Against The Odds

Local bookmakers preparing for this month's Grand National can expect a rush of bets on 100-1 outsiders from Slough supporters.

For Rebels fans must now believe this is the month of the rank no-hopers after Saturday's stunning win over Isthmian leaders Sutton.

Even the most loyal Park spectators could hardly believe their eyes as Slough gave a magnificent stirring display to become only side the second to Premier inflict Division defeat on the Surrey side all season.

A betting man would have considered it as near a dead cert as possible that Sutton would escape with their unbeaten away record intact.

The form book was stacked against the Rebels. A free scoring attack against a featherlight defence and to cap it all a sixth minute blunder that put Slough one down and left their followers fearing a rout.

But it didn't come as Slough, after 20 nondescript minutes, suddenly realised that Sutton were mortal and hustled them out of their stride and, eventually, out of the game. There were several heroes for the Rebels: Rowan Dodds, leaping like a lord to win almost everything in the air; Colin Tate, always creative and menacing on the right-hand side; and Charlie Flaherty, bristling with determination and aggression and the main reason for his side's reign over the midfield territory.

And it seems that the 'Observer' can take some of the credit for Flaherty's splendid performance, after giving him a panning in the report of the Wycombe match last week.

Slough boss Howard Kennedy said: "There was a lot of talk about that report. It motivated Charlie better than I could have done. “

The manager was not getting carried away at beating them. “The first time they kicked the ball down the middle they got a goal. But from that moment Joe Moloney and Eddie Hutchinson played extremely well. “

Sutton’s record had led to an impression of invincibility, and Kennedy agreed that it had got through to the players. “We showed them too much respect in the first 20 minutes. Then we realised we could do things as well as they could. “

Teams only play as well as they are allowed too. Sutton are not a bad team, but in the end Slough made them look like that. You could watch them next week and they would look the best side in the league. “

They looked set to confirm that status when Moloney was caught in two minds about how to cope with Roger Makay's long ball and Paul McKinnon slipped round the back to side foot a first time shot past Les Currell.

But that was the only shot on target they managed all afternoon. Sutton seemed to believe that all they had to do was to keep pumping the ball down field and wait for the floodgates to open.

But they reckoned without Slough suddenly raising their game to the glorious level they achieved in their FA Trophy defeat at Harrow the only other comparable display this season.

Slough's belief themselves suddenly grew after 20 minutes when Rowan Dodds beat 'keeper Doug Hatcher to high balls twice in the space of 60 seconds.

Hatcher did well to divert Terry Glynn's cross away from the lurking Tate, but the signs were already looking good for Slough even before the visitors lost centre forward Micky Joyce, who appeared to twist his ankle stepping on the ball.

Sure enough, equaliser arrived after 42 minutes. Stewart Mitchell's shot was deflected to Dodds on the right of the box and his misdirected drive was turned in by Tate.

Sutton continued to be outfought and outthought after the break by a Rebels side whose eagerness to build through midfield was in refreshing contrast to Sutton's more agricultural approach.

It was a long free-kick into the box from Hutchinson, though, that produced Slough's second goal after 61 minutes, Hatcher dropping the ball and Keith White sweeping it over the line.

White almost had another after 78 minutes when he climbed above a taller defender to head Alexander's excellent cross against the bar.

Slough completed the job two minutes later. Glynn laid the ball off for White, following good work by Tate on the right, and when the skipper's shot ricocheted off Hatcher's legs Glynn stabbed in the rebound.