Slough Town 0-2 Hemel Town

Yes we Finaly beat The Rebels at Arbour Park.

Goal one

Goal two

Slough Town 0 Hemel Hempstead Town 2 Vanarama National League South – 8th October 2022 Match Report by Allan Mitchell Hemel arrived at Arbour Park having never beaten their hosts at their new stadium and for the first 20 minutes it looked as though that record would not be challenged as Slough dominated the early exchanges. There was a real escape for the Tudors in the third minute when Matt Lench smashed his header against the crossbar, the rebound falling kindly to Johnny Goddard who hit it first time but it flew just wide of Craig Kings far post.

Josh Jackson then curled a shot wide from just outside the box as Slough cranked up the pressure. In a rare counter attack from Hemel a ball came in from the left and was met by Jordan Greenidge who knocked it down to Ogo Obi who spotted the keeper off his line but his attempted lob cleared the crossbar. Still Slough pressed forward and won a corner on the 20 minute mark, it was put into the near post where Lee Togwell stooped low and headed the ball in from point blank range only to see Craig King save it superbly and it seemed it would only be a matter of time before the home side took the lead. Manager Mark Jones decided to re-arrange his back line after this early pressure and Hemel started to settle and create chances themselves with Obi seeing a shot deflect into the arms off the keeper before he tried another chip over the advancing keeper that once again, cleared the bar. On 31 minutes Jernade Meade did well down the left before cutting the ball inside to Obi, he outmuscled his marker before curling a superb shot into the corner of the net from the edge of the box to give the Tudors the lead, somewhat against the run of play. This seemed to stun the home side somewhat whilst Hemel settled and looked in control up to the interval.

The second period saw the visitors step up their game and they created a few early chances with Kory Roberts seeing his header cleared off the line and an Ilunga cross just getting deflected behind the onrushing Greenidge. Slough’s first chance of the half came on 55 minutes and should have resulted in an equaliser when a free kick was floated into the box behind the Hemel back line, it was met by a completely unmarked Matt Lench at the back post but he could only head it into the side netting from just four yards out. This was almost punished by the Tudors when Obi raced down the Slough right before crossing into Greenidge who got a good touch on the ball only to see keeper Rhys Forster stick out a leg to block the goalbound effort. The game was now very much end to end with the next goal being crucial. Slough had a free kick on the edge of the box that Aaron Kuhl curled over the wall but it lacked power and King saved easily. Back up the other end, Roberts crossed a ball right onto Jack Westbrook’s head after Slough failed to clear a corner, the Hemel centre half connected superbly but saw it fizz inches wide with Forster beaten. The goal that decided the game came in the 74th minute when Hemel had a free kick out on the right, it was fired into the back post where sub Bayley Brown rose above everyone else and guided it back across the face of the goal where it clipped the inside of the post and went in. Both sides had chances after this, with Slough seeing another header hit the bar before Hemel new boy, Luke Holness smashed a shot against the woodwork. Then minutes later Ilunga saw his shot deflected onto the post and back into Forster’s arms. The remaining minutes stayed end to end with the home side pushing everyone up and Hemel wasting a couple of good opportunities on the counter but the score somehow remained 2-0 and when the referee blew his whistle, the Tudors fans were in full voice as the ‘Slough Bogey’ was finally put to bed.

Thats five league games unbeaten for Mark Jones side as they start to steadily climb the table and a hard earned result against an in form side.

Next up is a re-arranged game against Cheshunt on Saturday 15th October at Vauxhall Road, Both sides agreeing to play the game after getting knocked out of the FA Cup.

Hemel: Craig King; Charlie Barker, Jernade Meade, Jack Westbrook, Kory Roberts: Godfrey Poku, Josh Castiglione (Bayley Brown) Dominic Morgan-Griffiths, Brooklyn Ilunga; Jordan Greenidge (Josh Lelan) Ogo Obi (Luke Holness) Subs not used: Ryan Hope, Dara Dada. Attendance 647

Tudors man of the Match: Kory Roberts (closely followed by Jack Westbrook)