Hednesford Town
3
Simpson (33), O’Connor (62), Lake (88)
Slough Town
1
West (43)
League
Attendance: 1031
Mark West
Danny Wicks - just 17 - was called up by injury plagued Slough Town's boss Brian McDermott for last Saturday's trip to Hednesford Town who took a firmer grip on third place at their first attempt in the Conference with a 3-1 victory at their new Keys Stadium home.
Wicks in fact did not get a chance to impress, but McDermott, who expects to play himself for the remainder of the season, came on as the injury toll lengthened with strikers Mark West and Cliff Hercules having to go off.
After a bright start, the Rebels found themselves trailing in the 33rd minute when Wayne Simpson was unmarked to convert Bernard McNally's corner kick.
The ever reliable West squared the match with his 30th goal of the season two minutes before the break after Neil Catlin had been put through by Ross Pickett's pinpoint pass to get in the initial shot.
West, like the tooth fairy, made life more bearable by turning the discarded material into something more valuable. Mark Fiore then forced Hednesford keeper Scott Cooksey to make the first of two excellent saves, his solid shot from the left just before half time tipped over the bar to safety.
The Pitmen could thank a strong breeze and the bounce of the ball for retaking the lead in the 62nd minute, Joe O'Connor the grateful recipient of Cooksey's wind-assisted clearance which left him free to hook the ball home unchallenged from 10 yards.
The Rebels were kept on the back foot but a busy Ben Miles managed the keep the door open for Slough to take the point which would equal the club's points total when they were unfortunate enough to have been relegated two seasons ago.
McDermott himself almost laid on the equaliser with a smart cross from the right which offered Hercules the chance of his 300th goal of his career.
But Cooksey produced his second bit of class to flick it off course.
And Hednesford finished with their tails up as sub Stuart Lake sliced through the middle in the 88th minute when Slough's defence evaporated to beat the stranded Miles from 12 yards out.
A slightly irritated McDermott said: "They were only an average side and we had plenty of the game. But we still came away four points short of my target of 50 points."
McDermott was among those gob-smacked by the slag-heap of a pitch - a cratered, sandy red surface showing alarming signs of subsidence. Immediately afterwards the Pitmen, whose last home game it was, dug it up to relay it.
It might stand as a symbol for McDermott who is now in a hurry for the end to the Rebels'' season.
He said: "We are safe. It can't come soon enough," he said.
Wicks in fact did not get a chance to impress, but McDermott, who expects to play himself for the remainder of the season, came on as the injury toll lengthened with strikers Mark West and Cliff Hercules having to go off.
After a bright start, the Rebels found themselves trailing in the 33rd minute when Wayne Simpson was unmarked to convert Bernard McNally's corner kick.
The ever reliable West squared the match with his 30th goal of the season two minutes before the break after Neil Catlin had been put through by Ross Pickett's pinpoint pass to get in the initial shot.
West, like the tooth fairy, made life more bearable by turning the discarded material into something more valuable. Mark Fiore then forced Hednesford keeper Scott Cooksey to make the first of two excellent saves, his solid shot from the left just before half time tipped over the bar to safety.
The Pitmen could thank a strong breeze and the bounce of the ball for retaking the lead in the 62nd minute, Joe O'Connor the grateful recipient of Cooksey's wind-assisted clearance which left him free to hook the ball home unchallenged from 10 yards.
The Rebels were kept on the back foot but a busy Ben Miles managed the keep the door open for Slough to take the point which would equal the club's points total when they were unfortunate enough to have been relegated two seasons ago.
McDermott himself almost laid on the equaliser with a smart cross from the right which offered Hercules the chance of his 300th goal of his career.
But Cooksey produced his second bit of class to flick it off course.
And Hednesford finished with their tails up as sub Stuart Lake sliced through the middle in the 88th minute when Slough's defence evaporated to beat the stranded Miles from 12 yards out.
A slightly irritated McDermott said: "They were only an average side and we had plenty of the game. But we still came away four points short of my target of 50 points."
McDermott was among those gob-smacked by the slag-heap of a pitch - a cratered, sandy red surface showing alarming signs of subsidence. Immediately afterwards the Pitmen, whose last home game it was, dug it up to relay it.
It might stand as a symbol for McDermott who is now in a hurry for the end to the Rebels'' season.
He said: "We are safe. It can't come soon enough," he said.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Ben Miles
- 2 Garry Smart
- 3 Tony Nolan
- 4 Lee Harvey
- 5 Steve Bateman
- 6 Neil Catlin
- 7 Ross Pickett
- 8 Brian Lee
- 9 Mark West 15
- 10 Cliff Hercules 12
- 11 Mark Fiore
Substitutes
- 12 Garfield Blackman 10
- 14 Danny Wicks
- 15 Brian McDermott 9