Slough's title hopes disappear

Slough Town can surely say goodbye to any hopes they may have had of staying in the race for the Servowarm Isthmian League, Premier Division title race after this inept performance at Wexham Park on Saturday.

In all honesty it was a game that neither side really deserved to win and therefore after 90 minutes of dull, unimaginative football it came as something of a surprise when substitute Graham Drake hit the winner for Hayes in the second minute of injury time.

This was the first time that Frank Parsons had been beaten in the Rebels goal in more than 400 minutes of football and, after another near immaculate display from the Slough defence it was frustrating that the string of good possession enjoyed by the midfield and forwards was wasted all too often.

Both sides rarely threatened to break the deadlock and on this evidence neither looked championship contenders, a position they held before this clash with Slough in fourth spot and Hayes fifth.

If anything it was Hayes who showed more commitment and endeavour without ever really creating anything constructive, while for their part the Rebels struggled throughout and on the two occasions they did look like scoring the referee intervened with what can only be described as amazing decisions to deny them.

Throughout Colin Proud baffled people with some strange decisions which did little to improve this lacklustre encounter, although at least it gave the crowd something to shout about.

Despite the confidence booster of Tuesday's emphatic win over Carshalton behind them Slough never really looked like getting out of second gear and in the first half their only bright spots came from several of the now familiar surging runs by Rowan Dodds and Gary Attrell.

Meanwhile the Slough defence were kept on their toes by former Rebels' goal ace Micky Kiely and with Micky Howell also a constant threat it was Hayes who looked the more dangerous side.

Once Kiely did wriggle his way clear of the Rebels rearguard but his final effort hit the side netting and then it took a brave save by Parsons to foil the popular striker after he had intercepted a poor back pass by Dave Yerby.

From a spectators point of view the second half was little better with few constructive moves being put together as the game developed into a succession of "long boots" up field.

Most of Slough's attacks were frustrated by Hayes' well worked offside trap although for a spell it was the home side who looked most likely to break the deadlock and bring the match alive.

Alan Cox had to quickly race off his line to foil Attrell after Keith White's pass had split the Hayes defence and then came the first of two amazing decisions by the referee that robbed Dodds. As the Rebels' leading scorer broke through he was clearly held back by Kevin Tilley only for Mr Proud to award a free kick to Hayes, and then a similar decision went against Dodds when he was quite clearly being held by Mick McGovern in a threatening position some minutes later.

In the final 15 minutes some life was brought to the match when first Cox saved well from White after Slough's best move of the match involving Vaughan Powell and Dodds and then Parsons made a superb one-handed save to deny John Richardson. But, with time ticking away and most of the crowd making for home having given up the game as a goalless encounter Hayes won a corner on the left.

The ball found Howell who headed it into the heart of the Slough penalty area and Drake was on hand to turn the ball past Parsons from some 12 yards. Slough can have few complaints about this result. They did not play well and never at any moment in the match suggested they were going to produce the kind of play they are capable of yet have not produced for such a very, very long time now.