Rebels Hit Six Without Reply

Slough Town maintained their good recent form with a comprehensive six-nil victory over Wealdstone with Neville Roach and Michael Bartley scoring twice each.

Slough could not have got off to a better start as they took the lead only four minutes into the match. Anthony Howard picked the ball up in defence and ran at the Wealdstone defence. He found Veli Hakki who passed the ball to Michael Gilkes. He crossed the ball into the area for Howard to tap the ball into the unguarded net. Gilkes nearly helped Slough put two-goals up a couple of minutes later when his corner fell into the path of Hakki, but the midfielders shot was pushed away by visiting goalkeeper Andy Carter.

At this early stage of the match the home side were dominant and another good move on ten minutes saw Darron Wilkinson cross into the path of Neville Roach, but the strikers' near post header went just past the post. Despite the home sides domination Wealdstone could have found themselves level on twelve minutes. Winger Carl Hunt found himself through on goal and shot against the post. From the rebound Martin Carter looked certain to score, but a superb save by Slough goalkeeper Steve Mautone kept the former Hampton midfielders effort out.

After coming close to equalising Wealdstone's confidence grew and they were denied an equaliser on twenty-six minutes when a cross into the area found Bryan Hammatt, but the striker was denied a goal against his former club thanks to another excellent save by Mautone. The home side received a blow shortly after when Captain Steve Daly's troublesome Hamstring injury flared up again. He was replaced by Michael Bartley as the Rebels were forced to reorganise.

Bartley's introduction paid dividends almost immediately as he played an excellent one-two with midfielder Veli Hakki who confidently passed the ball into the back of the net past the advancing Carter. The Stones' keeper had to be at his best ten minutes before half time when he first denied Keith McPherson a goal from a Mark Hawthorne corner and then soon after was forced to tip the ball over the bar following Simon Ullathorne's fierce drive from 35-yards.

Just a minute before half time the Rebels effectively wrapped up the three points when Hawthorne's corner was headed down for McPherson and Roach stabbed the ball into the net from close range. Wealdstone could have pulled a goal back with the last kick of the half when Vinny Sommers shot deflected off Howard forcing Mautone to save with his legs.

Slough started the second half in the same way they ended the first with more attacks on the Stones goal with Ullathorne forcing another save from Carter after a long range free kick just a minute into the half. On fifty-one minutes Steve Browne's men went four goals's ahead with the best move of the match. Bartley found Hakki wide on the right. His sublime cross found Roach at the far post and the in-form striker headed the ball into the net.

Just eight minutes later Slough increased their tally to five when Paul Barrowcliff passed the ball to Gilkes wide on the left. He beat his marker and crossed the ball into the area where Bartley slid in to claim his first goal since early December. With the match well and truly won Slough decided to replace Ullathorne who was struggling with a slight injury and Roach with Sammy Winston and Andrew Deaner.

There was no let off for the Stones defence though as they both proved a handful for the away side. First of all Deaner came close with a long range effort and then soon after Winston shot inches wide of the target when he should have scored after being set up by Bartley. Winston made amends for his mistake by creating Slough's sixth goal of the match. His used his pace to get away from Lee Walker and his cross-shot fell into the path of Bartley who grabbed his second of the match.

With both sets of players waiting for the final whistle Bartley had two chances in quick succession to claim his hat-trick. First of all Gilkes played the ball into the striker's path who saw his shot once again saved by Carter then in the final minute he fired the ball across the face of goal with a touch only needed by Winston or Deaner to grab the seventh goal of the match.

This was Slough's best performance in many a season and it was a much needed convincing win following the disappointing home defeat against Oxford City just two-weeks ago.