Bunting The Brilliant

Trevor Bunting again rose to the big occasion to give Slough a fair share of Saturday's championship showdown.

The teenager who came of age so superbly at Swansea in the FA Cup, went back to his home town club and was just as outstanding in a superb second half display. Frustrated with the lack of first team opportunities during his three years at Loakes Park, Bunting chose just the right day to underline that Wycombe's loss is Slough's gain.

He made a string of magnificent saves, as the league leaders came from behind and piled on the pressure in a bid to virtually clinch the championship.

On a day when second placed Yeovil lost, Slough had to win to put any jitters up the runaway Wanderers and confirm that if their old rivals slip up, they'll be the ones to capitalise.

Alas the only victory the Rebels gained was moral, not inconsiderable after their three-goal humbling sustained in the sides' early season meeting at Wexham Park.

But manager Davies, returning to the ground where he was assistant manager, was far from disappointed. “We were doing all the running in the first half, apart from 10 minutes or so. In the second although we were under pressure a little bit, we still had chances. I thought we played ever so well. People expected Wycombe to beat us, but we showed everybody we're not a bad side.”

As well as Bunting, Davies was particularly pleased with another ex-Blue, Kenny Wilson. Fortunately, his ardour wasn't cramped by some side challenges by his former colleagues in perhaps his last game on his old stomping ground as he contemplates retirement.

Despite Petty and Wheatley obviously well short of full fitness, it was Slough who looked like the league leaders in the first quarter. And it was Tony Knight who gave them reward for their best 20-minute spell for many months. So rarely in a goalscoring situation, he latched onto Brown's cross with a fine glancing header after Wilson had found the leading scorer on the left. Not a bad time and place to score his first goal of the season!

Wilson lashed out with a fist after being held by Price and was fortunate to escape without a caution. And just to underline the rough treatment being meted out to the winger, he was fouled three times in as many minutes just before Wycombe equalised.

After MacMahon lost out, the unmarked Ashford forced Bunting to save and when Bateman couldn't clear the loose ball, Jason Seacole slipped the ball into the unguarded net, after 26 minutes.

After such dominance, the goal came tragically early for the Rebels and the Blues began to get into the game. Bunting saved from Bressington and Graham, before Wheatley headed off the line after the 'keeper had chased the ball to the edge of the box.

Slough finished the first half on the offensive and the second was to follow a similar pattern. But not before the Rebels had successfully regrouped following Wheatley's enforced substitution.

Knight moved into defence and just before the hour, sub Davis headed home White's deep free-kick. Yet referee Gage disallowed the effort for a questionable infringement on 'keeper Lester, who seemed to have completely misjudged the flight of the kick anyway.

Brown extended the home 'keeper from distance twice but Wycombe, in front of a slightly disappointing but still impressive gate, were the more potent attacking force. Bunting used hands and legs to deny Riley and Graham, though the industrious visitors' defence restricted the Blues' clear cut chances to a minimum.

Just as their resistance seemed to be weakening, Bunting clinched the point the side had worked so hard for. With two minutes left, he made an excellent double save from Dawber and again thwarted Bressington from the resultant corner in a tense last few moments.