Slough On The Slide

Slough’s mid-season slump continued when Hayes took away their unbeaten home record in the Vauxhall-Opel League on Tuesday.

The defeat ended a miserable eight days for Rebels, with just one point to show from matches against strugglers Barking, Carshalton and Hayes when three wins would have lifted them back on to the fringe of the championship race.

Manager Howard Kennedy complained: “Games in hand worth nothing if you don't win them. We have got to start putting some performances together."

Kennedy had been heartened by Slough's encouraging display in the first half hour. But then he had to sit and watch his team concede two second-half goals while they failed to create a single opening themselves. “In the first half we played better than we have done for weeks," he said. “Their 'keeper made an exceptional save and a penalty decision went against us. Undoubtedly that would have changed the game. But we have had a goal problem for a long. time. No striker has scored since Orient away. “

After the interval Slough's forwards and the Hayes goal were as far apart as feuding Mike Baldwin and Ken Barlow in Coronation Street. “The second half was a different story," admitted Kennedy. "We gave a goal away and stopped concentrating. "You don't want to make excuses, but the wind seemed to make it easier going the other way. “

Slough had certainly moved forward smoothly early in the match, with Rowan Dodds and Jimmy Brown both looking sharper up front. Brown appeared to have his legs swept from under him by Mark Harrison as he got on the end of a Dodds cross after two minutes.

And four minutes later Brown turned beautifully 20 yards out and fired in a dipping left foot shot that had Paul Hyde diving across his goal to make a top class save.

Despite the ineffectiveness of a half-fit Tony Knight in midfield and the continued absence of Terry Glynn, suffering from a chest virus, the Rebels were at last creating chances again.

Jimmy Jacobs and Dodds combined to set Wilson up in the area after 19 minutes, but he lashed a poor shot across the face of the goal.

Even then Brown almost managed to stab the ball past Hyde as he raced into the goal area. Slough’s greatest scare when Steve Norman prodded a back pass past his own 'keeper, forcing Moran Dodds to tidy up in the six yard box.

Hayes' Kevin Tilley was booked for a late tackle on White and Dodds put an angled shot a fraction wide of the far post after seizing on a loose bouncing ball in the area and jostling past three defenders. But Slough these days are as changeable as the wind that battered Wexham Park from all directions on Tuesday.

Kennedy gave a second half debut to striker Jimmy Hartridge, but Hayes went ahead after 72 minutes as Gary Dolling found Byron Walton in a dangerous position in the box. Norman’s challenge prompted appeals for a but penalty, Walton picked himself up to turn the ball in from a narrow angle.

A Slough equaliser was never a realistic proposition and it was left to Hayes to get the second goal of the evening after 89 minutes. Again they were appealing for a penalty as Noel Fletcher's cross went right across goal, but Steve Cory knocked the ball in from the left and Dolling gratefully accepted the opportunity for free near post header.

A minute earlier Rebels skipper Derek Harris was booked for bringing Walton from down behind.