Tonbridge Angels (0) 3 Maloney 40 Ottaway 86 Robinson 90+6
Slough Town (1) 1 Amartey 69
Attendance: 960
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/4,620
The Angels returned to winning ways with a hard fought win against Slough Town, with first goals for the club from Taylor Maloney and Harry Ottaway, in a game much tighter than the 3-1 scoreline might suggest.
Jay Saunders not only had to overcome tricky National League South opposition but a selection dilemma that saw six players unavailable through either injury or suspension. Taylor Maloney was recalled after nearly two months out, whilst Mo Dabre also returned following injury.
On a crisp day that produced a vivid red sunset behind the West Stand, Jay made three changes from the starting XI beaten at Hampton last Saturday. Ronny Nelson, who limped out of that game at half-time was replaced by Nazir Bakrin and Maloney and Dabre took the places of the suspended Garrett Kelly and Ryan Hanson.
Jay praised the returning Maloney: “I’ve got to give a shout to Taylor, he’s been out for the best part of two months, he has done three training sessions and scored a great goal. I wouldn’t normally have asked him to play in those circumstances but, given the way the squad was, I’ve said to him, get through as much as you can and I thought he was excellent.”
The opening half-hour was cagey with no clear opportunities for either side. An early effort from Slough’s Dan Roth brought a comfortable save from Matt Rowley and, at the other end, Jamie Fielding just failed to get onto the end of a cross from Sean Shields.
The breakthrough for the home side came on 40 minutes when a well worked move between Shields and Bailey Akehurst saw the ball cleared to the edge of the box from where Taylor Maloney curled a terrific strike into the top corner.
Slough made most of the early running in the second half but it was the Angels that came closest to increasing their lead as goalkeeper Charlie Horlock made a brilliant save to turn a shot from Harry Ottaway onto the top of the bar.
On 69 minutes, good refereeing allowed Slough an advantage and substitute Francis Amartey ran clear down the right to fire across the face of goal into the far corner.
The game looked to be heading for honours even when the Angels restored their lead with four minutes remaining. Ethan Sutcliffe made a surging run down the right to loft a cross to the far post where Ottaway was on hand to slide in and steer the ball over the line.
After breathing a sigh of relief as Slough’s Spicer and Goddard saw shots blocked or miss the target, the game was given a final goal, six minutes into added time, when substitute Trevan Robinson robbed a defender on the edge of the box and despite the best efforts of Horlock, diving at his feet to smother, the ball rebounded to roll over the line.
Jay added: “The last couple of games we have been hindered by different reasons that there is no point in going back over but we wanted a response today. Were we at our free-flowing best, probably not but with the circumstances around the squad it’s a great three points for us. The lads have given everything, there were some out there out on their legs but they’ve battled to the end and managed to get a win.”
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