Sorry Slough Drop To Fifth

David Kemp was left "devastated" on Saturday by a Slough performance that left him and club supporters fuming.

Lowly Witton snatched maximum points from a dreadful encounter, niggly from beginning to end, in all 102 minutes of frustration and despair. The players let themselves and the club down and I'm devastated'', slammed Kemp, the ultimate competitor, aghast at the lack of commitment displayed by his weary looking troops.

"It's a question of pride isn't it, and the players have shown themselves in a bad light — the last two games have been a big disappointment."

Eying the Conference table that has seen Slough slip from second to fifth in eight days a dejected Kemp added: "On our last two performances we deserve to be down there; over the season no, but now we've stopped playing.

"I'm waiting for players to come up with the goods and it's not happening —I 'believe that you try to win every game — that's your incentive.
"Winners are winners, losers are losers, and at the moment we are finding ways to lose games."

How Town managed to lose this one however is something of a mystery, Witton Albion — still very much in danger of the drop — were very poor, fiercely combative but very poor and yet their display was no worse than Slough's and far better than that of West Wickham referee Ian Mitchell, whose stop-start method of rule only added to an unhappy atmosphere.

Six bookings — four for Slough — reflected the simmering discontent and at least two individuals may reflect that they did well to make it through to the end.

How Wilton goalkeeper Cuiseppe Paladino stayed on was a mystery. Early on in the second half the promising boxer raced from his goal to thwart Stanley's run. As Stanley made to throw-in, Paladino — hopelessly out of position, wrestled the Rebel to the ground — few in the ground thought he would stay, crucially —and after a lengthy chat with Paladino and persuasive colleagues Connor and Lillis, Mr Mitchell was one such.

It's difficult to say whether it would have made a huge difference, had he gone, Slough rarely looked like scoring in an untidy second half.

Stanley will remember this one for sometime. A crowd favourite, he claimed his first ever Conference goal just five minutes into the contest.

Scott — in his first outing since January — headed the ball back into the area after Fiore's corner was half cleared and Stanley, left in acres of space as Witton stormed out looking for offside, eventually thumped a low show beyond Paladino.

For a short time it seemed that Town would overrun their opponents, but as has so often been the case this season, a lot of possession and pressure brought no further reward; Pluckrose's mishit cross, the closest they would come, at this stage, to a second.

Instead they were pegged back by what Kemp described later as "a dreadful goal". Alford collected a no-more than hopeful thump upfield and easily shrugged off deputy right back Mark Quamina before cutting back in on goal and beating Bunting from 12 yards.

It had come within seconds of an unsuccessful penalty appeal at the other end and it effectively changed the entire game.

Karl Thomas set up Alford for a deflected strike that Bunting —somewhat unconvincingly scrambled to safety, but Witton, who had seemed desperate not to lose, suddenly sensed this one was there for the taking.

No-one was more determined than Connor, who played the whole game in a
furious pent-up state, eyeballs spinning as he clashed with Sayer then Stanley and finally McKinnon, only the latter finishing the game without a yellow card.

Briefly Slough raised their game as the second half began and Sayer's point blank shot following up Edwards' downward header hit Paladino.

To avoid being offside Sayer then nipped off the pitch but on his return —and still comfortably offside — he collected Scott's through ball and advanced on the big keeper. Perhaps deep down he knew he was offside or maybe he has little confidence right now — no goals in nine, just two in 16 will do that to a striker — but he dithered and allowed Paladino to make the save.

McKinnon's shot on the turn, wouldn't have counted but neither he or Paladino — who made a fine save — would have been aware of that.

Friel replaced Sayer —the first time he has been substituted this season and his first contribution was a cross, as he turned, which McKinnon headed powerfully for the corner, again Paladino was equal to the task.

Almost immediately Paladino saved bravely at the feet of Friel from Fiore's cross.

Thomas missed out from close range as Witton offered but he would get another opportunity.

With just four minutes left Edwards pulled down Bancroft as he broke through into Slough's area — Edwards might have gone, again Mr Mitchell decided on a lesser punishment.

Instead Thomas sent Bunting the wrong way from the spot and somehow the visitors were on for three points.

Two minutes later they were guaranteed, in bizarre circumstances, much in keeping with the game.

Edwards played an underpaced ball back for Bunting, who took so much time in coming to clear, that one felt he must surely drag the ball away from the incoming Alford. He didn't, Bunting chose to drive the ball directly at the striker, and the rebound off a player who was busy taking cover shot back past Bunting and into his net — all rather typical.

A minute later Slough did what they stopped doing midway through the first half, they kept the ball on the floor, and Pluckrose broke away cut in and delivered the cross for Fiore to sweep past Paladino.

Just four wins in their last 18 league games now for Slough and a win against Stafford on Saturday is required for Slough to confirm fifth.

This has been a fantastic season for Slough Town but there are some occasions, when that fact is easy to forget — ask Dave Kemp.