Wonderful Windsor

Windsor and Eton are the "kings" of local football; and Mark Davis had a Boxing Day he is never likely to forget.

That was the message from the "big local showdown" at Wexham Park on Wednesday afternoon as the rampaging Royals swept aside the challenge of sickly Slough Town.

There can be no questioning the fact that Windsor now rule the local scene following this emphatic win over the side they have for so long lived in the shadows.

And the Royals hero was the bustling Mark Davis, who returned from suspension to rock Slough with a brilliant first half hattrick.

In fact from the moment Davis put Windsor ahead after just one minute, Slough looked a beaten side. Davis then put another nail in the Rebels coffin after ten minutes and completed this Slough funeral march with his hattrick on 45 minutes.

Windsor were quite simply better in every department, as Slough never showed the appetite to battle hard enough to win a match that was always going to be decided on commitment and aggression rather than pure footballing skill.

In a way Slough were let off lightly as they managed only two on target efforts in the entire 90 minutes, while Windsor continually peppered Richard Teale's goal, and could have won by an even greater margin. And even when the Royals did allow Slough sight of an escape route from their misery they were unable to grab the opportunity as Kevin Mitchell saved Rowan Dodds' 64th minute penalty.

So Windsor's rise from rags to riches was completed at Wexham Park on a cold afternoon before a crowd of around the 1,000 mark. It seems hard to believe that when some four seasons ago Slough were sweeping all before them, and dominating local soccer, Windsor were just a struggling Athenian League outfit.

But since then it has been success after success for Windsor culminating with this win over the side they have played second fiddle to for such a long time. And there can be no doubting that Windsor are the top local side in the Servowarm Isthmian League, Premier Division now speaks for itself.

Their record Wycombe Wanderers were beaten 4-0; Wokingham stuffed 5-1 and now Slough buried 3-0.

Rebels new boss Howard Kennedy, recalled Richard Teale in goal, but within a minute the Rebels 'keeper was picking the ball out of the net as Windsor made a dream start. Chris Yates had to be involved somewhere, as he was all afternoon, and it was his trickery on the right that provided the cross for Davis to get behind the Slough defence and send a low diving header into the net.

Five minutes later Yates was again in the action when he scampered through only to see his effort bounce off Teale's legs and then Mark Franks put the rebound wide. But the Slough defence was already on the rack and after ten minutes it crumbled for a second time.

Yates' corner was allowed to reach the far post, Bob King nodded the ball back and there was Davis to strike for goal. Slough seemed devoid of any creative ideas as Windsor dominated the midfield battle with Jimmy Walsh and Jeff Chapman in commanding form. Kevin Mitchell's first real test was from a Francis Araguez cross and then he was forced to react quickly to save from Dave Alexander's curling free kick.

But it was Teale who was the busiest 'keeper and three times he produced fine saves to deny danger man Yates and then acrobatically kept out Chapman's 20 yard shot.

However, right on the stroke of half time came Windsor's all-important third goal, which effectively ended the match as a contest. It just had to be that somehow Yates would be involved, and it was his brilliant defence-splitting pass which put Davis clear. And from a difficult angle he cooly drew the advancing Teale and then placed the ball in at the far post for a dream goal and a classy treble.

After this the action died and for much of the second half play was scrappy with Slough struggling desperately to find some rhythm and balance to their play.

Colin Tate and Rowan Dodds got little change out of Bob King and Mark Woods, while apart from the brief glimmer from Charlie Flaherty and Dave Alexander the Rebels' midfield performance fell a long way short of what was required.

Tate was replaced by Ian Roberts on 63 minutes and one minute later Slough had a chance to salvage something from the game. Dodds chased a long ball from Araguez and was brought down by Woods. But, from the resultant spot kick, Dodds hit the ball virtually straight at Mitchell and the Windsor 'keeper was able to stop the ball with his legs and then grab it as Dodds advanced.

In the final 20 minutes, it was Windsor who raised their game and Teale was out to foil Franks and Yates as again the Royals cruelly exposed Slough's defence. With seven minutes left only the woodwork denied Yates his 22nd goal of the season as his free kick beat Teale only to hit the crossbar and bounce out.

And, just to show he was human after all, Davis blazed the loose ball wide from five yards. But it didn't matter he had already done the damage in the first half to leave Windsor more than worthy winners and Slough looking a very ordinary side who, could yet find themselves fighting a relegation battle in the winter months ahead.