Written By Allan Mitchell
Slough Town 0 Hemel Hempstead Town 1
Vanarama National League South 07/09/2024
You had a feeling that something had to give in this fixture, with both sides having made an excellent start to the campaign. Whilst The Tudors remained unbeaten, Slough had just suffered only their second defeat of the season and they were also very proud of just celebrating a whole year without a loss at Arbour Park, quite an achievement and a record that found itself a centre page spread in the matchday programme.
Hemel have a poor record at the ground and most of us have witnessed an almost annual 0-2 defeat in the last few years with one exception which was ironically a 2-0 win a couple of seasons back.
Slough made the better start to the game without really testing Craig King but it was the visitors had who had the first clear cut chance in the 5th minute when Ricardo German did well on the edge of the box, holding the ball up before feeding it out to Alfie Cerulli who took a touch before driving it across the keeper but it skidded past the far post.
Credit: Club Photographer | Jemma Sear / @_photosbyjem
After a period of stalemate, both sides had chances in quick succession when they really should have scored. Slough’s David Ogbonna drove into the box with just King to beat but the Hemel Goalminder has been in superb form this season and he closed him down quickly and blocked his shot before clearing the ball quickly out to George Williams who slid a lovely pass through to Ricardo German who found himself in an identical position to Ogbonna but he was also thwarted by some good goalkeeping with Charlie Horlock saving well from close range.
Slough forced a series of corners before the break without really threatening the goal but with the clock ticking down, Gary Abisogun almost broke the deadlock with a fine effort from the edge of the box, it looked as though it was heading for the bottom corner but King once again came up with the goods, saving at full stretch to tip it round the post.
The second half saw Hemel enjoy more possession without creating too many opportunities and Slough just struggled to get their passing game together. The first goal was always going to be crucial in a game like this and it was The Tudors that got it just past the hour mark when Kyle O’Connor-Ajayi got onto a superb Geroge Williams corner kick, burying the ball into the net with a fine header as he arrived at the back post.
Credit: Club Photographer | Jemma Sear / @_photosbyjem
The home side huffed and puffed but Hemel’s back line remained disciplined and kept them at bay as the clock ticked down.
New signing Jordan Esprit could have put the game to bed when he managed to get in front of his marker at the near post after more great work by Williams down the left, Esprit got a touch on the ball but he couldn’t quite get it on target and it spun wide.
Slough’s best chance of the game came after Hemel were guilty of conceding a couple of freekicks around the edge of the box. The first effort hit the wall but wasn’t cleared and Ogbonna was felled again as he lined up a shot. This time the freekick went round the wall but once again King was equal to it, saving brilliantly at full stretch at the foot of the post.
There was one final chance up the other end as Williams sent Connor Kurran-Browne clear down the left, he got to the byline before driving the ball right across the face of the goal but there wasn’t a Hemel player there to get the vital touch.
The referee added on an agonising 7 minutes of injury time at the end but The Tudors kept to their game plan and saw the game out comfortably to make it eigth games unbeaten and moves them three points clear at the top, putting an end to Slough’s proud home record in the process.
Hemel: Craig King, Teddy Howe, Dan Wishart (Kai Woolard-Innocent) Kyle Ajayi, Ben Tompkins, Chris Smith, George Williams, Kyran Wiltshire (Jack Davies) Ricardo German (Bayley Brown) Alfie Cerulli, Jordan Esprit (Connor Kurran-Browne) Sub not used: Sydney Ibie.
Attendance: 1203
Mitch's Man of the Match: George Williams.
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