3 points and 4th place in close game

by Mike Haymonds

SLOUGH Ladies gained a second win to move them up to fourth place but it was a less than convincing performance against opponents who continue to prop up the table.
Without three players at the Commonwealth Games Slough’s resources are stretched and it will be another three weeks before they can field a squad with a reasonable number of outfield substitutes.
Slough coach Royce Waters said: “We showed improvement in creating chances but were not as clinical as we should be.
“There is a fine line in converting chances which is something we will work on.”
Chloe Strong gave Slough the perfect start, drilling home their first penalty corner in the fourth minute, but they could not convert their next two set pieces.
Slough keeper Becky Duggan made an early save and Strong ran down Olton’s first corner but, at the next in the 32nd minute, Duggan blocked the initial strike and Jenny Pritchard squeezed the ball home from close range.
Right on half time Slough regained the lead when, from a goalmouth scramble at their fifth corner, Natalie Bell bundled the ball over the line.
Hannah Bowe came to Slough’s rescue by clearing off the line after an Olton break before Slough were awarded a penalty stroke. A defender deflected over the bar a lob from Bell over the keeper with a high stick and the award was confirmed after consultation between the umpires.
But Alex Scott’s effort failed to trouble keeper Gemma Brookes.
Two yellow cards meant Olton played for five minutes with two players short but Slough could not capitalise on their numerical advantage.
But, on the hour, a flowing four-man move left Bell with an unguarded net to increase Slough’s lead and a goal by the visitors’ skipper Rachel Clift two minutes from time came too late to deny Slough the victory.

SLOUGH: Duggan, Nicholson, Strong, Coulson, Bell, Cunningham, Greenham, Bowe, Scott, Archer, Penny. Sub: Ilkei.