Dangerous Rebels ambush Magpies (20.01.04)

THE Magpies were out-fought, out-thought and out-played by a determined Slough Town team on Tuesday evening.
Indeed had the Rebels made the most of the home team’s defensive frailties and sloppy passing, this local derby could have been effectively over by half-time.
The Magpies did show more gumption after the interval and seemed to have somehow taken the match into extra-time before the Rebels bagged a deserved winner on 86 minutes.
While losing to your arch enemy – who play their league football in a lower division – must be galling enough, to lose through largely self-inflicted wounds makes the experience even more painful.
Normally dependable players such as Andy Jennings, Kelvin McIntosh, Brian Connor and Mark Boyce all seemed uncomfortable on the slick surface making a season’s worth of bad decisions in one night.
The marking and passing throughout the team left a lot to be desired.
But this should not take the credit away from a confident-looking Slough who constantly stretched the Magpies’ defence and maintained a high tempo from the outset.
Their hustling, bustling effort was just what was required in a cold, wet cup tie and derby.
The visitors were twice kept at bay by one-on-one saves from keeper Phil Wilson before taking the lead on 29 minutes, when Danny Steer’s shot was parried and Tony Boot was on hand to nod home.
Steve Hale enjoyed a good chance to level things soon after but Alan Foster saved well, and the home side rarely threatened after that.
Going in at the break just a goal down was almost a moral victory for the hosts and when they turned in a more spirited effort after the interval, and scored through a Hale tap-in on 63 minutes, an unlikely comeback seemed possible.
However the Rebels continued to play attractive football and create half-chances and finally snatched the winner.
Michael Murphy did well to chase down the ball on the right wing and sent over a lethal cross into the six yard area, where Ian Hodges and Lee Ridell were unmarked – the latter getting the touch from four yards out to complete a satisfactory night’s work for Slough.