Rebels bounce back to defeat Wanderers

In a thrilling National League South encounter at Arbour Park, Slough Town bounced back from Saturday’s defeat at Farnborough to edge Dorking Wanderers 3-2, pushing themselves up into seventh place.

The Rebels produced an electrifying display under the Arbour Park lights in front of a crowd of over 1,000 as they defeated one of the league's pre-season promotion favourites. Slough's early dominance and relentless pressure, combined with Dorking's persistent response, made for a match packed with action, drama, and decisive moments.

Slough wasted no time in setting the pace, as Francis Amartey opened the scoring just two minutes in. He capitalised on an aggressive run down the left, which included a one-two with Slavi Spasov. His strike took a crucial deflection off Dorking’s Robert Milsom to wrongfoot goalkeeper Harrison Foulkes. This early breakthrough energised the home side, and Slough kept up the pressure with dynamic movement from both Amartey and David Ogbonna, who nearly set up another chance by trying to thread a pass to Spasov shortly after.

In the 13th minute, Dorking’s Tony Craig made a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Spasov after the defender had initially gifted possession to John Gilbert, who had returned from suspension. This miss proved inconsequential as only three minutes later, Ogbonna delivered a moment of brilliance. Taking a pass from Henry Ochieng inside his own half and breaking down the right flank, he used his pace to cut inside, then unleashed a perfectly placed curling shot that left Foulkes stranded, doubling Slough’s lead at 2-0. It was certainly the goal of the game, with an acrobatic celebration to match, as Ogbonna celebrated his first goal of the season with a trademark somersault.

Slough continued to push forward with confidence, and Amartey came close to scoring a second goal, chesting down a weak clearance from Foulkes and shooting wide in the 19th minute. Minutes later, he sent a dangerous low cross through the box that required yet another intervention from Craig to prevent Gilbert from finishing. Meanwhile, Dorking struggled to contain Amartey, with Joshua Brooking earning the game’s first yellow card after a foul on him.

Dorking’s Jimmy Muitt missed a clear chance after a defensive mistake from Dan Bayliss gave him a one-on-one chance with Charlie Horlock. Much to Slough’s relief, he put his shot wide of the keeper’s bottom right corner.

Despite Slough’s dominance, Dorking managed to claw their way back into the match in the 38th minute. A long ball from Foulkes caused hesitation among the Slough defenders, allowing Alfie Rutherford to control the ball and pick out a composed finish past Charlie Horlock, bringing the score to 2-1. Buoyed by this lifeline, Dorking grew in confidence and began to control more possession as half time approached.

Slough looked determined to restore their two-goal cushion immediately after the break. In the 47th minute, a deflected cross fell invitingly for Spasov, but his effort was comfortably collected by Foulkes. Dorking nearly punished Slough’s defence again when Rutherford found space in the box but couldn’t convert, as Slough’s backline quickly recovered.

Chances continued to come thick and fast for Slough. Excellent combination play led to Gilbert playing in Spasov, who went to ground inside the box with referee Martyn Mitchell ignoring claims for a penalty. Leon Chambers-Parillon and Francis Amartey both found themselves with opportunities to extend the lead around the 60-minute mark, with Amartey making a solo run across Dorking’s half before shooting wide. A further chance saw Beeden’s pinpoint cross met by Spasov, but he missed the target, heading over from close range.

Finally, Slough’s persistence paid off in the 70th minute when John Gilbert pressured Foulkes into losing possession. Gilbert’s interception allowed Spasov to set up Chambers-Parillon, who coolly curled the ball past an out-of-position Foulkes, restoring Slough’s two-goal advantage at 3-1. However, Dorking responded almost immediately; two minutes later, George Francomb rose unmarked in the box to guide a header over Horlock from Milsom’s free kick, reducing the deficit back to one and setting up a tense final 20 minutes.

The game saw a flurry of action in the closing stages as both sides pressed for another goal. Amartey, who had been a constant threat, was substituted in the 77th minute, replaced by Gary Abisogun as Slough freshened up their attack. Moments later, Foulkes narrowly avoided a disaster for Dorking as he scrambled to prevent an own goal, pushing the ball out just in time.

Slough continued to press, with Gilbert’s corner finding Beeden in the 83rd minute, though the latter could only head over. Then, Brooking’s second yellow card for a foul on Spasov reduced Dorking to ten men, further tilting momentum in Slough’s favour. Slough had another near miss as Ochieng’s header was dramatically cleared off the line following another corner from Gilbert.

As the game entered stoppage time, Slough made tactical substitutions, bringing on Sam Evans, Josh Jackman, and Dan Roth. With five minutes of additional time, the Rebels showed composure, fending off Dorking’s final advances.

This hard-fought win boosts Slough into seventh place, providing a morale lift as they look ahead to their next challenge in the Isuzu FA Trophy against Chatham Town.