BASINGSTOKE Town produced their best win of the season, as they ended leaders Slough Town’s 12 game unbeaten league run in dramatic style.

The Dragons roared to a 4-1 home victory coming from a goal down at half-time as they moved themselves up to ninth in the Southern League Premier Division, while Slough were knocked off the top.

Terry Brown stuck with the same side which beat Kings Langley in midweek, but it was the visitors who dominated for the first 45 minutes.

They closed the home side down quickly with the industrious James Dobson pulling the strings in midfield, alongside former Town favourite Simon Dunn.

It was therefore no surprise when the Slough side took the lead after 22 minutes as Dobson’s free-kick was headed away by Charlie Kennedy, but launched back into the area for sub Lewis Putman to score with an excellent shot from the left side of the area.

The home side responded with a Sam Deadfield free-kick which was headed just over by Romone Rose and then a low shot from Richie Whittingham forced a save.

Slough came looking for a second goal and only a super save from Alex Tokarcyzk denied them on 43 minutes.

Paul Stonehouse’s cross found Charlie Moone at the back post and Tokarcyzk somehow managed via the post to keep the ball out, before David Ray cleared the ball away.

Then late in the first half a Dobson free-kick came off the chest of Tokarczyk and he saved the rebound from Putman.

For the start of the second half, the home side made a change as right back Marcus Johnson Schuster came on, which saw Nana Owusu pushed up into midfield in place of Whittingham.

The switch soon reaped dividends as Johnson-Schuster released Rose down the left flank and he forced a corner.

Deadfield sent in a low flag kick and Aaron Jarvis netted at the near post to level things.

Soon after, confusion in the home defence saw Dobson fire over and then on 55 minutes Slough were reduced to 10 men.

Deadfield, whose pace had caused Slough problems all game, surged forward and was sent crashing to the floor by a really bad two footed late challenge from Mark Nisbet.

It looked bad and referee Philip Stayrings had no hesitation in banishing a straight red card for the Slough defender.

The visitors reshuffled their line-up to cover the loss of one of their back line, but the home side now went for the kill.

Just after the hour mark, Rob Atkinson released Owusu down the left wing and he fired across the Slough goalkeeper Mark Scott into the net.

Then two minutes later, the Dragons scored a third as a long ball from Johnson-Schuster saw Jarvis, who was now running the back line ragged, go up for a header, but was sent flying by Guy Hollis and the home side were awarded a penalty.

Jarvis placed the ball on the spot and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 3-1.

At this point, the visitors looked shell shocked and never really offered anything.

It was left to the home side to complete the scoring, as Charlie Kennedy, the midfield general in the second half, won a robust challenge and the ball fell to sub Aaron Redford, who curled in a low shot into the bottom corner.

After the game a delighted Dragons’ boss Terry Brown said: “That was a very pleasing performance.

“At half-time we made a change, as we were playing with a diamond, which meant there were too many bodies in midfield. I wanted us to get some width and get in behind which they were unable to deal with.

“They had only conceded six goals in the league before today and we score four against them, but that happens in football.”

He added: “It was nice to see Aaron (Redford) have a little cameo in the last five minutes and get a goal.”

It gets no easier for Basingstoke, as on Tuesday night, they travel to third placed Chippenham Town.