Herald Wilson

Kenny Wilson rediscovered his scoring touch with a classy hat-trick the manager ordered, and it was just what Wilson's three second half goals gave the Rebels their fourth convincing away win on the trot and put them third in the Vauxhall-Opel League.

And they were the winger's first goals since the opening day of the season. After the match boss Alan Davies revealed: "In the team talk before the game I said to him that he is good for 15 goals a season and it would be nice to see him having a shot."

The way he took his goals was second to none. Wilson's trio, plus the exciting performance of Paul Waites in the centre of midfield, livened up a game that had started with a dreary first half - relieved only by the Waites strike that gave Slough their half time lead.

"We were more competent than brilliant," said Davies. "But I could never see us losing the game.' The only time the Rebels' lead looked fragile was when Hayes pulled back to 2-1, but Wilson's second and third goals soon altered that.

"It was a shame we needed that goal to liven us up, said the manager. 'After that we moved up a gear and won it quite comfortably. Both teams were slow into their stride and when Waites opened the scoring after 25 minutes it was the. first attack of any significance. Keith White helped the ball forward for Rowan Dodds to make a challenge in the air and Waites seized upon the loose ball to beat a defender and send his shot scuffling past 'keeper Mark Hyde from the edge of the box.

Hyde reacted smartly to close down Dodds from Wilson's long throw and minutes later reached out to his left to keep out White's low driven free-kick. Slough's lead almost slipped away in a moment of indecision in the 49th minute as the defence and 'keeper Graham Cox allowed Chris Walton to back head the ball against the bar. At the other end of the field, though, Slough's play became much more cogent as Waites' influence in midfield grew.

It was he who set up the second goal after minutes, battling to win the ball and delaying his final pass until finding Wilson in the perfect position to clip home the first leg of his treble.

Noel Fletcher saw his shot deflected against the outside of the post before Jeff Bateman gave his own team a scare by leaving a back pass short and forcing Cox to rush out and make an excellent stop from Walton, the rebound running for Bruce Rowe to put wide. And Bateman appeared to be at fault again when Hayes cut the deficit after 73 minutes. He failed to cut out Harrison's long throw, allowing the ball to fall to Les Ferdinand to sweep past Cox from close range.

That soft goal threatened to set up an anxious end to the game, but Slough's worries were soothed two minutes later by the goal of the game. White won a tackle and found Brown on the left. He wasted no time in turning; the ball inside and what Wilson then did with it was sheer perfection. With a deft piece of footwork he dragged the ball inside a defender and from the corner of the box directed a swerving ground-level shot across Hyde just inside the far post.

Within another two minutes Wilson had completed the third hat-trick of Slough's season with another skilful finish, running onto Brown's pass before rounding Hyde.

Cox preserved the three goal advantage with another top class getting down to stop Harry Manoe's effort.

Match Stats:
Corners: Hayes 4, Slough 5.
Attempts on target - off target- blocked: Hayes 5-5-2, Slough 7-3- 2.
Slough attempts: Wilson 4-0-0, White 1-1-0, Dodds 1-1-0, Waites 1- 0-0-, Bateman 0-1-0, Jacobs 0-0-2.