Rebels suffer narrow defeat to Hawks

Havant & Waterlooville

Havant & Waterlooville

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Fogden (29)
Slough Town

Slough Town

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League Attendance: 1175 Sean Fraser
Havant & Waterlooville leapfrogged Slough Town into third place on Wednesday evening with this single goal victory at Westleigh Park.

The match was finally completed at the fourth time of asking, with the original match back in November having been abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch, with two further postponements.

Slough were forced into making four changes from Saturday’s draw at Chelmsford, with George Wells and Ryan Bird unavailable and Josh Jackman only able to take a place on the bench. Meanwhile, Warren Harris returned in place of Paul Hodges, who dropped to the bench, and Slough welcomed back Mark Nisbet from injury and Sean Fraser, whose 330th appearance moves him into joint 10th place in the club’s all-time list.

Despite the reshuffle, the Rebels should have taken the lead with just 15 seconds on the clock.

Dan Roberts burst down the right and delivered a cross in for Ben Harris, who could only put his free header over the bar.

Minutes later, Matty Lench was denied by Ross Worner before Ben Harris also had a shot blocked, whilst Danny Kedwell won a corner after being denied by the legs of Jack Turner.

Then, still with only eight minutes having been played, Worner was forced into a good low save to keep out a strike from Roberts. Havant went straight up the other end and Bedsente Gomis blazed wastefully over the bar.

However, after the initial flurry, Slough would not unduly trouble Worner’s goal again.

Havant targetman Kedwell put a header straight into the arms of Turner on 19 minutes.

Ben Harris then had another chance to score minutes later, but his header was just wide of goal.

But the hosts scored what proved to be the decisive goal on 29 minutes with Wes Fogden on target. He took a pass from Gomis and was able to work his way through a number of challenges on the tricky pitch and score with a low shot under Turner.

Slough tried hard to get back into the game but were held at bay by an experienced Havant side.

It wasn’t until early in the second period that the Rebels would threaten next; Lench made room for a shot, but Worner saved again.

Looking to change the course of the game, Slough made changes with Scott Davies and Hodges replacing Lee Togwell and Ben Harris. Manny Williams was later thrown into the attack in place of Nisbet, but in truth the Rebels lacked the ability to break through.

The hosts could and should have wrapped the points up with a minute remaining, but substitute Alfie Rutherford could only hit a post with the goal gaping after he had rounded Turner. Kedwell smashed the rebound well off target.

Slough will be looking to get straight back to winning ways in another crucial match at Dorking Wanderers on Saturday.

Havant & Waterlooville Lineup

Ross Worner, Benny Read, Dean Beckwith, Wes Fogden, Andy Drury, Danny Kedwell (c), Nicky Bailey, Craig Robson, Junior Tiensia, Josh Taylor, Bedsente Gomis. Substitutes: Simon Walton, Bradley Tarbuck, Ollie Dennett, Chris Paul, Alfie Rutherford.

Rebels

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