Sparkling Slough

This was Slough Town quite simply at their sparkling best as they produced a devastating display of attacking football to humble Hitchin Town at Wexham Park on Tuesday evening in the Servowarm Isthmian League, Premier Division.

On this showing perhaps television should consider showing live soccer from Wexham Park because it would be hard to have found a better game at any level in the country than this classic encounter.

Attacking football was the order of the day with both teams playing their part and the Rebels producing the type of scintillating play that destroyed so many sides last season. Leading 4-1 at the interval it almost looked as though Slough might repeat the 10-0 thrashing they inflicted on Hitchin four seasons ago.

But they could only add one more second half goal although some superb saves from Hitchin goalkeeper Tony Luff, the woodwork and missed chances certainly prevented Slough from an even more convincing win as they moved third in the table.

The only black spot for the Rebels was the booking of five players, and in the case of Mick Doherty, Dylan Evans, Gary Attrell and Keith White these were totally needless and somewhat stupid. Henry Pacquette also joined them in the referee's notebook as did Hitchin's John Woodward, although in no way was it a dirty match.

It was a superb team performance with everyone playing their part although Dylan Evans gave a majestic performance in a new midfield role and Peter Skerritt proved a more than capable deputy for 'flu victim Joe Moloney in the heart of the Rebels' defence.

Slough made a dream start when after six minutes Pacquette scored from close range after Luff had failed to hold a stinging shot from Rowan Dodds, recalled to the team for only his second full game of the season.

Within 13 minutes Wexham Park was really buzzing when an intelligent quick free-kick from Eddie Hutchinson completely caught Hitchin out and Pacquette laid the ball on for Mick Doherty to run through, round Luff and coolly take his ninth goal of the season.

However Hitchin were not beaten yet and they proved that their attack was a dangerous combination not to be underestimated when Mick Avery scored a well taken goal after 25 minutes.

But it was always going to be Slough's night and it seemed nothing was about to stop them as they produced some breath taking moves. After 30 minutes came goal number three when Steve Norman rose superbly to head home Mick Doherty's corner and then right on the stroke of half-time Keith White netted another superb effort after Evans and Pacquette had linked well to set up the hard working Rebels midfielder.

Slough were now in total control and with the midfield trio of White, Evans and Devon Petty completely dictating the match a whole string of second half chances were created.

However the Rebels only reward was a second goal for Pacquette after 62 minutes when he headed the ball home from almost off the ground after Mick Doherty had seen a rasping effort pushed away by Luff.

From then on a combination of events, not least the brilliance of Luff, denied Slough further goals. He produced stunning saves to foil Mick Doherty and Dodds, while earlier Norman saw another header crash against the crossbar as did Dodds after 77 minutes. Hitchin always kept going in their own quest for goals but they found the Slough defence, again superbly marshalled by Frank Parsons, in an uncompromising mood.

This was certainly Slough at their best against a team who have already won at Wycombe this season and on this form the Rebels should certainly be challenging for the title this term. Rebels' boss Terry Reardon, said he was "very pleased" with Slough's performance against a side he thought would provide tough opposition.

"I was a bit worried in the first 20 minutes but after that we really took over the game and we could have won by an even bigger margin as we missed a hell of a lot of hances" said Reardon. He added " However I was a bit disappointed about the lack of discipline in having five players booked."