Flu-Hit Rebels Blown Away By Wingate

A flu stricken Slough team continued their poor run in with a three - nil defeat to eighth from bottom Wingate & Finchley. With six main players missing, Slough produced an ill performance on the pitch that even saw Steve Browne and Eddie Denton named among the subs.

Wingate had the first chance of the game, a good run and cross from John Butterfield saw the ball headed just wide of the goal by Ex-Rebel Paul Hakim. The Slough reply didn't take too long. The in form Darron Wilkinson saw his cross meet Tony Boot, his cross was dummied by Andrew Deaner but Ryan Spencer could do no better than to drill the ball over the bar. Darron Wilkinson was in the thick of the action again moments later, his strong tackle saw the ball run perfectly to Gilkes, but he stumbled at the corner, which saw the ball roll out of play for a goal kick.

Dom Jean Zepherin returned to the Slough goal after his lengthy spell out, it wasn't long before he was tested, a Wingate player struck cleanly from the edge of the box but Zepherin pulled off a blinding save to deny Wingate the lead.

Wilkinson produced another excellent Paul Ince style tackle moments later, the ball fell to Ryan Williams but his lob into the area was too early for the fully stretched Andrew Deaner.

Michael Gilkes found himself in a good position soon after, His great run and cross was controlled by Deaner, his turn and trickery fooled Greg Bookman but his shot crept just wide of the post.

Wingate were rewarded a corner after some poor defending by Ricky Browne. Zepherin managed to catch the ball from the cross, but his attempt at a quick release were shattered as he sliced the ball to Hakim who's shot smacked against the post. It was Zepherin who created the next Slough play though. His throw met Christian Metcalfe who did a one two piece with Ryan Spencer but Metcalfe's shot was saved by a stretched Andy Walker in the Wingate Goal.

Rav Braich made his first team debut due to Dean Palmer falling victim to the flu. Braich made a super run down the right flank, his cut back into the box met the feet of Wilkinson but he couldn't control the spinning ball and his sliced effort was nearer the corner flag than the goal.

Tony Boot was next in line for a chance to take the lead. His shot was well saved by Walker but Metcalfe could do no better than to put the rebound over the bar. Darron Wilkinson made another great run down the Right at the death, his cross found Spencer's head, he laid it to the feet of Boot but his shot was too good and went straight to Walkers hands.


The Wingate half time team talks proved to be a winning one, Slough never had a sniff in the second half. Straight from the kick, Boateng drilled a shot just wide of the post for the visitors who looked to be the more hungry of the two teams. Sam Sloma had the next chance for the visiting team, the leaping Zepherin saved his shot but his throw fell to the feet of Paul Hakim but his shot from the edge of the box flew passed the post.

Then Slough stepped up the tempo for two minutes. Ryan Spencer made a run from the middle taking the ball passed Dean Williams and Guy Morris but as bought down by Greg Bookman in the box, but Miss Chapman persisted that Bookman won the ball cleanly. Another excellent attacking play saw Gilkes pass to Craig Rocastle and his pass to Wilkinson but he was bought down outside the box. But Slough once again wasted the dead ball by trying to play it at 100 mph, Wilko passed it straight out of play.

That was to be it from a Slough point of view, Gilkes' athleticism stopped what would have been a through ball to Boateng and Braich managed to clear the loose ball from the box.

Steve Browne bought on the returning Mark Bartley (Midfielder) for the debutant Rav Braich (Right Back) minutes later but even his tactical mastermind could not have stopped the softest of goals ever. Ricky Browne let the ball slip under his feet to set up the ex Rebel Paul Hakim. Zepherin made the best attempt to save it as he could but Hakim slotted the ball easily into the bottom left hand corner of the net to put the visitors one - nil up. Then moments later came his second. Michael Gilkes lost the ball near the corner flag but once again Ricky Browne was to blame for the goal. Hakim's run from the corner flag past Browne who made no attempt of a tackle to slot in his second of the night, probably the easiest two goals he will ever score.

Then on 73 minutes Boateng headed home the third goal for Wingate from a corner. Ricky Browne was put under pressure at the corner flag and tapped the ball out of play. The corner drifted through the box to the head of Boateng, his weak header was not cleared off the line from the asleep looking Browne who let in the third soft goal of the night.

Slough had the last chance of the game, but Mark Bartley could not score through an open goal for what would have been an undeserved goal for the Rebels.

Slough once again cracked under the pressure of the end of season, and with promotion rivals all picking up valuable points, Slough's chances of promotion took a heavy blow this evening.