Glorious!

Everything came right in glorious fashion for the Rebels on Saturday. They hit top gear from the first whistle; stayed in it until the last and, more importantly, scored the goals to reflect their complete domination.

So often this term, Slough have let points slip away through slack finishing, lapses in concentration, or simply because they've not gelled together long enough in games. But they eradicated all three at Claremont Road although hard-nosed observers could say they could have easily doubled their margin of victory. Whatever the final outcome should have been, it wouldn't have flattered the Rebels in by far their best performance of the season to date.

They made a mockery of third-placed Hendon's impressive record, with memorable goals crowning plenty of attractive, attacking football. Rowan Dodds wasn't fit to return from suspension, but Paul Waites returned to the forward line after ankle trouble. And John McDaid again stepped down to sub, as the Rebels were able to revert to a more customary four at the back.

Slough started in confident and determined fashion, with winger Kenny Wilson particularly keen to capitalise on early indecision among the home defenders. Leading scorer Jimmy Brown should have opened their account in the 20th minute, but hit the post after slipping past the 'keeper. But he made amends with a fine finish just eight minutes later. Devon Petty, fed on the left, crossed perfectly for the striker to beat Root superbly with a fine header just outside the six-yard box.

Ex-Rebel strikers Mickey Kiely and Colin Tate virtually hadn't had a sniff at the other end, before Slough went further in front just two minutes before the break. Skipper Kevin Tilley collected the ball deep inside the Greens' half and had time to advance and pick his spot before unleashing a spectacular shot which roared into the corner from nearly 30 yards.

Wilson, Hendon's tormentor-in-chief, nearly got on to the scoresheet on the stroke of half time, but the overworked Root denied him with the help of the woodwork. Any thoughts of a drastic second half fade-out, such as the one against Bognor, were firmly dispelled when the winger went just as close straight from the restart.

And the rampant Rebels went three up after Waites incisively finished with a right-footed drive from 20 yards after another cross from Petty in the 49th minute. Despite having scored three spectacular goals and with three points already in the bag, Slough showed no signs of letting up.

And, on the hour, it was that man Brown who did it again. Tilley centred and after the striker's shot was blocked by Gibson, he was on hand to smash in the rebound from close in.

The midfield, with Keith White outstanding, continued to boss the show and manager Alan Davies even had the audacity to straight-swap full-back John Mitchell for the hobbling Waites.

Brown and Wilson could have made the margin even more emphatic and the completely overwhelmed Greens had their best-and just about the only noteworthy effort when Tate fired into the side netting. Sad Hendon didn't know what was hitting them, but then very few sides would have lived with the Rebels last Saturday.

"We played for 90 minutes and obviously that was pleasing for me," said manager Alan Davies. "The players were wound up. They were told it was going to be a really difficult game and we were going to have to work hard. "We played some good football and could have had seven or eight goals.'