O'Sullivan Goal Gives Rebels Both Points

Slough Town duly won at Wembley on Saturday, but it was an unexciting encounter although the injury riddled Rebels team were complete masters of the situation from start to finish. The only goal of the game was scored by O'Sullivan in the 55th minute but with a little more punch up front the Rebels would have materially improved their goal average. Wembley are very much in the doldrums just now. Saturday's gate was down to about 100 and unless there is a marked improvement, they will be lucky to escape relegation.

With Reardon and Wolstenholme still absent Yerby and Jamieson were overlooked for Eaton, still not completely fit, to wear the substitutes shirt although he was not used. This injury bug leaves Slough with only 13 fit men to pick from and Tommy Lawrence must shudder every time his players are on the receiving end of harsh tackles.

And in this game there was more than enough of what is calmly called "late tackles." Referee May followed the recent Football League ruling almost to the letter, halting play for all minor infringements but unfortunately he allowed the rough tactics to go by without using his book and the less than skilful Wembley defenders made full use of this lapse.

One of the bright spots for Slough was the form of young Ray Hyde deputising for lan Wolstenholme in goal. Although not called upon to do much, what he had to do he did well and late in the second half he pulled off two magnificent saves. The Slough superiority continued through to the half hour with corners being gained in the 16th, 18th and 20th minute but the days when Slough were dangerous from these spot kicks are long gone.

Slough's first real effort came in the 25th minute when they gained a throw on the left which Cruse put in to Day whose hard and low cross was hammered goalwards by Amos on to the chest of the Wembley keeper Cox who was unable to make any attempt to grip the ball as it was spun away but careered along the line and away. Just after the half hour Ritchie barely managed to get further and had a shot saved which brought the total strikes to three, not a very inspiring half hour.

After the interval the ball rarely travelled more than ten yards inside the Slough half as the amber-shirted defenders easily dealt with whatever came their way, then after 55 minutes a goal came. A D'Arcy free kick was headed down by Ritchie and O'Sullivan pushed the ball wide of an unsighted Cox.

This goal brought the home side to life. Immediately Raynor brought a fine save from Hyde straight to the other end where Slough gained two corners, but slowly Wembley got back into the game and Schools fired in a fine shot in the 66th which again brought out the best in Hyde.

In the 75th Gill worked his way cleverly into a good position but shot well over, but despite their pressure Wembley could not get in any more shots and in the 79th Slough should have gone further ahead when Cruse laid on a good through ball to Ritchie but he could not get enough power into his shot, then in the 80th a Slough corner buzzed about the goalmouth before Ritchie put the ball the wrong side of the upright.