Read rocks Rebels in top of the table clash

A season of Christmas cheer and high spirits inspired by a bumper 1,763 Wexham crowd vanished as the Rebels were sunk punch-drunk by two goal 'Boro striker Simon Read on Tuesday night.

Read took his tally to 23 goals this season, pouncing to slot home twice and create the third to give Farnborough a six-point lead on second placed Slough.

And that, in a Brazil nutshell, was the difference between two good footballing sides.

'Boro manager Ted Pearce said " We take him for granted, but the fella's brilliant. He's almost nonchalant the way he puts them away but a man that scores with that regularity has got to put your team in with a chance of winning the title".

Disappointed Slough boss Alan Davies and his players deserved better in front of the largest crowd at Wexham Park for eight years on recent form, but admitted that Read proved the decisive difference.

"I thought we were far better than them in the first half. We had four or five attempts in the first 20 minutes but didn't kill them off when we had the chance" he said. " Read hadn't done that much in the first half but took his chances well as we should have done" he added.

After dominating the opening 20 minutes seemingly on a gentle sleigh-ride the Rebels turned a fairly comfortable passage into a difficult one and gave Farnborough the game neatly wrapped and tied after the break.

A lively third minute 20 yard snap shot from Gary Dodd was tipped over by 'Boro 'keeper Howells before Dodd again couldn't get a foothold in the six yard box to stab home some good work by Adams and Thompson.

In the first half, the Rebels assumed control enough for 'keeper Bunting to sit and unwrap his presents at the other end with full backs White and Duffy combining for Duffy to head over again and Dodd to lash over the crossbar for his third chance. Up to now outclassed, Farnborough played as though the goal was their right with a startling five-man move, ending with Turkington threading through to Read who casually shot home past Bunting in the 22nd minute.

Typically, it took the busy but luckless Dodd to rouse Slough out of their creeping lethargy, instigating a flurry of chances before seeing an angled shot blocked following a rare flash of magic by Brian Greenaway.

Mark Adams summed up the second half for Slough by screaming to the bench "It's not happening is it ?"

He created the home side's only chance after the interval when Keith White brushed his free kick weakly past the post.

In between spasms of pressure at either end, it was left to 'Boro's leading scorer Simon Read to snap up a Colin Fielder free kick from the left, punching home as Bunting slipped and give the visitors a two goal cushion.

The fresh legs of Alan Wooler came on to replace ex-Windsor man Dave Osgood who had successfully shadowed an otherwise dangerous Steve Thompson with Davies bringing on Tony Dennis as a surprise sub for top scorer Neal Stanley to try and bring some pace against a big Farnborough defence.

But as the minutes ticked away, with Dell and Greenaway trying pot shots on goal, Slough's game gave every impression of a Christmas cracker that didn't go off.

Fifteen minutes from time, Read's persistence added to Dodd's frustrations as the tall mid-fielder took the legs of Slough's chief tormentor.

Turkington stepped up to complete the formalities and give Bognor's manager Jack Pearce reason to be cheerful in the stands. But Davies is, obviously, looking for some New Year celebrations from tonight's (Friday) match against the Rocks and Monday's derby confrontation against Windsor at Stag Meadow."

I think we'll be looking to try and take it out on the next sides....we don't want our season to fall flat" he warned. " The lads have already shown a lot of character this season and with our squad and good football we can prove it".