Rebels find Salisbury easy prey

The torrid heat took a lot of the enjoyment out of this game for spectators and players alike, and it was not an FA Cup-tie to be remembered but a match which Slough won with the greatest of ease.

Salisbury had many trials and tribulations before the game started, and they were never in the hunt, nevertheless, a fair crowd was entertained to some interesting football, most of which came from the Rebels.

In fact Salisbury, who were well below Isthmian League standard, hardly tested Slough, and the Rebels will now visit Basingstoke Town on Saturday week where they will hope to make further progress against another Southern League club from the same Division as the Wiltshire side.

Salisbury had a setback before the kick-off when they learned that Ian Thompson, their leading goalscorer, had been involved in a motor accident on the way to the match, and consequently they were immediately at a disadvantage.

This suddenly became critical when, after ten minutes Rowan Dodds was flattened by Dave Verity some twenty yards from goal. Keith White, taking the free kick, drove the ball so fiercely past Mike Beaumont, who had just returned from the Falklands, that he only saw it when he stooped to collect it from the net.

Salisbury did not crack as many thought they would, and a resolute and packed defence successfully smothered most of the home attacks while they pumped a few hopeful balls in the direction of the Slough penalty area without causing much trouble.

Dylan Evans was unfortunate when, well placed in front of goal, the ball bounced deceptively off the rock hard ground to frustrate him when he seemed certain to score.

As the first half drew to a close Slough forced a flurry of corners, and Beaumont made a flying save from White when his header looked a goal all the way.

The Rebels went quickly on the attack after the interval, but spoiled their chances with strange lapses of confidence. Dylan Evans underhit a shot after he had drawn Beaumont out of goal, and the ball was cleared off the line.

Slough almost paid dearly for this miss when a long "up-and-under" was headed by Francis Araguez, who was under pressure, straight into the path of Harrop. Luckily, the Salisbury forward, with only Parsons to beat, headed over the bar and the danger was past.

Midway through the second half the long threatened goal arrived. Following a corner Eric Young nodded the ball against the post and as it rebounded clear Keith White headed past Beaumont. A Salisbury defender handled the ball as it went in, and after awarding the goal referee Murphy, of Basingstoke, had a brief word with the offender, who could well have been given his marching orders by another official.

Shortly after this the visitors felt that they should have been awarded a penalty when Frank Parsons floored Harrop as both players jumped for a high ball. Certainly Harrop looked to be in serious trouble, and could only be revived after lengthy attention.

For the final quarter of an hour Salisbury gradually faded, and in the end were totally overwhelmed as they packed their goal with defenders in an effort to keep the score respectable. Tony Webster, who had replaced the injured Rowan Dodds, struck the outside of the post with a fierce shot, and Dylan Evans hit the goalkeeper for the second time in the match from point-blank range.

Another effort from Keith White thumped the post to frustrate his hat-trick following excellent work from Devon Petty, who had shown tremendous skills. Yet another shot from White was stopped on the line by Geoff Battams.

Slough then saw the ball stopped on the visitors' line twice in quick succession, and in the final minute a corner from Vaughan Powell, who had another fine game, struck the far post before being hacked away and so the final score was not as emphatic as it really should have been.