This was not good enough Slough

After the carnival atmosphere of the pre-season friendlies, Slough, with their new faces on view including six internationals, were very lucky to get a share of the points against Tilbury.

With the wind against them in the first half Slough were pushed back time and time again and we waited patiently for the second half when the advantage would be Slough's.

For a short time the Rebels took charge, but to their supporters dismay, the home side soon regained the initiative and never really looked in danger of losing the game. Slough were in some trouble from the start as centre-half Micky Droy was unable to play due to a registration mix up. Ian McPhee deputised and paired up with Alf D'Arcy and Derek Gamblin to give one of the worst defensive displays from a Slough side. Indeed the back four were reduced to three men on occasions as D'Arcy took little part in marking but stood off waiting for the mistakes.

The home side can hardly have believed their good fortune as they swept through the Slough defence twice in the first 60 seconds, and had Flood been able to kick with his right foot Slough could well have been two goals down in this time.

It was no surprise when Tilbury went ahead in the 4th minute, perhaps the only surprise was that it took them so long to score. A cross from Howard was headed home by Bussell without so much as a challenge from a Slough defender.

In the 8th minute the home side were through again and Howard was guilty of missing an open goal and we had to wait another minute before Slough made their first effort which came from Adams and brought a fine save from McConnell in the Tilbury goal.

The rest of the first half followed the pattern of the early minutes, rare Slough efforts in between the many attacks from the home side. Indeed Slough were lucky to survive an attack in the 16th minute but the home sides forwards seemed to have left their shooting boots at home.

Slough's efforts came from D'Arcy from an Adams free kick in the 28th which was well saved and Connell in the 32nd, who broke through the Tilbury offside trap but saw his shot rebound off the 'keeper to Swain whose shot was well saved.

In the 40th minute with the Slough goal under pressure a very hard back pass from Crosbie brought a fine save from the uncertain Wolstenholme and then just before the interval Slough were on level terms and, just like old times, it was a defender who scored. Adams took a free kick which was banged about the Tilbury area before MacPhee stepped in and smashed it home.

The second half started well for Slough, with the wind behind them they pushed forward and went ahead within two minutes. A shot from Connell was palmed away by McConnell and Adams running in side-footed the ball home.

At this stage Slough looked set to take control of the game but it was the home side that slowly got back and pushed the Rebels further back and for the rest of the game it was all Tilbury.

They missed an open goal in the 56th after Wolstenholme lost possession on the six yard line, and within two minutes they had two further chances to draw level but had to wait until the 61st minute for the equaliser. From a free kick on the left, Howard easily outjumped the Slough defence to head home.

With the home side in complete control, Swain came off in the 67th, Reardon substituting, but although he did add some effort to what had been an almost non-existent midfield, little difference was obvious overall, and the Slough supporters breathed a sigh of relief when the final whistle went.