Slough Town
2
Davies (25), Alexander (90+7)
Tonbridge Angels
5
Fielding (33), Akanbi (52), Lyons-Foster (61), Soares-Junior (70), Wood (88)
League
Attendance: 637
A devastating second half from Tonbridge Angels saw them ruthlessly dispatch a confidence-stricken Slough Town at Arbour Park, writes Sam Pryke.
The Rebels begun the game brightly with Johnny Goddard using his trickery to find space, before bending a ball just beyond Jonathon Henly’s goal.
Tonbridge worked their way into proceedings with veteran skipper Scott Wagstaff forcing Rohan Luthra into a smart stop with pressure on the home goal mounting.
Despite the Rebels being pinned back, they managed to open the scoring in fortuitous circumstances.
Player-manager Scott Davies stroked the ball into an empty net from distance with the Angels believing play had been halted with Wagstaff hurt after blocking a shot from Matt Lench in the penalty area, but to the bemusement of everyone the goal stood to give the Slough the upper hand.
Slough looked to double their lead; debutant Dominic Hutchinson, on loan from Wealdstone, fired wide of the far post as they looked to assert some authority.
Despite a positive start, the visitors were soon level despite being on the back foot.
On 33 minutes, Rohan Luthra misjudged the flight of a corner kick, and Jamie Fielding headed into an unguarded net.
Just before the interval, Luthra saved comfortably from a Joseph Turner effort struck from 25 yards, as the teams went in level at the break.
Slough started the second half on the front foot, Nathan Minhas firing into the side netting as he aimed to beat Henly at his near post.
But six minutes into the second half, Ibrahim Akanbi gave the visitors the lead in this contest. A deep cross from Turner was again misjudged by Luthra, and Tonbridge kept the ball alive with Greenidge having a shot blocked before Akanbi followed up to fire home.
Slough almost levelled in spectacular fashion on 56 minutes as George Alexander tried a bicycle kick from Josh Jackman’s cross, but it was straight at Henly.
On the hour, a third goal arrived for Tonbridge to give the Rebels an uphill task. Kodi Lyons-Foster forced the ball home in the six yard box after another set piece delivery led to more hesitant defending.
Alexander volleyed well over the bar on 68 minutes as Slough looked for a way back, but Tonbridge added a fourth soon after. Moments after substitute Ruben Soares-Junior rattled the ball into the side-netting, he was released by Higgs and bore down on goal before rounding Luthra and firing the ball past the desperate challenge of Temi Eweka on the line as Slough started to fall apart.
Soares-Junior should have added a fifth from the penalty spot after he was felled by Luthra, but the goalkeeper made amends by saving the spot-kick with an outstretched leg.
Lench tried his luck from distance as Slough tried desperately to find a consolation, but Henly punched his effort clear.
Two minutes from time, Tonbridge added a fifth through Nathan Wood’s first touch of the game, calmly converting Soares-Junior’s low cross from close range as Slough switched off.
George Alexander did manage to net a consolation goal for the Rebels deep into added time after a corner from Jeanmal Prosper was not fully cleared.
This was a desperately disappointing afternoon for the Rebels who have now lost three in a row, and will look to get back to winning ways against Dartford this Tuesday evening.
Image: George Beck
The Rebels begun the game brightly with Johnny Goddard using his trickery to find space, before bending a ball just beyond Jonathon Henly’s goal.
Tonbridge worked their way into proceedings with veteran skipper Scott Wagstaff forcing Rohan Luthra into a smart stop with pressure on the home goal mounting.
Despite the Rebels being pinned back, they managed to open the scoring in fortuitous circumstances.
Player-manager Scott Davies stroked the ball into an empty net from distance with the Angels believing play had been halted with Wagstaff hurt after blocking a shot from Matt Lench in the penalty area, but to the bemusement of everyone the goal stood to give the Slough the upper hand.
Slough looked to double their lead; debutant Dominic Hutchinson, on loan from Wealdstone, fired wide of the far post as they looked to assert some authority.
Despite a positive start, the visitors were soon level despite being on the back foot.
On 33 minutes, Rohan Luthra misjudged the flight of a corner kick, and Jamie Fielding headed into an unguarded net.
Just before the interval, Luthra saved comfortably from a Joseph Turner effort struck from 25 yards, as the teams went in level at the break.
Slough started the second half on the front foot, Nathan Minhas firing into the side netting as he aimed to beat Henly at his near post.
But six minutes into the second half, Ibrahim Akanbi gave the visitors the lead in this contest. A deep cross from Turner was again misjudged by Luthra, and Tonbridge kept the ball alive with Greenidge having a shot blocked before Akanbi followed up to fire home.
Slough almost levelled in spectacular fashion on 56 minutes as George Alexander tried a bicycle kick from Josh Jackman’s cross, but it was straight at Henly.
On the hour, a third goal arrived for Tonbridge to give the Rebels an uphill task. Kodi Lyons-Foster forced the ball home in the six yard box after another set piece delivery led to more hesitant defending.
Alexander volleyed well over the bar on 68 minutes as Slough looked for a way back, but Tonbridge added a fourth soon after. Moments after substitute Ruben Soares-Junior rattled the ball into the side-netting, he was released by Higgs and bore down on goal before rounding Luthra and firing the ball past the desperate challenge of Temi Eweka on the line as Slough started to fall apart.
Soares-Junior should have added a fifth from the penalty spot after he was felled by Luthra, but the goalkeeper made amends by saving the spot-kick with an outstretched leg.
Lench tried his luck from distance as Slough tried desperately to find a consolation, but Henly punched his effort clear.
Two minutes from time, Tonbridge added a fifth through Nathan Wood’s first touch of the game, calmly converting Soares-Junior’s low cross from close range as Slough switched off.
George Alexander did manage to net a consolation goal for the Rebels deep into added time after a corner from Jeanmal Prosper was not fully cleared.
This was a desperately disappointing afternoon for the Rebels who have now lost three in a row, and will look to get back to winning ways against Dartford this Tuesday evening.
Image: George Beck
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Rohan Luthra
- 2 Josh Jackman
- 4 Joe Dandy 12
- 6 Jeanmal Prosper
- 8 Matthew Lench
- 9 Nathan Minhas 22
- 10 Johnny Goddard
- 11 Dominic Hutchinson 23
- 14 Scott Davies
- 16 Temi Eweka
- 24 George Alexander
Substitutes
- 12 Leon Chambers-Parillon 4
- 13 Kevin Bilicki
- 20 Kai Allsopp
- 22 Jefferson Louis 9
- 23 David Ogbonna 11
Tonbridge Angels Lineup
Henly, Fielding, Lyons-Foster, Gard, Swift, Higgs, Akanbi, Turner, Hinds, Meade, Wagstaff (c). Substitutes: Parkinson, Soares-Junior, Boachie, Greenidge, Wood.