Mick shows his class

Goals, excitement and controversy were all in evidence at Wheatsheaf Lane on Tuesday evening as Slough Town got their first Servowarm Isthmian League, Premier Division win this season under their belts in this thrilling match.

After only drawing at home to Barking on Saturday in their opening match of the season, it was vital for the Rebels to give a good account of themselves against Staines ,and they can be well satisfied with this performance in a game which saw the balance of power swing first one way and then the other.

The Rebels showed tremendous battling instinct as they came from behind to storm into a 3-1 lead but, such was the nature of this game that while the Rebels could well have won by an even more convincing margin Staines might have snatched a dramatic draw after a late goal from Peter Kemp had put them right back in contention.

The star of this Slough performance was Mick Doherty, who gave a display of high class and quality and was directly involved in all three of Slough's goals. Fielding the same side which started against Barking the Rebels looked to have made a dream start when after only a minute Keith White crashed home one of his "specials" from a free-kick, only to have the effort ruled out as the referee had apparently signalled an in-direct kick.

Steve Norman then brought a superb save out of Peter Allies before on 29 minutes Staines went ahead when Kemp - who was to prove a real handful for the Slough defence throughout-firmly headed home after a smart run and cross by Gerry Powell had thrown the Rebels into confusion at the back.

Parsons then had to react quickly to foil Kemp but, after 34 minutes the Rebels came right back into the game when they were awarded a penalty. Francis Araguez made a penetrating run down the right and then crossed to Henry Pacquette who the referee-somewhat surprisingly adjudged to have been pushed by Steve Livey and awarded a penalty. Mick Doherty coolly stepped up and slammed the ball past Allies and Slough were level.

The half ended with a flurry of activity and excitement as Kemp was desperately unlucky to see a header hit the bar, Parsons saved brilliantly from Declan Link and then after another majestic run and cross by Doherty which seemed certain to bring Dylan Evans a goal, the Slough striker saw his effort miraculously kept out by Livey on the line with the Rebels appealing that the Staines defender had handled the ball.

After the interval both teams continued their policy of non-stop attacking football and the action got better and better. The real turning point came when after 52 minutes Gary Attrell replaced Vaughan Powell and almost immediately the young striker gave the Rebels a new dimension to their play adding speed and power to the attack.

It took Attrell just minutes to stamp his mark on the game when he hit the bar with a tremendous curling shot and then Evans saw his header from the rebound scrambled away by Allies at the base of the post. But after 60 minutes

Slough deservedly went ahead when Mick Doherty's perfectly placed free kick on the right of the Staines area found the head of Joe Moloney and the ball simply rocketed into the net. Minutes later a similar Doherty free kick ended with Paquette's brave diving header just going over and then Allies saved after Attrell had broken clear of the Staines defence.

Slough were now in command and pressing for a match winning third goal and it came with 75 minutes gone. Evans started the move and then finished it off with another firm header after Mick Doherty's well struck cross had been retrieved by Attrell and turned back for Evans to score with the Staines defence in tatters.

But the match was not yet won and a nail-biting finish was made possible when once again Kemp got the better of the Slough's defence to set up a second Staines goal. Jamie Williamson's long free kick saw Kemp get well above the Slough defence and knock the ball back across the goal for Link to head home.

In the dying minutes Mick Doherty had a glorious chance to cap a marvellous performance but he fired wide from 15 yards out to complete a memorable game of football which was a credit to both sides.