Slough fans were left biting their nails against Yeading as, for the second game in a row, there was late drama as the game went into the final minutes. Unlike last week at Croydon Athletic where the players were hanging on by a thread, this week the question was could the team pull back a two goal deficit, a question that Glen Harris finally answered with just two minutes to go.

The late arrival of Jake Whincup meant that Michael Parkin returned between the goalposts while the loss of Martin Moller and Nick Gyoury to illness and injury respectively meant recalls for Alex Haddow on the left and Matt Seedel in attack.

The first effort of the game fell to the Rebels as Josias Carbon put in a cross shot from the right which put defender Marc Leach in all kinds of trouble. With Seedel and Ryan Spencer lurking, the Yeading man stuck out a foot and directed the ball towards the corner of his goal only to see it saved smartly by ex-Slough keeper, Delroy Preddie. After this Yeading took full control of the game, taking apart a Slough team that were so short of players that only three of the five named substitutes were actually available to use.

With the away side’s first attack came the first goal as Nevin Saroya got his head to Keith Newby’s corner and Davis Haule powered the ball home at the far post. Slough did have a quick chance to equalise as Michael Murphy’s low free kick clipped the outside of the post and went wide.

Yeading’s pressure continued to mount as DJ Campbell and Haule both tested Parkin with long range drives. Campbell’s, in particular produced a wonderful diving save from the young stopper. The home side were restricted to attacks on the break and when they did get forward the strikers were given little help, Spencer forced to shoot harmlessly from thirty yards with no-one in support.

On the half hour mark Yeading doubled their advantage, and already at this stage seemed to be heading towards an easy win. Alex Stanley’s thunderbolt of a free kick, flew past Parkin giving him no chance as the ball landed in the top corner.

Once again Slough were given the chance to hit back quickly as a great run down the left by Haddow presented Seedel with a headed chance but the striker leapt a little early and couldn’t keep his header down. From the goal kick Yeading went straight back on the attack and Darti Brown’s effort was again superbly saved by Parkin, finger-tipping the ball over his crossbar.

In the last ten minutes of the half came signs that Slough were starting to find their feet. Within this period came Slough’s best chance to score as wonderful close control by Seedel took him away from Leach and his square pass seemed to give Harris an easy chance to pull one back. However, the midfielder took too long on the ball and in the end a combination of Saroya and Preddie deflected the ball out for a corner.

At half time, not many Slough fans gave the team a chance in the second period with Yeading looking the much better side against Slough’s patched up eleven.

The second half started slowly with no real chances forthcoming until the hour mark, when Brown’s long range effort was well held again from the increasingly impressive Parkin. Ten minute’s later came Slough’s first real chance of the second period as Spencer’s lay off found Darron Wilkinson but his chipped drive was never quite coming down quickly enough as it sailed over Preddie’s bar.

When all hope seemed to be fading, Slough finally managed to fashion a goal and give themselves a late chance of a point. Good play by Carbon and Spencer took the ball to the feet of Harris. He sidestepped Saroya before playing a ball through towards the onrushing Haddow. The left winger just managed to step inside Michael Barima, and, having got in front of his man he had enough time to lift a delicate chip with the outside of his boot over Preddie and into the back of the net.

Chances were still sparse for the Rebels and in fact Yeading could have extended their lead once more if it was not for another outstanding save by Parkin tipping Saroya’s low free kick round the post.
With two minutes remaining it looked as if Slough were not going to quite complete the comeback until the hardworking Seedel was bundled over by Emond Protain thirty yards from goal. As Murphy’s free kick came into the box Spencer provided a majestic leap to flick the ball on and, as Preddie lost his footing on the slippery turf, Harris came in at the far post to tap in a header from one yard and snatch a draw.

Seconds later the whistle blew to end another match where Slough’s makeshift line up once again did themselves proud to grab a point against the league leaders. Next week it is the F. A. Cup at home to Welling when the Rebels will hope to have a few more fit for what is sure to be a tough match.