Eight Part Drama

THERE was plenty of drama at Wexham Park on Tuesday evening, even before Howard Kennedy's post-match resignation.

Slough were forced to share eight goals with a side they should have buried something they looked like achieving when they were going forward.

In the first half the Rebels looked as dangerous up front as they have done all season. But at the back it was a different tale as Epsom's forwards cashed in on an abysmal performance to fight back from 4-2 down and make it a miserable debut for 'keeper Neil Deamer.

For Kennedy it was an unhappy note on which to pass command to new caretaker manager Alan Davies, who commented: "We have got to beat teams like that. We looked good going forward, but let
ourselves down at the back. There were a lot of silly goals.“

Slough began in a refreshingly direct manner, Kenny Wilson sweeping the ball right for Rowan Dodds, who set up Jimmy Jacobs for a low first time shot that Paul Riley saved.

And when they scored a magnificent first goal after nine minutes it seemed that the Slough fans would soon be cheering that elusive first Vauxhall-Opel League win since early November.

Jacobs slipped the ball to Jimmy Brown, breaking the right, and just as about everyone was moan at him for holding the ball up he knocked it forward into the box. Wilson came steaming in, having raced across the area from the left wing, to whip a superb shot on the run just inside the post.

After 17 minutes Keith White picked out Dodds on the edge of the box and his hurried shot was saved at full stretch by Riley. The 'keeper then blocked a close range Brown effort and Stephen Playle fired just wide from 20 yards before, out of the blue, came a 26th minute Epsom equaliser.

Moran Dodds' clearance went straight to Peter Kemp, who found the (dangerous Tommy Tuite in the area and he had the easy task of poking the ball home.

The parity lasted only six minutes, Dodds cutting inside from the left and being brought down by Mick Sorensen in the box. Derek Harris thumped the penalty high to the keeper's right.

But as well as the Rebels were playing at one end of the field, the defence were floundering about as badly at the other. Four minutes after the break Epsom, were level again as Kemp rose at the far post unchallenged to head Kevin Duffell's long free-kick past Deamer.

Rowan Dodds forced another save out of Riley a minute later and after 53 minutes Slough got their second penalty when he was shoved in the back by Ricky Kidd. Once the Epsom protests had been brushed aside Harris was allowed to get on with the business of calmly repeating his first half effort for his seventh goal in the last 18 matches.

Another brilliant move brought the fourth goal five minutes later. Deamer's big kick was not cleared, giving White the chance to feed Wilson on the left. Wilson, who tormented right back Sorensen mercilessly all evening, got to the byline and crossed to the far post, where Jacobs arrived late for a simple header.

Wilson was narrowly off target after 61 minutes, but suddenly whatever it was that was ailing the defence began affecting the rest of the Slough team. Playle misdirected a pass on the half volley and as Epsom broke down the left wing Tuite was set up for a shot which Deamer did well to keep out. Mal Spratt, though, was following up to add the finishing touch.

Deamer made a fine save to tip an intelligent chip from Robin Lewis over the bar, but Slough conceded a fourth goal for the fourth time in their last eight league games two minutes from time, Harris headed clear to the edge of the box. from where Martin Gillings ran through untouched to score.