Slough started the game determined to make sure they caught United out. From the kick off instead of playing the ball back as is mainly the case, the two central strikers charged upfield with the ball.  Byron Bubb then let fly from 30 yards with a wicked shot that Lee Farrow had to dive to his left to push away at full stretch.

Three minutes later and a free kick was hoisted high into the area, a ploy which they used time and again to good effect, and Farrow had to be alert to throw himself across the goal to get his fingers to the ball and turn away for a corner.

The next cross to the far post saw Eamonn McGonigley charge in and rise above any challenge and powerfully head beyond the keeper to put the home side one up with only five minutes on the clock.  The signs looked ominous as Town came forward towards their vocal baying support in the stand behind the United goal and kept pumping the ball in long and high with Abingdon just holding them at bay.

Abingdon suddenly turned the tables on 12 minutes with their first strike on goal as Jamie Brooks showed some quality as he beat two men and then picked his spot from 20 yards and hit a low shot that flew into the net.  This stunned the home side and their supporters and it went quiet for the next ten minutes with Abingdon matching their opponents. Anaclet Odhiambo put a chance well over and Luke Holden screwed his effort a long way wide.

Slowly Slough regained composure and control and when a home striker was taken out by Nathan Woodley about 20 yards from goal, Bubb stepped up for the free kick.  Farrow took time to set up his wall to cover his right of goal and positioned himself on the other side.  The expected shot over the wall to the top corner didn’t materialise as Bubb drove it low past the wall and Farrow was unsighted as a United defender ran across him and the ball flew by him into the corner of the goal.

Soon after and Matthew Platt scampered clear of the visiting rearguard but his effort was off target. Bubb then sprinted clear but he also wasted his opportunity by shooting wide.  A dangerous Slough corner was deflected up and over the bar as Town continued to produce some excellent incisive moves that were pulling Abingdon all over.

United had a rare excursion to the opposition area when Julian McCalmon threaded a ball between the central defenders and Odhiambo was on it in a flash and a goalbound shot was saved by Jamie Jackson at full stretch.

With ten minutes to half time Town had a couple of corners to no avail and as they played the ball square to Adam Durrant there appeared to be no threat. He saw his chance and he went for goal and hit the ball into the bottom corner from 18 yards to give Abingdon a mountain to climb. 

Soon after Holden fought his way past two challenges but was always stretching to get the ball and couldn’t get his effort on target.

The second half started in the same vein as the first with Bubb outpacing the backline and forcing a fine save out of Farrow to keep his side in the match.

Bubb then had another free kick from a central position and he beat the wall but this time the keeper was alert and blocked the shot and Durrant came charging in but connected with the ball as it bounced up and only helped in heading it over the bar from close in.

Abingdon got a grip on the midfield at last and some pressure on the home defence with a series of corners but time and again the Town stood solid and no chances were created. As the hour mark approached Abingdon threw the ball into the area two or three times in succession and eventually a defender sliced his clearance and only a quick reaction by his left back on the line saved a goal as he hooked it away.  The ball was fired straight back in and the same player got a foot to it to clear off the line for the second time.

United earned a couple more corners but again lacked the creativity to break through until Ryan Curtin curled a free kick around the wall and Jackson had to scoop it away for another corner.  This time a well flighted kick was headed down to Woodley only four yards out and somehow he thumped it clear over the bar.

With quarter of an hour to go another looping ball into the area caused panic and as Micheas Hebert tried to bring it down he was held and the referee awarded a penalty.  Curtin took the spot kick and hit it strongly to the keeper’s right to pull a goal back.

As is often the case, with United chasing the game they pushed too many forward and a loose pass gave the ball away deep in opposition territory and it was whipped upfield and a lone run by Platt saw him strike the ball well and it went in off the far post.  This as good as killed off the game but Abingdon still came forward but conceded again with little time left as a throw in on the left seemed no danger but Platt swivelled with the ball in the area and found the far side of the net for his second score. 

There was still time for another attack from United but again the ball was lost and Bubb on the break set up Platt who struck it strongly but Farrow was equal to it and parried it away just before the final whistle.

Team: Farrow, Smith, Organ, Davies, Woodley, McCalmon, Brooks, Herbert, Holden, Odhiambo, Curtin

Subs used: 

Janes on for Holden (67)

Parker on for Brooks (80)

Subs not used:  Franklin, Austin

Attendance:         211