Slough turn the tide

The tide finally turned for Slough Town on Tuesday evening when a brilliant last ten minutes rally left Bognor Regis well and truly marooned on the rocks.

Slough had been threatening something special all evening and suddenly with the game slipping from their grasp the storm blew up.

Like a tidal wave the Rebels surged over Bognor and goals from Peter Skerritt and Rowan Dodds clinched a memorable victory and more than compensated for their earlier missed chances.

However, it all looked so different when in the first 30 minutes Bognor twice caught the Rebels defence cold and were celebrating with "goals on the rocks". But Slough showed character and produced the attractive, stylish and committed play which was so impressive at Harrow, to fightback and win a memorable Servowarm Isthmian League, Premier Division clash at Wexham Park.

One would be hard pressed to find a more positive attacking display from the Rebels this season, at times their approach play was quite breath-taking in the second half.

The game however, started disastrously for the Rebels when they were well and truly caught by the incoming tide within three minutes.

Bognor were allowed to move menacingly forward and unchallenged and when Mike Ball found Mick Bennett completely unmarked his close range shot went past Peter Rackley.

During these early stages the normally solid Slough defence looked extremely shaky, and they were fortunate that Geoff Cooper could not accept a golden chance after 28 minutes.

But three minutes later Bognor were celebrating when they cruelly exposed Slough on the left and Dave Poole's shot went under the diving body of Rackley, into the net.

Although Dylan Evans and Dave Russell had both squandered good chances it was Bognor's offside trap - which resembled the spring tide going out - which was causing more problems for the Rebels.

But even that could not save Bognor when Slough pulled a goal back on 41 minutes. It came from their well - rehearsed corner routine and Russell's kick was neatly headed on at the near post by White and Dodds stole in to head home.

This goal - Slough's first for more than 220 minutes - worked wonders and in the second half they surged forward and completely controlled the game.

They produced crisp, decisive football in every department, but when White missed an absolute "sitter" from about six yards out after 70 minutes it looked like being another night of frustration.

But then suddenly on 80 minutes Slough started to turn the tide on Bognor and the goal they so badly deserved came. Eddie Hutchinson's free kick was flicked on by Dodds and the brilliant Peter Skerritt volleyed the ball past Vijay Korgoakar waist high.

Now the Rebels were buzzing and their confidence was almost sky high and it was substitute Derek Sweetman - who had replaced the injured White - who set about creating the winner in the 85th minute.

Devon Petty found Russell, who turned the ball back to Sweetman on the edge of the box. His crisply hit shot took a deflection and somehow Dodds stole in to head past a startled Korgoakar for his 13th goal of the season.

Bognor were now well and truly rocked and Russell, showing more than a few hints of his old magic, saw a rasping 25-yard shot brilliantly pushed away by Korgoakar.

The final five minutes were like an enjoyable day at the seaside as Slough swarmed forward with conviction and style. Evans did everything right but score and then Russell saw his chip over the goalkeeper's head end in the side netting.

Even these final lapses can be forgiven as by now Bognor were caught in the swell of Slough's superior play, and hopefully this performance has turned the tide for the rest of the Rebels' season.

On a more sombre note White and Hutchinson, along with Bognor's Whyte, Pullen and Poole were all cautioned, and although there was a time when it looked as though tempers might boil over, thankfully footballing ability won the applause of the crowd on the night.