Rebels Felled

This Sunday BotP made the re4latively short journey back to Arbour Park for the Division One North game between fifth placed Slough Town and fourth placed Penn & Tyers Green. The sides started the day locked together on 22 points. However, Slough had already played six more games than today's visitors.
There had already been two meetings between the teams this season, both of which took place at Penn's French School Meadow ground. In October Penn beat Slough 2-1 in the county cup with goals from Tara Woodward and Sarah Harrison overriding Saj Turner's strike for The Rebels. A month later Slough got some revenge by winning 1-0 in the league. Daisy Skinner scored the winner a minute into the second half. Ellie Lovelock saw red for the home side.

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Sangha about to pull on eback

​With two of the teams above them not playing, both sides knew that a victory would propel them into second place, and it was the visitors who took a firm grip early on. Only eight minutes were on the clock when midfielder Rachel Southby took aim from 25 yards out, sending her dipping drive sailing over Maisie Buckley into the keeper's top left corner. 0-1.
One minute later, having seen Southby's effort, Ellie Lovelock tried her luck from a similar distance, with a similar result. This time the ball flew into Buckley's top right corner. 0-2
The early double salvo was a big blow to Slough, who had come into the game with back-to-back victories and they were almost three down on 11 minutes when Tara Woodward latched onto a through ball before sending her low drive just inches past the far post. However, the home side rallied, stemmed the flow of Penn attacks and began to play their way back into the game. Slough captain Nikhita Sangha was looking lively in the centre of midfield and, when she once more got loose and began to drive forward, Ellie Lovelock dived in from behind, leaving Sangha on the deck and leaving the referee no alternative than to book the Penn player.
Slough's efforts to get back into the game were rewarded just past the half-hour mark. Awarded a free-kick some 40 yards out on the left flank, Emma Green put the ball in between goalkeeper and defence. Nikhita Sangha and a defender both went for the ball, with the Slough captain getting a toe in to send the ball spinning past Amy Whale. 1-2.
As if Sangha's goal was a personal challenge, Penn's captain Rachel Harnby then decided she wanted in on the act. First she got her head onto a left-wing corner, glancing the ball just wide of the post. Then she met a corner from the opposite side, this time powering the effort narrowly over the bar.
Then, with three minutes of normal time remaining, a moment of controversy. Lovelock, already on a yellow, flew in on Amber Saunders who had nicked the ball past her lunge. The challenge in itself was possibly a red card but, taking into account that Lovelock had already been booked, everyone was fully expecting to see her walking. However, the referee decided that it was only worth a talking to.

HT Slough Town 1 Penn & Tylers Green 2. Penn look very dangerous up front, but it's not one-way traffic. Too close to call at the break. Penn very lucky to still have 11 players on the pitch after Lovelock's two bad challenges.

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Rachel Harnby (4) went close twice

​In a repeat of the first half, Penn scored again seven minutes after the restart and, once again, it was practically a carbon copy of the fits two goals. This time it was Shannon Read who struck, sending her shot arcing over Buckley. 1-3
Slough tried to respond immediately. Emma Green brushed off a challenge to break town the left before drilling a ball across the face of the Whale's goal, but no-one could get on the end of it. Then, on the hour, Penn struck again, effectively sealing the points. Megan Brockwell was the architect, bursting clear on the right before sending a ball across the penalty area. Buckley came but could only parry the ball out to the edge of the box where Ellie Lovelock was waiting to run salt into the wounds by sending the ball flying back past goalkeeper and defender to make it 1-4.
The points looked like they were heading back to French School Meadow, but Tara Woodward was still hungry for goals. She came close on 68 minutes after drifting in from the right and sending a drive whistling past the post. Five minutes later, Woodward danced her way into the penalty area only for Maisie Buckley to make a superb stop with her feet.
There was then a short delay whilst Penn's coach was asked to have a word with a couple of overly vociferous supporters on the far side of the ground, who had clearly upset the referee in some way. It was too far away for me to hear any comments.
Into added time, Shannon Read had an opportunity for a second goal but flashed a shot just wide before, in the final seconds, Slough substitute Taylor Spence showed great determination to get back and make a last ditch block to prevent a fifth goal.

FT Slough Town 1 Penn & Tylers Green 4. In the end it looked to be a comfortable win for Penn, but it doesn't really the whole story. True, Penn were very dangerous going forward and scored three long-range goals that displayed their collective shooting power. Slough, however, gave as good as they got for much of the game, even if they didn't quite carry the same threat in the final third.
The result sees Penn jump up to second spot, five points adrift of Denham who have played a game fewer. Next weekend Penn travel to fourth placed Abingdon. They won 2-1 in the reverse fixture. Slough remain in fifth spot as they prepare to face league leaders Denham next Sunday. A Liana Horwood hat-trick helped United to a 6-1 at The Den earlier in the season.

Slough Town: Buckley, Grinhaff, Lunn, Boparai, Green, Sangha(c), Duffy, Turner, Bewick, Saunders, Roberts. Subs: Jackson, Spence, Williams
Penn & Tylers Green: Whale, Wyncoll, Mackay, Harnby(c), Helmer, Southby, Troth, Brockwell, Read, Lovelock, Woodward. Subs: Jones, Baden, Misselbrook, Thompson, Woods

Ground Number: Re-Visit
Att:
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: N/A

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