Slough Town v Chelmsford City FC

Match Report

Chelmsford City picked up their first win of the season on Tuesday night with a resilient 2-0 win over Slough Town.

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It was more of a tale of a result over performance perhaps from Chelmsford City as a quick start to the game meant that Simeon Jackson fired in from the edge of the area to give the Clarets the lead just as the game ticked into the 12th minute. Then Chelmsford had to soak up a lot of Slough pressure and possession but a decisive counter-attack with 10 minutes to go allowed Devonte Aransibia to round the keeper to seal the 2-0 success for City.

Chelmsford City boss Robbie Simpson made 2 changes to the starting XI that had started the last 3 games, as he changed out Callum Jones for Khale Da Costa on the right wing. The other switch was Harry Lodovica for Charlie Ruff, with Simeon Jackson going back into Ruff’s position as second striker with Lodovica further forward.

City almost made an impact from kick-off. Former Claret Scott Davies’ pass was closed down by Simeon Jackson and it broke kindly for Harry Lodovica but he fired wide of Jonathan North’s post just after 10 seconds of play.

City took a deserved lead after 12 minutes. A long diagonal from Cameron James found Eduino Vaz on the left wing. His cross found Lodovica in the area who brought the ball down for Simeon Jackson to step onto and fire a first time finish into the bottom right hand corner. 1-0 to the Clarets.

Chelmsford kept the pressure on and could have added another as Jackson headed over Aransibia’s corner. However Slough then began to press and created their first decent chance in the 23rd minute. A deflected cross from left back George Wells found John Goddard but he swept his shot wide. In the last 10 minutes of the half was when Slough really should have scored. Blocks from Oluwo and James kept Slough at bay and then the resulting corner was headed over by Guy Hollis.

For all Slough’s pressure throughout the game, the only real save was made by Ovie Ejeheri in first half stoppage time. A free-kick down the right was headed on and in one motion, Slough’s Matt Lench turned and shot but Ejeheri brilliantly leapt to his left to tip it over the bar. Chelmsford almost didn’t escape from the resulting corner but Lee Togwell headed down but it bounced over the bar.

After a quiet opening 10 minutes to the second half, Slough had their best chance when Goddard sent through Elliott Benyon but the experienced forward slid his effort wide. This prompted City boss Simpson into a double sub and a formation change. Dave Winfield and Henry Ochieng replaced Tom Blackwell and Khale Da Costa, which changed formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 5-3-2. Winfield was making his first appearance since being sent off against the same opponents in April.

Although Slough were dominating the football this stemmed the home side’s flow of opportunities with the added height of Winfield repelling their crosses. City then had the next best chance when Lodovica won the ball well inside his own half, he subsequently ran 50 yards but slipped his effort wide of the left hand post.

City though killed the game off on 80 minutes. After a long ball from Jazzi-Barnum-Bobb was headed on by Harry Lodovica, Devonte Aransibia broke unmarked from midfield and travelled 30 yards with the ball. He then rounded North and prodded the ball over the line for his second goal of the season in as many games. It was a well-worked counter-attack from City and it allowed their supporters to relax a little more.

However, Slough continued to pressurise and sub George Hunt fired just over from 30 yards but then from 18 yards he shot again in injury time and it hit the inside of Ovie Ejeheri’s left hand post and rolled away which summed up Slough’s profligate night in front of goal.

City saw out the remaining minutes and picked up their first win over Slough in 7 attempts since the Rebels were promoted to the Vanarama National League South.

City will be back in action this Saturday at home to Weymouth on 20th August, 3pm kickoff.

Chelmsford City Starting XI: Ejeheri, Barnum-Bobb, Oluwo, James, Vaz, Aransibia, Trotter, Da Costa (Winfield 57), Jackson, Blackwell (Ochieng 57), Lodovica (Jones 84).

Unused Substitutes: Hockey, Ruff

Bookings: Ejeheri, James

Joint Players of the Match: Cameron James & Harry Lodovica

Slough Town Starting XI: North, Jackman, Togwell, Hollis, Wells, Lench, Kuhl, Davies (Hunt 80), Goddard, Benyon, Harris (Kayani 77)

Unused Substitutes: Pruti, George, Sole

Bookings: Hollis, Lench, Harris, Kuhl

Attendance: 478