Slough have a striking need

A positive aspect of Slough Town's drawn FA Trophy tie at Yeading is that the draw and thus a replay means they saved themselves the hassle of the long journey to Boston on Wednesday evening.

Another is that for huge periods of Saturday's game they dominated and in fact it remains something of a mystery as to how they did not make progress at the first time of asking.

On the down side, the replay means another three game week for the Rebels who won't be short on fixtures in the forthcoming months and it sends the Boston game back to April, when though conditions might he more comfortable, limbs will be tired and aching due to the congested programme.

Never mind, Slough are still at least very much involved in both Conference and FA Trophy —plus the slightly less glamourous County Cup — and are fast gaining the reputation of being hard to break down.

Frankly on Saturday only for fleeting moments in the first half did the hosts look likely to cause Town real problems. Yeading were short of ideas and composure in the last third of the pitch and despite gaining an early advantage, they were rarely likely winners.

Slough certainly didn't perform to the best of their powers either, only Neal Stanley and perhaps Steve Whitby could say they had prospered while Mark Fiore was delightfully unpredictable when he pushed forward in the second half.

More worrying for David Kemp and Slough's growing following is the obvious lack of form from Andy Sayer who after a wonderful start to the season suddenly looks disenchanted with the game, his performance at Yeading riddled with indecision and errors of judgement.

His lack of sparkle is perhaps the most obvious cause for the need of a replay, "Leo", as he is affectionately known, has well and truly gone off the boil.

Another considerable factor was the form of Yeading goalkeeper McKenzie whose handling was impeccable though he was rarely at full stretch.

Throughout he dealt with a series of indifferent crosses and hopeful long balls with an ease suggesting he may not have long for this division.

Slough were by far the better of the two sides in the first quarter and though they didn't actually create too much they spent most of then time camped in Yeading territory.

Sayer threw himself at Whitby's whipped in cross and George Friel thumped a cross — shot straight into McKenzie's midriff. Dicker did likewise with Yeading's only early opportunity.

On 15 minutes McKenzie pulled down Friel's fierce shot from under the crossbar and then in the space of two minutes things went all wrong for Slough.

First Sayer after pouncing on the mistake of Ardren dragged his cross back behind the incoming strikers. Then Stanley beat the offside trap went round McKenzie but his cutback was cut out and while Kemp's charges protested that McKenzie had collected a backpass his long clearance was taken on by former Windsor man Bryon Walton and dispatched past a helpless Trevor Bunting.

Somehow the hosts had got themselves ahead but within four minutes Slough were deservedly back on terms. Stanley picked out McKinnon at the near post and when he swept the ball across the goal Friel was on hand to apply the no frills finish from five yards.

Still celebrating their equaliser Slough ought really to have been punished but Charles showed all the composure of a raging rhinoceros when, after Denton had turned a great chance into a great cross the winger sprinted in and put his chance over the stand beyond Bunting's goal.

After that Yeading did little to raise their expectations. Dicker one of their more influential players —was off target with a pair of half chances and crowd favourite — if somewhat over enthusiastic forward — Hector Welsh gave all those who went near him an uncomfortable time.

Slough meanwhile wasted a dozen or more openings. More often it was the quality of the final ball that let them down, Stanley for all his endeavour was guilty as any one on that count; out of every five crosses he put over four were either straight to a defender or too close to the reliable McKenzie.

When Whitby drilled in a cross for Sayer McKenzie bravely went down at the little forward's feet to thwart him.

Sayer was then denied by the legs of Croad though he might have been better advised to look for one of three team mates all well placed.

George Friel's direct 40 yard scamper caused all manner of panic in the Yeading rearguard and when his cross field ball came to McKinnon, the big striker had more time and space than perhaps even he realised and his shot was dragged well wide.

The silken skills of Fiore were a constant joy but you sensed a replay would be needed and even when Anderson was replaced by Quamina leaving Slough with the rookie central defensive unit of Hazel and Pluckrose, Yeading were contemptuously subdued.

Bunting who didn't really have a decent shot to save all the game would have admired the way his opposite number held out towards the end as Fiore, Friel and Sayer all tried to fashion a result to no avail.