Solitary Langley Strike Enough For Slough Victory

Tommy Langley clinched this finely balanced match with just four minutes remaining, as Slough moved back into fifth place, in the Vauxhall League Premier Division.

It would have been a nightmare for the Slough layers if all three points hadn't been won, after they missed a hatful of second half chances.

Staines, undefeated away from home until Tuesday evening, played some neat football, and had much the better of the early exchanges. But the Rebels rallied in the second half, and were guilty of some wayward finishing.

Manager Alan Davies said: "After drawing on Saturday, we are pleased with the three points tonight. I wasn't too happy with the first 20 minutes, but we dominated the second half, and we could have easily won four or five nil."

Mr Davis also expressed disappointment at the way some of the Slough fans all too easily got on the players backs by voicing disapproval. "When you look at the team, we've only lost one league game, and it just shows the mentality of a few of the spectators who barrack the team," he said.

The transfer listed Gary Dodd started the game in mid¬field in place of the dropped Neal Stanley, and Mark Mallinson surprisingly re¬placed Barry Rake on the substitutes' bench.

The Slough defence was sleepy in the opening minutes, and this allowed Price's free ¬kick from just inside the Slough half to curl into the area and almost in at the far post.

Mark Hill had to put Dawber's low cross out as it flashed across goal minutes later, and early signs suggested Staines would take the lead.

Trevor Bunting saved well with his body when Gregory nipped in at the near post from Price's free kick, and Dawber's low cross-shot went into Bunting's arms.

Slough soon came back into the game, with Steve Thompson looking dangerous, and after 32 minutes, Langley found himself clean through following Crouch's mistake, but fired wide from close range with only the keeper to beat.

With three minutes of the first half remaining, Mark Adam's snapshot cannoned off the bar, and Langley failed to put the ball home from close range as the rebound bounced around in the a Staines box.

Two Slough men found themselves in the referee's book in quick succession in the second half, Adams for dissent and Tony Dell for a tough challenge.

The Rebels found themselves making space in the visitor's penalty area as the half wore on, and following good work from Trevor How, Bobby Dell headed over when unmarked from close range.

For a short while, the Rebels tried to penetrate from distance, but soon Thomp¬son's electrifying pace began to tell.

Slough skipper Mark Hill found himself booked for a foul, but Staines failed to break through the home defence.

With 75 minutes gone, Thompson weaved his way through the visitor's defence, and crossed to How who was unmarked at the far post, just yards out. But his effort found a Staines player when a better finish was required.

Neal Stanley came on for Tony Dell after 76 minutes, and made an immediate impact, crossing for How to head over.

Poor finishing looked as though it would cost Slough the match, but the best was saved for the last five minutes.

Thompson again confused the Staines defence, and shot goalwards from the edge of the box, the keeper saved well but his parry broke to Langley, whose goalbound effort was beaten away by the excellent Lara.

Just a minute later, a superb move gave Slough the well earned points. Thompson released Stanley on the left, who ran on to fire into the area, and Langley blasted the ball home via a Staines defender's boot.

Staines felt aggrieved at this decision, claiming Thompson was offside, but with a Staines defender on the goalline, they had no case.

Dawber had an effort deflected away in the Slough box, but the Rebels almost made it two when Dodd and Thompson combined to set up Stanley, who fired just across the face of goal and wide of the far post.