Slough Town
2
Brazil (61)
Owusu (64)
Dover Athletic
4
Own Goal (32)
Reina (37, 47)
Wilson (66)
League
Attendance: 868
Gary Brazil
THE Rebel ramparts took another pounding at Wexham Park on Tuesday night when Dover striker Ricky Reina ran riot and left the Rebels with a mountain to climb after they had conceded three goals with the game only half done.
Injuries to left back Paul Hardyman and central defender Gary McGinnis picked up at Kettering forced Slough manager Brian McDermott to revert to a four-man system at the back.
But the muscular Reina just brushed it aside with goals in the 37th and 47th minutes after forcing the Rebels to concede an own goal against the run of play in the 32nd minute.
To their credit Slough made a game of it, pulling the score back to 3-2 with goals from Gary Brazil in the 61st and half time sub Lloyd Owusu three minutes later.
But Dover re-opened a two-goal lead through Paul Wilson in the 66th minute as Slough were caught on the break as they pushed forward looking for the equaliser. Within a minute Owusu had the ball in the back of the Dover net, only for the goal to be overruled.
The Kent side - for whom goalkeeper Ron Fearon pulled off a string of fine saves, twice from Brazil in the first half and late on from Corey Browne - defended well as the onslaught continued.
And what luck there was seemed to favour the visitors - witness the sharp Derek Simpson drive which deflected onto the crossbar as the bombardment continued.
Dover manager Bill Williams, an experienced campaigner who took Maidstone into Division Four after winning the Conference in 1989, prefers the no-frills approach.
While there was a touch of desperation about the Slough predicament - they fell offside all too readily in the closing stages - Williams' side remained cool and always looked capable of snatching another goal with the long ball forward.
McDermott, on the other hand, has a side which likes to play a bit of football but perhaps lacks the astuteness which proved the difference on the night.
At Kettering, the Rebels had a cause and their fightback had something of the underdog spirit about it.
On Tuesday they gifted Dover a lead they hardly deserved, but gratefully took.
The first goal came from a free kick, Reina heading across the goal from the far post and the hapless Lee Randall marking his home debut with an own goal.
Five minutes later Reina held off Terry Angus to get in a low strike from the edge of the box which went beyond the reach of Miles.
Reina, who gave momentum to virtually everything Dover did, was able to shrug off the defence again two minutes after the break and again Miles was not. even able to get a hand to the shot.
Now simply a test of character, Slough were able to demonstrate their goal-scoring talents.
After four near misses, Brazil finally found the target when he sidefooted home Simpson's cross from the corner flag.
Browne was the architect of Owusu's goal which soon followed, some clever close quarter work ending with a chip to the opposite post which Brazil managed to knock into the young striker's path.
Dover hit back quickly with a break down the right, Reina backheeling the cross for Wilson to crash home.
With six goals already on the board, more looked possible - at either end. It was manic, but it was magic. And with a dozen netted during Slough's two games in the first week of the season, at least there is value for money for cash customers.
Injuries to left back Paul Hardyman and central defender Gary McGinnis picked up at Kettering forced Slough manager Brian McDermott to revert to a four-man system at the back.
But the muscular Reina just brushed it aside with goals in the 37th and 47th minutes after forcing the Rebels to concede an own goal against the run of play in the 32nd minute.
To their credit Slough made a game of it, pulling the score back to 3-2 with goals from Gary Brazil in the 61st and half time sub Lloyd Owusu three minutes later.
But Dover re-opened a two-goal lead through Paul Wilson in the 66th minute as Slough were caught on the break as they pushed forward looking for the equaliser. Within a minute Owusu had the ball in the back of the Dover net, only for the goal to be overruled.
The Kent side - for whom goalkeeper Ron Fearon pulled off a string of fine saves, twice from Brazil in the first half and late on from Corey Browne - defended well as the onslaught continued.
And what luck there was seemed to favour the visitors - witness the sharp Derek Simpson drive which deflected onto the crossbar as the bombardment continued.
Dover manager Bill Williams, an experienced campaigner who took Maidstone into Division Four after winning the Conference in 1989, prefers the no-frills approach.
While there was a touch of desperation about the Slough predicament - they fell offside all too readily in the closing stages - Williams' side remained cool and always looked capable of snatching another goal with the long ball forward.
McDermott, on the other hand, has a side which likes to play a bit of football but perhaps lacks the astuteness which proved the difference on the night.
At Kettering, the Rebels had a cause and their fightback had something of the underdog spirit about it.
On Tuesday they gifted Dover a lead they hardly deserved, but gratefully took.
The first goal came from a free kick, Reina heading across the goal from the far post and the hapless Lee Randall marking his home debut with an own goal.
Five minutes later Reina held off Terry Angus to get in a low strike from the edge of the box which went beyond the reach of Miles.
Reina, who gave momentum to virtually everything Dover did, was able to shrug off the defence again two minutes after the break and again Miles was not. even able to get a hand to the shot.
Now simply a test of character, Slough were able to demonstrate their goal-scoring talents.
After four near misses, Brazil finally found the target when he sidefooted home Simpson's cross from the corner flag.
Browne was the architect of Owusu's goal which soon followed, some clever close quarter work ending with a chip to the opposite post which Brazil managed to knock into the young striker's path.
Dover hit back quickly with a break down the right, Reina backheeling the cross for Wilson to crash home.
With six goals already on the board, more looked possible - at either end. It was manic, but it was magic. And with a dozen netted during Slough's two games in the first week of the season, at least there is value for money for cash customers.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Ben Miles
- 2 Garry Smart
- 3 Derek Simpson
- 4 Lee Randall 15
- 5 Cliff Hercules
- 6 Terry Angus
- 7 Danny Bailey
- 8 Corey Browne
- 9 Gary Brazil
- 10 Gary Abbott
- 11 Danny Bolt
Substitutes
- 12 Tony Nolan
- 14 Grant Eaton
- 15 Lloyd Owusu 4
Dover Athletic Lineup
Fearon, Munday, Palmer, Budden, Daniels, Stebbing, Wilson; Strouts, Reina, Lebihan, Barber: SUBS: Henry, Jones, McCabe.