Pitchero Non League

Stuart Swift

....side Hungerford Town 2-1 at Holloways Park in the FA Trophy Preliminary Round on Sunday.

Ed Smith opened the scoring for Slough after a miskick from a defender after only 3 minutes.

However, the visitors were well on top after that and the Rebels were doing well to stay ahead.

And their chances of hanging on diminished greatly just before half-time when Sean Sonner was sent-off for a poor challenge on Hungerford`s Bradley Gray. The second half started with chances at both ends - Hungerford go close with a cross-shot and minutes later Slough`s Danny Burnell crashed a shot against the bar from 25 yards.

The `home` side`s Nathan Bowden-Haase then had a header cleared off the line shortly before Hungerford's Gray put one over the bar when he probably should have done better.

Then Burnell almost capitalised as Ian Herring failed to clear but dragged his shot wide, and moments later Jon Boardman made a superb block from Smith's shot.

Ollie Burgess` shot is kept out awkwardly by Hungerford keeper Paul Strudley, who recovered to gather the ball in a scrum after Burnell`s effort had been blocked.

Ten minutes from time James Warrington made a superb low save to keep Slough ahead.

However, Slough virtually killed the tie off when Stuart Swift hit a dipping, swerving shot from 25 yards which Strudley could only watch fly past him.

Luke Hopper did manage to pull one back for Hungerford in stoppage time, but the ten-men held on.