Impressive Slough cement third place with victory

by Mike Haymonds (4.12. 2009)

EHL Premier
Slough 2 Bowdon Hightown 1

SLOUGH Ladies’ 2-1 win over struggling Bowdon, their first double of the season, followed the pattern of many of their previous games.
A strong start with early goals was not maintained and, although they outplayed their opponents, Slough failed to kill them off, resulting in a narrower than deserved margin of victory.

The win kept Slough in third place, still eight points adrift of unbeaten leaders Leicester, but the gap behind Reading was closed to three points after Reading’s 2-2 draw with Birmingham University.

Slough’s coach Mike Williamson said: “We played pretty well.

“We dominated the first half and, after going two up, we played just as well but without converting our chances. We weren’t clinical enough in the D."

“Their keeper made some good saves, particularly in the first half, and some crosses were narrowly missed."

“But there were positives: we moved the ball quickly and used the centre half well."

“Also, our inside forwards (Ball and White) were incisive."

“Our finishing needs to be improved.”

Slough won an early penalty corner with the visitors’ goalkeeper Kirsty Mackay blocking Jane Smith’s strike with her body and then Louise Bevan’s follow-up effort with her stick.

Smith made a telling pass to Lauren Penny in the D only for the move to break down but Penny made amends in the 12th minute with a close range shot.

Seven minutes later Ashleigh Ball – the outstanding player on either side – extended Slough’s lead with a stunning solo goal, beating two opponents from outside the 25 before burying her shot beyond Mackay.

Further chances for Slough fell to Nicola White, who was off target, Lubbock (twice) whose shots failed to test Mackay with Penny firing the rebound from the first straight at the keeper.

After half-time two penalty corners for Slough brought no reward with the first being scrambled off the line after a Mackay save and Smith not connecting cleanly with the second.

Bowdon’s second set piece was fired wide and Alex Scott was way off target with a reverse stick shot.

In the 56th minute Bowdon conjured a goal against the run of play when the Premier’s all-time top scorer Tina Cullen picked up a long pass and, with Slough’s defence nowhere, fired home on the turn.

However, the goal did not spark a Bowdon revival and Slough could have scored a third when a right-wing cross by Ball just eluded two Slough players in the D.

SLOUGH: Duggan; Nicholson, Strong, Coulson, Bell; White, Greenham, Ball; Bevan, J Smith, Penny. Subs: Scott, Shanahan, Harte, Lubbock. Not used: Cox.

Copy supplied to Slough Observer & Slough Express 04/12/09