Sucker punch is a blow for Rebels

For the third time in four games it was a late goal which proved to be Slough's downfall as the Rebels came away from Park View Road with just a point when it seemed they were going to take all three.

Lloyd Owusu's 53rd minute opener looked like being the only goal of a scrappy affair, until three minutes from time Welling levelled things to snatch a point.
It was a frenetic and scrappy first period, with Welling posing all the early questions.

Cliff Hercules had to be on his toes to clear Richie Hanlon's dangerous cross as Watson waited in the area. Welling came forward again with a quick break down the right flank and looked threatening before Paul Handyman's well-timed sliding challenge put the ball behind as he robbed Lew Watts.

The home side then came within a hair's breadth of opening the scoring when John Farley's free kick from midway inside the Slough half narowly evaded the right boot of Terry Skiverton at the near post.

And the relentless early assault continued as Hanlon pounced on Gary McGinnis's back pass to force a fine save from Slough's man of the match Paul Wilkerson, who pushed the ball away diving to his right.

Slough fought back and started to get on top of their opponents, who were becoming frustrated by Slough's stout defending. The Rebels carved out a glorious chance to snatch the lead on 35 minutes when Gary Abbott's little pass through the middle opened up the Welling defence, finding Owusu. He saw his low drive effort parried by Welling keeper Glenn Knight. straight into the path of Danny Bolt, who had his goalbound effort from an acute angle blocked by an even better save from Knight. Then Terry Angus flicked on a Danny Bolt corner to Abbott, whose header flashed over the bar with Knight beaten.

Slough continued their attacking style in the second half and it seemed only a matter of time before the oneninc coal came. First Angus volleyed a Bolt corner goalwards only for Copley to cut it out, then Duncan Horton just got a foot to a dangerous pass from Gary Brazil to Bolt, who was teeing up a shot on the edge of the area.

And finally the Rebels did find the back of the net with a well worked goal. Bolt's precise pass picked up Owusu, who held off the attentions of Skiverton before firing low under Knight from 12 yards.

Moments later it could have been 2-0, and that would surely have settled the game. Abbott's clever chip through almost found Bolt, but Knight raced from his line to smother the ball.

Welling hit back, and Slough had Wilkerson to thank twice in a few seconds for a tremendous double save. First he parried Derreck Brown's vicious close range effort, then he superbly tipped Farley's follow-up shot onto the bar and over.

Hanlon then connected with Brown's resulting corner only to have his shot on the turn at the near post scrambled off the line thanks to some desperate defending. Abbott had another chance to add Slough's second when Owusu set him up down the left side. He cut into the box before seeing his angled drive well saved by Knight at the near post.

Wilkerson again denied the home side when Mark Watson broke through. The Slough keeper spotted the danger, came racing from his area and cleared high upfield.

But the sucker punch was yet to come. Just as it looked as though the Rebels had done enough, Welling levelled in the 87th minute. A corner on the left was swung into the area and Paul Copley rose to head home unchallenged.

It was a disappointing end with yet another late, late goal denying Slough the glory. The performance pleased manager Brian McDermott, the result did not.