The Fleet’s interest in the Emirates FA Cup was ended this evening as Slough Town made it into the First Round to earn a home game against Grimsby Town.
Both goals came in the first-half and Fleet couldn’t summon the attacking power they needed in the second to reduce the arrears.
Dennis Kutrieb made five changes to the side that drew on Saturday, including a debut for new signing Jordon Ibe.
The first chance of the match fell to the hosts as they tried to repeat their early success of the previous game and it was Munashe Sundire whose powerful strike was blocked by Mark Cousins. Another strong chance from Slough forced more defensive work from the Fleet and a short-range shot was blocked by the heel of skipper Josh Wright to earn the Rebels a corner – which Nathan Minhas struck just wide.
A glimpse of goal appeared in the 13th minute for the Fleet with a neat run from Franklin Domi and a shot that won the visitors their first corner. Trying to put goalkeeper Rohan Luthra under pressure from those after his handling on Saturday, Fleet never really unsettled the Cardiff loanee this time and he punched clear. Domi saw sight of goal once again with a free-kick delivery from a tight angle but Tyrese Dyce cleared with his head from the goalline.
Neither side had really stamped much authority on the game but David Ogbonna was a lively threat as Slough were enthusiastic going forward and used the counterattack to good effect. That was on show when they took the lead just past the half-hour mark when they sped upfield and Ogbonna teed up Jackman in the 18-yard box where he swept the ball away from Cousins and in.
And Slough doubled their lead 10 minutes later in similar circumstances. The referee played advantage following a sliding challenge from Josh Wright which later earned the skipper a yellow and Matt Lench drove the ball forward. In plenty of space to size up what was ahead of him, he cracked a hefty shot into the corner.
The second-half needed a quick goal from the Fleet – who brought on Craig Tanner and Dominic Poleon – but it was the hosts who had the first shot on target as George Alexander was blocked by Hayden White, Ogbonna taking on the loose ball to force a goalline clearance from Hollis.
An hour passed and the Fleet still toiled with no clear sight of goal presenting itself. Slough nearly claimed a third when Dan Bayliss tried his luck from distance and his effort clipped the inside of the post but stayed out of the net.
The Fleet made repeated attempts to break down Slough’s stubborn backline but there was no way through and only Darren McQueen’s effort from the right side of the box which flew just off target was notable.
Slough had a couple of shouts for penalties waved away by the referee but in the end, they didn’t need to rely on any further help having defended their 2-0 lead well against a Fleet side unable to respond to that first-half setback.
EUFC: Cousins, O’Neill, White, Hollis, Wright, Domi, Chapman, Sterling-James (Poleon 46), Ibe (Tanner 46), McQueen, Amoo (Coulthirst 73). Subs: Cissé, Edser, Fsnimo, Odokonyero
STFC: Luthra, Jackman, Bayliss, Lench (Chambers-Parillon 90), Minhas (Goddard 86), Davies (Prosper 90), Eweka, Dyce, Sundire, Ogbonna, Alexander. Subs: McElroy, Platt, Spicer, North.
Attendance: 779
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