Support needed in difficult times

There is a certain air of despondency hanging over Wexham Park at the moment and it was there for all to see on Tuesday night when the Rebels were unlucky to fall to Staines Town by the odd goal of three.

It is certainly hard for the Slough supporters who had visions of a Servowarm Isthmian League Championship once again coming to the club, but since that emphatic 5-1 win over Croydon on November 12th, nothing has gone right.

The shattering loss of four players from the squad will take some time to overcome, but with the onset of more wintry conditions the results like those of last season's have fallen away, and it is worth remembering that defeats by Worthing, Chalfont St Peter and Harrow together with a scrambled draw at Bognor were suffered with a full strength squad that had taken Slough to the top of the Premier Division.

Much hard work and patience is needed, and the appearance of young local players in the team may well pay off in the near future. David O'Flaherty for instance had another good game in the centre of the defence, and young Stuart Walton made several brave saves and showed that he has a good future.

In fact it took some brilliant work by Walton to foil Simon Read and Declan Link during Staines' opening spell as the visitors, driven forward by recent signing Kevin Tilley, looked the more dangerous side in the early stages.

With the wind in their favour Slough failed to make progress as they tried to play one-touch football in sticky conditions, and the more physical Staines side, using the hefty boot looked more effective.

On balance the home side held the territorial advantage , but scarcely troubling reserve goalkeeper Lay,they rarely threatened to score. Just before the interval Link shot over the Slough bar when well placed, and almost immediately the play switched to the other end, Gary Attrell cutting through the visitor's defence to give Slough the lead on the stoke of half time.

Staines reply after the interval was so swift that several Slough fans returning to their places missed the equaliser and at the end thought that the match had resulted in a draw.

They were due for some disappointing news. Simon Read found a colossal hole on the Slough left flank and Walton had to race out to intercept. Sadly he was left stranded and with the ball hanging tantalisingly in the air above the goal-line, Link was in position to bundle the ball over the line despite the close attention of the desperate Slough defenders.

Slough still tried to play football, and Peter Skerritt shot narrowly over the bar. Following a free kick, Howard Kennedy mis-placed a simple ball into the penalty area when Rowan Dodds was free of defenders, and the opportunity was lost.

The Slough players battled on, and for the most part looked just as good as the Staines side that has been producing some excellent results lately in their recent climb up the table, but luck was not running for them.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Read again exploited the uncertainty of Eddie Hutchinson, who had an unhappy match, and his cross was headed in emphatically past Walton to give Staines the lead.

In the final minutes Attrell almost got the final touch in front of goal, but hampered by his injury he was unable to strike the ball with sufficient power and the game was lost.

As the crowd wandered disconsolately out of the ground there were angry demands for something to be done to return the club to some semblance of a successful team. Really there is little there that time will not cure, and solid support from the regulars at Wexham Park is the most vital requirement at this difficult stage.