caught out George Wells and found Swales through with just Jack Turner to beat – which he did with aplomb, lifting the ball over the keeper’s outstretched hand.
Slough found it difficult to create clear chances, with Manny Williams often an isolated figure in attack, and Dobson and Wells both took aim from outside the box with Al Droubi saving both efforts. At the other end, Swales was again a threat as he whipped in a cross-shot which Turner fisted away.
But a moment of pure brilliance from Dobson drew the Rebels level on 22 minutes. Matt Lench dribbled into space on the right wing before laying the ball off to Dobson, who blasted an unstoppable goal of the season contender past Al Droubi from fully 30 yards out.
Chesham looked the better side though, and Slough looked ill at ease at the back, with Matt Day caught in possession on occasions and Turner having to push away an attempted header back from Scott Davies.
A free kick from Matt Bevan flew wide of Turner’s goal on 36 minutes, and three minutes later Chesham should have taken the lead, but Pearce blazed wastefully over the bar from seven yards – the chance coming after Slough had lost possession cheaply in midfield again.
Neil Baker admitted after the game that Chesham could have been out of sight at half time and that he and Jon Underwood had told the side they needed to improve after a sloppy first half.
Day smashed the ball over the bar from the edge of the box early in the second half as Slough started well, but Chesham had a glorious opportunity to take the lead. Chesham played the ball out of defence and towards Louis on the left wing. The striker sprinted clear of Day – who, having earlier been booked, had committed to a sliding tackle – and bore down on goal, but Turner saved with his legs.
The action moved from end to end, and Lench hooked the ball wide after Warren Harris had nodded Davies’ cross down. At the other end, Turner made a brave stop at the feet of Louis, and former Rebels full-back Jhai Dhillon hit the post with the loose ball.
Then, Slough created chances galore, with Chesham managing to escape unscathed. Harris was denied by a block tackle at the far post, and the ball was cleared as far as Wells. His fearsome strike was parried by Al Droubi, and Dhillon heading off the line from Harris’ follow-up shot.
Al Droubi rescued his side yet again moments later as he bravely blocked Williams’ goalbound effort.
Slough were well on top, and on 74 minutes Lench ran at the heart of the Chesham defence before unleashing a dipping shot which Al Droubi did well to tip over.
Shortly after, it was Chesham on the attack – and the Generals nearly took the lead as Jon-Jo Bates’ cross looped up off the head of Sean Fraser and onto the top of the crossbar.
Five minutes remained when Fraser stood up a great ball into the box, where Dobson arrived and almost added his second goal – but his header rebounded back off the bar.
But in the Rebels’ next attack, Dobson crossed in low from the left and Harris reacted quickest to divert the ball across Al Droubi and into the far corner to hand Slough the win in an absorbing contest.
It looked as if the Generals would maintain their fine unbeaten run against the Rebels when Oran Swales gave Chesham the lead on 10 minutes, but a 30-yard thunderbolt from James Dobson drew the Rebels level and Warren Harris side footed a Dobson cross past Hafid Al Droubi four minutes from the end for the winner.
Swales headed a difficult chance over the bar early on from Lewis Toomey’s cross, but made no mistake a minute or so later.
Jefferson Louis held the ball up in midfield for Adam Watkins, and his pass caught out George Wells and found Swales through with just Jack Turner to beat – which he did with aplomb, lifting the ball over the keeper’s outstretched hand.
Slough found it difficult to create clear chances, with Manny Williams often an isolated figure in attack, and Dobson and Wells both took aim from outside the box with Al Droubi saving both efforts. At the other end, Swales was again a threat as he whipped in a cross-shot which Turner fisted away.
But a moment of pure brilliance from Dobson drew the Rebels level on 22 minutes. Matt Lench dribbled into space on the right wing before laying the ball off to Dobson, who blasted an unstoppable goal of the season contender past Al Droubi from fully 30 yards out.
Chesham looked the better side though, and Slough looked ill at ease at the back, with Matt Day caught in possession on occasions and Turner having to push away an attempted header back from Scott Davies.
A free kick from Matt Bevan flew wide of Turner’s goal on 36 minutes, and three minutes later Chesham should have taken the lead, but Pearce blazed wastefully over the bar from seven yards – the chance coming after Slough had lost possession cheaply in midfield again.
Neil Baker admitted after the game that Chesham could have been out of sight at half time and that he and Jon Underwood had told the side they needed to improve after a sloppy first half.
Day smashed the ball over the bar from the edge of the box early in the second half as Slough started well, but Chesham had a glorious opportunity to take the lead. Chesham played the ball out of defence and towards Louis on the left wing. The striker sprinted clear of Day – who, having earlier been booked, had committed to a sliding tackle – and bore down on goal, but Turner saved with his legs.
The action moved from end to end, and Lench hooked the ball wide after Warren Harris had nodded Davies’ cross down. At the other end, Turner made a brave stop at the feet of Louis, and former Rebels full-back Jhai Dhillon hit the post with the loose ball.
Then, Slough created chances galore, with Chesham managing to escape unscathed. Harris was denied by a block tackle at the far post, and the ball was cleared as far as Wells. His fearsome strike was parried by Al Droubi, and Dhillon heading off the line from Harris’ follow-up shot.
Al Droubi rescued his side yet again moments later as he bravely blocked Williams’ goalbound effort.
Slough were well on top, and on 74 minutes Lench ran at the heart of the Chesham defence before unleashing a dipping shot which Al Droubi did well to tip over.
Shortly after, it was Chesham on the attack – and the Generals nearly took the lead as Jon-Jo Bates’ cross looped up off the head of Sean Fraser and onto the top of the crossbar.
Five minutes remained when Fraser stood up a great ball into the box, where Dobson arrived and almost added his second goal – but his header rebounded back off the bar.
But in the Rebels’ next attack, Dobson crossed in low from the left and Harris reacted quickest to divert the ball across Al Droubi and into the far corner to hand Slough the win in an absorbing contest.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Jack Turner
- 2 Sean Fraser
- 3 George Wells
- 4 Matt Day
- 5 Mark Nisbet
- 6 Lee Togwell
- 7 James Dobson 14
- 8 Matthew Lench
- 9 Manny Williams
- 10 Scott Davies
- 11 Warren Harris
Substitutes
- 12 Nathan Smart
- 14 Josh Jackman 7
- 15 Guy Hollis
- 16 Perry Coles
- 18 Harrison Gilkes
Chesham United Lineup
Hafid Al Droubi, Benji Crilley, Jhai Dhillon, Matt Bevan, Kieran Murphy (c), Darren Locke, Oran Swales, Adam Watkins, Jefferson Louis, Lewis Toomey, Dave Pearce. Substitutes: Ravi Shamsi, Gerardo Smaloone, Shane Bush, Jon-Jo Bates, David Hutton.