Slough Pick Up Useful Win

So far this season has been one of many twists and turns of fortune for Slough Town and certainly Wexham Park has been a place for surprises.

A quiet start was followed by a brilliant run of success. Then came disaster and disciplinary problems at Poole followed by some poor results and the loss of four leading players.

After that the discovery of some new rising stars, a recovery, and then the re-appearance of an old favourite. The loyal few who set off for Hitchin in that driving rain on the Tuesday before Christmas with little hope in their hearts would scarcely have believed that at the end of the year Slough Town would be top of the table with Dave Russell on the field as the final whistle for 1983 sounded.

Nevertheless, that is just what has happened, and despite the fact that the return to the top was short lived, a small miracle seems to have taken place that offers much hope for the future, and more exciting episodes in the saga of Slough Town.

Carshalton came to Slough with a strong side that was good enough to win at Harrow, no mean feat these days, and in a wind-tossed match did enough to have won their first ever victory against the Rebels in the Isthmian League.

Slough, despite playing without O'Flaherty, Evans and Norman gave a gritty performance aided with the return of Gary Attrell from injury to make the best of their luck to take all three points and complete the double over their Surrey rivals.

Carshalton, with the wind at their backs, provided the early pressure, and Joe Moloney came to Slough's rescue in the fourth minute when he hooked the ball off the line and over the bar when Tommy Tuite seemed certain to score.

Shortly after this Moloney was rather harshly booked following a clumsy tackle, a caution that was to have more significance later. Slough gradually settled down, but seemed unable to finish their good work off with a final pass, and with most shots at each end steepling over the bar neither goalkeeper was much troubled.

Consequently, it came as something of a surprise when the Rebels took the lead just four minutes before the break. Following a throw-in Attrell was needlessly felled in the penalty area, and Mr Williams immediately pointed to the spot. Keith White took the penalty, hitting the ball low to the goalkeeper's left and Slough were ahead at the vital stage.

The second half had scarcely started when the Rebels went further ahead. A marvellous solo run by Rowan Dodds was stopped by the Carshalton defence, and while they dithered with the clearance Attrell, sensing the uncertainty, arrived like a bolt from the blue to collect the ball, round the 'keeper and put it into the empty net.

Carshalton, undismayed fought back strongly, and for a long time looked the better side. With ex-Slough players Micky O'Sullivan and Vic Akers foraging well the Robins attack looked dangerous and Dark began to trouble Araguez with his trickery.

A tremendous free kick from Howard Kennedy looked a goal all the way but Dow managed to tip the ball over the bar for a fruitless corner. Eventually Carshalton pulled back a vital goal in the 65th minute when Tuite collected a loose ball and wrong-footed the Slough defence, rolling the ball back to the feet of Andy Coghill who, hitting the ball with all his might, blasted it into the net giving Stuart Walton absolutely no chance.

Further disaster seemed to have hit Slough when a right wing cross suddenly dipped at Moloney and he appeared to be protecting his face with his hands as he caught the ball. It seemed as though the Slough centre back would have to go, but Mr Williams, with true Christmas spirit let him off - perhaps he had remembered that the original booking was a bit harsh.

Shortly after this Attrell saw a shot crash against the bar while at the other end Walton brought off a tremendous save from Dark. Then a free kick taken by Dark struck the Slough bar. Carshalton strove manfully to notch the equaliser but both Moloney and Peter Skerritt provided those vital clearances that became so necessary when the pressure was on.

In the final minutes Carshalton twice nearly succeeded from the same ploy. First Dark crossed to the far post where the unmarked O'Sullivan saw his shot screw wide of the upright, and then a repeat of the same move ended with Tuite and Casey colliding, Tuite injuring himself as he hit the post. During the final quarter of an hour Russell replaced Ian Parsons, and showed that he appears to have thrown off his back trouble, and might well have added himself to the first team squad, an unexpected bonus.