Slough Town
3
Romeo (8), Allaway (49), Platt (77)
Truro City
3
Smith (40, 90), Watkins (54)
League
Attendance: 295
James Pritchard
Slough Town put in a workmanlike performance to hold big-spending Truro City to a draw in an entertaining match.
After the Rebels led three times thanks to goals from Romeo, Ricky Allaway on his debut, and then Platt, the visitors snatched a last-minute equaliser to preserve their unbeaten league record.
Slough lined up against the league favourites with two new signings in defence, Ricky Allaway signing from Didcot Town on Thursday evening, and Rory Smith from Leyton.
Truro started the brighter, but Slough took just eight minutes to grab the lead with a well-worked goal. Danny Jordan played a neat ball over the top for Yashwa Romeo to latch on to, and the striker bore down on goal and smashed the ball past Rice and into the bottom corner.
The lively Romeo almost capitalised on a short backpass minutes later, but Rice came out quickly to claim the ball.
Truro's first good chance fell to Stewart Yetton, scorer of an extraordinary number of goals for the club in the last few seasons, but his fierce shot was pushed away by Carl Dennison to safety.
Truro continued piling on the pressure, and were restricted mainly to efforts from distance, Hockley blazing well over and Marcus Martin forcing a low save from Dennison from outside the box. However the Cornish side did equalise soon after as poor marking at a corner allowed Smith a free header to equalise, five minutes before the break.
Just before the break, Truro went close again through Smith, who should have scored with another header from a corner, but put the ball wide.
The second half unfolded as a fine spectacle, with Slough drawing first blood with a debut goal from Allaway. A fabulous passing move between Fermie, Platt and Danny Jordan resulted in James Pritchard being played in behind the defence, and he squared the ball across goal to Allaway in the middle, who was left with the simple task of steering the ball home.
The lead lasted just five minutes as a ball across goal somehow found its way past numerous pairs of legs and straight to Watkins, who planted the ball high into the goal.
Despite another setback, Slough continued to look comfortable against their much-fancied opponents, with Fermie and Pritchard in particular putting in fine performances in midfield. Truro were looking vulnerable at the back but dangerous in attack, and this was proved again as Watkins forced a great save from Dennison after Riddell had allowed a ball to pass over his head. Yetton then came close to a goal but his strike forced a fine diving save from Dennison.
Slough found themselves under extreme pressure at times, but held firm and looked threatening on the break. Byron Bubb replaced Romeo as Slough looked for another creative spark, but it was Pritchard who was the catalyst again, as some great interplay around the edge of the box with Jordan resulted in the ball being flicked through for Pritchard, whose shot was on target but straight at Rice.
A good spell from Slough saw Allaway go close with a header from a long throw, whilst Platt was played through on goal but took too long over his shot and the threat passed.
Thirteen minutes from time, Slough scored the goal they hoped would be the winner. Jordan played the ball in to Pritchard, and his close control enabled him to bear down on goal and lay the ball across to Platt, who had a simple finish.
Yet again though, Slough were punished by a late goal, as Smith headed home his second goal of the game from an inswinging corner in stoppage time to deny the Rebels a fantastic victory.
After the Rebels led three times thanks to goals from Romeo, Ricky Allaway on his debut, and then Platt, the visitors snatched a last-minute equaliser to preserve their unbeaten league record.
Slough lined up against the league favourites with two new signings in defence, Ricky Allaway signing from Didcot Town on Thursday evening, and Rory Smith from Leyton.
Truro started the brighter, but Slough took just eight minutes to grab the lead with a well-worked goal. Danny Jordan played a neat ball over the top for Yashwa Romeo to latch on to, and the striker bore down on goal and smashed the ball past Rice and into the bottom corner.
The lively Romeo almost capitalised on a short backpass minutes later, but Rice came out quickly to claim the ball.
Truro's first good chance fell to Stewart Yetton, scorer of an extraordinary number of goals for the club in the last few seasons, but his fierce shot was pushed away by Carl Dennison to safety.
Truro continued piling on the pressure, and were restricted mainly to efforts from distance, Hockley blazing well over and Marcus Martin forcing a low save from Dennison from outside the box. However the Cornish side did equalise soon after as poor marking at a corner allowed Smith a free header to equalise, five minutes before the break.
Just before the break, Truro went close again through Smith, who should have scored with another header from a corner, but put the ball wide.
The second half unfolded as a fine spectacle, with Slough drawing first blood with a debut goal from Allaway. A fabulous passing move between Fermie, Platt and Danny Jordan resulted in James Pritchard being played in behind the defence, and he squared the ball across goal to Allaway in the middle, who was left with the simple task of steering the ball home.
The lead lasted just five minutes as a ball across goal somehow found its way past numerous pairs of legs and straight to Watkins, who planted the ball high into the goal.
Despite another setback, Slough continued to look comfortable against their much-fancied opponents, with Fermie and Pritchard in particular putting in fine performances in midfield. Truro were looking vulnerable at the back but dangerous in attack, and this was proved again as Watkins forced a great save from Dennison after Riddell had allowed a ball to pass over his head. Yetton then came close to a goal but his strike forced a fine diving save from Dennison.
Slough found themselves under extreme pressure at times, but held firm and looked threatening on the break. Byron Bubb replaced Romeo as Slough looked for another creative spark, but it was Pritchard who was the catalyst again, as some great interplay around the edge of the box with Jordan resulted in the ball being flicked through for Pritchard, whose shot was on target but straight at Rice.
A good spell from Slough saw Allaway go close with a header from a long throw, whilst Platt was played through on goal but took too long over his shot and the threat passed.
Thirteen minutes from time, Slough scored the goal they hoped would be the winner. Jordan played the ball in to Pritchard, and his close control enabled him to bear down on goal and lay the ball across to Platt, who had a simple finish.
Yet again though, Slough were punished by a late goal, as Smith headed home his second goal of the game from an inswinging corner in stoppage time to deny the Rebels a fantastic victory.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Carl Dennison
- 2 Adam Durrant
- 3 Ryan Fenton
- 4 Ricky Allaway
- 5 Lee Riddell
- 6 Rory Smith
- 7 James Pritchard
- 8 Chris Fermie
- 9 Danny Jordan
- 10 Matthew Platt
- 11 Yashwa Romeo
Substitutes
- 12 Glen Harris
- 14 Byron Bubb
- 15 Laurence Brown
- 16 Roy Gumbs
- 17 Alex Tullett
Truro City Lineup
Rice, McConnell, Martin, Smith, Ash, Reski, Taylor, Hockley, Yetton, Watkins, Walkers. Subs: Broad, Power, Watts, Tolley, Chapman.