LEE Togwell’s first-half stoppage-time strike earned Slough Town a second Southern League Premier Division away win in five days as they beat pre-season title favourites Hereford 1-0 at Edgar Street.

In a hard-fought opening, Hereford’s Pablo Haysham and Mike McGrath both missed the target when well placed, while home goalkeeper Martin Horsnell spilled a Chris Flood cross onto Manny Williams on the half hour.

Rebels had a life five minutes later when an attempted John Mills cross rebounded off the woodwork to safety, but they struck the vital blow on the stroke of half time.

Slough counter-attacked and James Dobson’s long ball forward was headed down to Simon Dunn, who he played it quickly out to Flood on the right.

He cut into the penalty area and got a shot on target, which Horsell failed to gather cleanly, allowing Togwell to pounce on the loose ball and find the bottom corner.

Slough had their tails up and went in search of a second goal before the half-time whistle, with Dobson firing a shot into Horsell’s midriff from 25 yards.

The visitors started the second half in much the same way as they ended the first, with Dobson unlucky to slice an attempt with the outside of his left boot narrowly wide of Horsell’s goal.

Hereford were working hard to get back into the game, but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a robust Slough rearguard – and their task was made even more difficult 10 minutes later as forward Mike Symons was shown a straight red card for swinging his arm in the direction of Guy Hollis’ face as the two players prepared to challenge for a long ball upfield from Horsell.

The hosts almost equalised minutes later, but Jimmy Oates powered a header wide from Haysham’s corner.

Slough then almost doubled their lead, again from a corner – but Dunn’s near post header from Matt Lench’s delivery flew all the way across goal and wide.

Brad Wadkins, introduced in place of Williams, also went close, heading over when unmarked with almost his first touch of the game.

A nervy final 10 minutes was ensured when Lench was shown his second yellow card in the space of six minutes – both for fairly minor offences, the first for not retreating at a Hereford free-kick and the second a push on the half-way line.

But Slough were determined not to let their lead slip, and soaked up late Hereford pressure, with Turner superbly claiming high balls into the box and man-of-the-match Mark Nisbet blocking a shot from Mills.

Dunn had a glorious chance to seal the three points four minutes into added time, only to be thwarted as Horsell saved with a leg – but the final whistle sounded moments later.

Slough host St Ives on Saturday, before travelling to Farnborough on Monday (both 3pm).