A BRACE of penalties from Sol Wanjau-Smith and a Rhys Sarson double kept Slimbridge in sight of the play-offs after a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Barnstaple, writes Rob Peck.

Slimbridge manager Lee Driver-Dickerson kept faith with the starting eleven that secured a point last week on the road, promoting Under-18 defender Owen Giles to the bench.

Slimbridge were awarded a penalty on 14 minutes. Adam Price was pulled down inside the box by Oliver and Wanjau-Smith stepped up to score.

Five minutes later the home side were awarded a second penalty when Wanjau-Smith was pushed over inside the box having cut in from the left wing. He coolly stepped up and scored his fifth penalty in the last three games.

It wasn’t too long before they got onto the score sheet again. Myron Turner passed the ball to Sarson on the edge of the box and with his back to goal turned and slotted the ball past Oliver into the far corner of the net with just over 30 minutes of the game played.

A fourth goal came on 36 minutes. Spruce passed to Aaron Nesbeth just inside the box who forced a good save from Oliver, but the rebound fell into the path of Sarson, making no mistake to score from 10 yards out.

Despite a four-goal lead the Swans continued to look for more goals, Spruce’s curling effort from the right drifting just wide of the top corner. Spruce was then denied by a last gasp tackle from Liam Gregory as he was about to shoot.

The second half saw the home side sit back on their lead without the urgency in their game compared to the first half. Sarson close range shot was saved by Oliver when through on goal while at the other end Lewis Adams a spectator for much of the first period pulled off a good stop from former Slimbridge striker Saddam Bello from 20 yards.

On 73 minutes Swans captain Joel White pulled off a great tackle on Stuart Bowker inside the box to deny a goal scoring opportunity. A couple of minutes later Barnstaple found their task much harder when Humphreys picked up his second yellow card leaving the visitors down to 10 men.

Slimbridge travel to Bideford on Saturday, 3pm.

Slimbridge: Adams, Nesbeth, Peck, Ford, White, Jones (Giles 79), Spruce, Price, Sarson, Turner (Horrell 75), Wanjau-Smith (Martin 68)

Subs not used: Chambers

Attendance: 82

Supporters’ man-of-the- match: Rhys Sarson