Winning start ended at Enfield

Slough lost their 100% record and narrowly avoided defeat as a late Junior Haynes strike cancelled out James Bunn's first half penalty for Enfield.

Enfield started much the brighter of the two sides and it took some time for Slough to settle into their rhythm. Early chances for Capone and a header from Brown were wasted for Enfield when perhaps they should have capitalised.

After thirteen minutes of the match had passed, Timothy was booked for a tackle on the impressive Morgan down the left wing. From the resulting Bunn free kick, he picked out Brown in the area but his header went straight at Mautone.

Minutes later a good through ball from Rattray released ex Rebel Hammett through the offside trap but Mautone was quick to spot the danger and cleared his lines well under pressure.

Morgan was causing problems for Slough with his dribbling and was unlucky not to put them one up after nineteen minutes. A thirty yard run with the ball resulted in a rising shot which beat the dive of Mautone but hit the top of the bar before going out.

Slough's first half chance of the game came after 21 minutes when Hawthorne was given some space to release a strike from 25 yards out which again, clipped the top of the bar with John beaten.

With the game now opening up, Hammatt narrowly missed a cross shot from McDonald with his back post slide. Mark Hall was guilty of missing a good chance for Slough straight after when he was released through the offside trap, but saw John save impressively twice at his feet.

Two more chances fell for Slough with Haynes and Markman getting some space but both their efforts were saved comfortably by John in the Enfield goal.

Mautone gave the travelling Rebels fans a scare after 26 minutes when a header from Rattray was directed at him but he fumbled the ball with Hammatt in close attention but managed to recover in the nick of time.

Ten minutes later, a good interception by Hawthorne gave him the opportunity to release Markman who should have done better when put through one on one, but blazed his shot over.

After 38 minutes, Bunn held the ball close to the by line in the Slough area and a clumsy tackle by Timothy felled him and the referee was given no choice but to award the E's a penalty and the chance to go into the break in front. Bunn stepped up and confidently powered the ball home past Mautone's dive.

In the last chance of the half, a Haynes clearance from a high cross fell into the path of Devereaux whose powerfully hit first time shot left Mautone with no chance but cannoned back off the post.

In a quiet opening to the first half, both defences were on top. With Enfield looking to keep things tighter at the back to protect their lead, the Rebels were finding it hard to find any breakthrough.

The first half chance of the half fell to Enfield. A Bunn free kick from the right wing was just missed by the head of Hammatt with a late back post run.

After 63 minutes came a moment Rebels fans had been waiting for, the introduction of Phil Simpson as a replacement for Markman. A minute after this change, Hammatt was released by Bunn and should have done better but hit his shot over the bar when clean through.

Bunn and Hammatt were combining well upfront for Enfield and they combined again with Bunn breaking down the left and squaring the ball to Hammett. He managed to turn to gain a yard from White before hitting a shot just wide of Mautone's goal.

With 77 minutes gone, the Rebels were still trying to find a way through the Enfield defence being exellently marshalled by Brown, but Hall was able to tee up Hawthorne on the edge of the E's area, however he dragged his shot wide. From the resulting break by Enfield, Daly tracked Morgan and made a great tackle in the area to prevent Morgan getting another strike in.

With the Rebels probing away and seemingly getting nowhere, a goal seemed unlikely. But after the performance against Purfleet, the Rebels fans were still optimistic and got the goal they were after.

Somewhat against the run of play, a great Patton ball over the top of the defence released Marshall down the left wing. He cut inside his markers before being tackled near the byline, but Patton was on hand to get the ball into the box with a lofty cross which was met by Simpson at the back post. His knock down fell to the feet of Haynes who managed to squeeze a shot in which left John with no chance from six yards out.

The game now really opened up again and could have swung either way with it being a real nail biter for both sides. Slough were having the better of the closing exchanges applying a lot of pressure and with chances falling to Daly, Patton and Marshall could wonder why they had not gone in front.

But Enfield also had their share of chances with Morgan jinking into the box and pulling a good save out of Mautone in the dying minutes. With the 90th minute displaying on the clock, a Simpson cross from the right wing found the run of Marshall at the back post but his well controlled header was superbly blocked by Fleming for what could have been the Rebels winner.

Then in the last chance of the match with Slough applying the pressure, a right wing Timothy cross found Marshall again in the box. He managed to turn and get a good shot in but it was straight at John.

As the referee blew his whistle, Slough may have been disappointed to have only come away after all their late pressure, but before their goal did not look like breaking down the Enfield defence. A hard earned point, or possibly as many will see it, two points dropped.