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The National League U19 Alliance
6th
19pts

Same old story for new-look Slough

Slough Town

Slough Town

3
Catlin (33), West (52), Bushay (3-2)
Sutton United

Sutton United

2
Brown (0-1, 29)
League Attendance: 942 Trevor Baron
Slough received their first real test of the season on Saturday, as giantkillers Sutton United were the visitors to Wexham Road.

And once again, for a distinctly rocky Slough, the impressive-looking result was not borne out by the performance, as Sutton's own inability to hold on to the game handed the Rebels a golden opportunity to win a match which they deserved to lose.

Sutton more than equalled Town in the opening salvos, and were duly rewarded for their efforts with yet another early Wexham Park goal, as Golley's cross was met simply yet effectively by Brown. More speed, less haste must be on the menu next week.

As we have unfortunately seen so often this season, the Rebels lacked any sort of coherence when pressing forward and were often in virtual disarray at the hack, leaving gaping spaces for Sutton attackers.

There was no surprise at all, then, on 29 minutes, when number two went in, Brown beating Bunting on the edge of the area and slotting home as the Rebels "defence" was reduced to a shambles. The lessons of the Purfleet defeat had obviously not been learnt at all.

The Rebels' real chances could he counted with very few fingers.

Bushay should have done better on 30 minutes when allowed through, but some pride was restored three minutes later, as Catlin rose to head home a high hall.

Slough's dampened spirits were lifted a little, but anything goal bound was too often wayward and lacking in accuracy. The Rebels were still trying to get out of neutral.

That is not to say Sutton were that much better, hut they were playing as a team, not just a loose collection of individuals of assorted ability.

It is individual ability, how ever, that may well see Slough through this season, especially that of Mark West, and he was on hand seven minutes into the second half to knock in another instinctive header for the equaliser.

Richardson was another player who was putting in a real effort to pep the side up, running 40 yards to blast over on 57 minutes, but Slough eyes inevitably fell on the players sat in the stand - Andy Sayer and Steve Whitby, who could have made such a difference.

It was Bushay, inevitably, who made the difference, coming out of virtual hibernation to capitalise on a defensive mistake, round the 'keeper and, after a few seconds' deliberation, hit the target to give Slough an unlikely win.

The Slough machine was finally beginning to settle into gear, but the errors were still there and Sutton, always a spirited team, were ready to expose them.

Coming hack from a two-goal deficit deserves credit, and although the game began to slow, Slough somehow kept control. Young striker Michael Thorp, recently released by Reading, came on to make his debut as a late sub, but Sutton disappointingly failed to make a game of it.

The trouble with wins is they can lull players and managers into a false sense of security and paper over the gaping cracks in a team's make-up.

Slough have several tactical and attitude-related problems right now, and maybe it's time for Dave Russell to start pointing the finger of blame a little more specifically, before the points begin to disappear.

Sutton United Lineup

Rebels

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