Davies calls for Rebels’ reaction
Slough Town FC: Slough’s impressive recent run is ended by the Terras
Weymouth 3, Slough Town 0
Scott Davies called for a reaction from his players and apologised to supporters after the Rebels crashed to a 3-0 defeat at Weymouth on Saturday.
His side have been in excellent form of late, beating Taunton Town 3-0 and Bath City 2-1 in back-to-back league games to lift themselves into the relative safety of mid-table.
However, he admitted they weren't quite at their best in Dorset as goals from Alfie Rutherford, Brandon Goodship and Maidenhead United loanee Harry Parsons earned the Terras a hardfought victory in a game that was more even than the scoreline suggests.
Had the Rebels taken the chances which fell their way in the first and second halves, the outcome might well have been different, with in-form Slavi Spasov missing the best of them just before the hour mark when he was sent clean through on goal.
Fresh from their impressive 2-1 win at Twerton Park in mid-week, the Rebels began brightly in Dorset with Nathan Minhas the first to test the Terras' defence. He managed to get in behind from a lofted pass, but his effort was smothered by Gerard Benfield.
With Leon Chambers-Parillon driving the visitors forward, Slough continued to pose problems, however, the hosts managed to scramble a series of dangerous
crosses clear, and they survived the early onslaught from the Rebels.
They also came into the game more as an attacking force with Tom Bearwish flashing a volley narrowly wide of Dan Lincoln's goal.
That was the warning shot for the Rebels and it wasn't heeded. Two minutes before half-time they fell behind when Bearwish got clear down the flank and whipped in a low cross that Rutherford tapped home.
Davies would have hoped for a second half response from his side, but it never materialised. If anything, Weymouth stepped up a gear, with Bearwish turning a Leo Gamble cross just wide in the early stages of the half.
Then came the moment which might have changed the game for Slough. Spasov - who had four in four coming into the clash - was put clean through by Johnny Goddard, but he failed to take the chance, despite taking the ball around Benfield before spurning the opportunity as the angle narrowed. It proved the game's turning point with the home side cashing in in the 70th minute when Goodship lobbed Dan Lincoln to make it 2-0. Goddard smashed another chance wide after good work from Jeanmal Prosper. It simply wasn't their day in front of goal and those fears were confirmed when Parsons scored the goal of the game with a lovely curling effort from the edge of the box in the 90th minute.
The result leaves the Rebels in 13th place, five points behind seventh placed Aveley and still 12 points above the bottom four and the drop zone heading into Saturday's home game against fourth-placed Maidstone United.
Tuesday's trip to Taunton Town was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
After the game, Davies posted: “Beaten by the better side today in what was always going to be a battle. We didn’t stand up to what Weymouth threw us at us and they fully deserved their win. We’ve been good for a while so no panic stations our end, just need to react Tuesday. Apologies to those who travelled.”