Excellent win at Birmingham Uni keeps Slough in 3rd spot

by Mike Haymonds

THREE spectacular goals, two from Sam Archer and the other from Nicola White, her fourth in as many games, gave Slough Ladies a 3-2 win at Birmingham University.

The win kept Slough in third place and reduced the gap behind Canterbury to two points after the Kent club lost top spot to Leicester who beat them 1-0.

The chase for a top-five finish, to qualify for a play-offs berth, intensified with third to sixth place now covered by only four points.
Slough face the toughest run-in of all the contenders with games against Bowdon Hightown (fifth), Reading (fourth) and Leicester (first).

Slough skipper Chloe Strong, who was sidelined with an Achilles injury, said: “We battled hard for a deserved win but we should have scored more.”

Slough opened the scoring in the third minute when Natalie Bell won possession in midfield and spread the play right to Nicola White who beat four defenders before firing home from the top of the D.
As Slough stepped up the pressure a close range shot by Lauren Penny was saved by the home keeper but the lead was increased in the 17th minute.

After a dribble by White she crossed through a crowded circle where Sam Archer at the far post deftly controlled the pass and steered it home.
The students pulled a goal back after 42 minutes when Liz George beat keeper Becky Duggan to a right-wing centre and lifted it over her into goal.

Slough upped the pace and scored a third in the 61st minute when Ashleigh Ball and Penny launched a break which ended with Penny crossing to the top of the D for Archer to volley home.

With five minutes left the hosts reduced the deficit, turning over possession and rounding off a quick counter-attack with a goal by Sarah Page.

SLOUGH: Duggan, Cunningham, Nicholson, Coulson, Bowe, White, Greenham, Bell, Bevan, Penny, Ball. Subs: Archer, Shanahan, Filochowski