Slough (H)

Staines 4 - 2 Slough
MOM - Pavitar Hanspal
DOD - Matt Wells
After the disappoinment of the previous week, Staines were full of determination to claim all three points with the visit of local rivals Slough. The two league matches last seasons between the teams certainly proved eventful with 3 red cards between the teams and plenty of yellows!
The match started well for Staines with plenty of attacks in the first couple of minutes resulting in some good saves from the goalkeeper. Staines went 1-0 up through an excellent poachers goal from a well worked short corner. At that point, with the attacks flowing towards the Slough goal, it was only a matter of time before there was another goal. It did come but from a breakaway attack from Slough where the umpires somehow managed to miss three fouls in a row for the forward to walk into the attacking circle and blast it into the goal. Despite this, Staines knew they had enough in the team to score more. Staines tried to get back into the hockey being played before the goal. It proved tricky with Slough getting a big lift from their goal to have their best spell of the match which included a save on the line from a staines defender.
Staines weathered the Slough attacks and countered with great skill through Matt Wells and James Laszlo combining to score a lovely goal. Staines went into the break 2-1 up and looking to press on in the second half to give us some breathing space.
The second half continued a similar pattern from the first half with Staines having more of the ball but wary of the pace and trickery of the Slough attackers. Staines scored again to move 3-1 up before Slough somehow scored from a short corner.
Staines continued to push forward and got the reward with a well worked 4th goal which put the match to bed.
Two wins and a draw from the first 3 league matches is a good start and the squad will be looking to keep it going with a match against local rivals Woking next week.