Burnell at the double for Slough

Slough Town

Slough Town

2
Burnell (21, 85)
Marlow

Marlow

2
Couch (11), Mason (pen 39)
FA Trophy Attendance: 241 Sean Sonner
A late Danny Burnell equaliser ensured a second bite of the cherry for the Rebels against Marlow in the FA Trophy.

Kevin Stone’s side had walked away from Holloways Park with a win just a few weeks earlier, and Slough got off to another sloppy start which suggested Steve Bateman’s men might continue their recent indifferent form.

With eleven minutes played, a poor kick from goalkeeper Michael Watkins found its way through to forward Aaron Couch, who made rounding Ricky Perks and slotting into the empty net all too easy, though there were suspicions of offside.

Slough responded just ten minutes later with their first effort of the game. A sweeping move on the counter-attack saw Sinclair running at the defence. As space opened up, Sinclair found Sean Sonner on the right, whose brilliant first-time cross was volleyed into the roof of the net by Danny Burnell six yards out – the striker’s first Slough Town goal, and one which was very pleasing on the eye.

With the confidence boost of a goal, Slough looked a much better side and threatened again as Burnell turned, found a yard of space, but saw his low effort saved by Watkins.

Slough were however hampered as captain Steve Perkins was again forced off with an injury. His replacement, Yiadom Yeboah, did not enjoy a happy remainder of the first half as the big centre-half conceded a penalty for a shirt-pull on Jermaine Roche as the striker tried to work space for a shot in the box – although Yeboah looked to have been fouled in the build-up.

Leigh Mason, one of many ex-Slough players in the Marlow squad, stepped up to coolly stroke the ball into the bottom corner and give the visitors a half-time lead, though it could have been so different had Watkins not produced a fine diving save from a Stuart Swift header – with Adam Logie unlucky not to score from the resulting corner.

Steve Sinclair failed to reappear for Slough after the interval in another blow for the Rebels, the winger picking up an injury – and for much of the second period, Slough looked short on ideas and struggled desperately to create anything, stifled by a resolute and organised Marlow outfit.

Marlow came closest to registering another goal as Mason rounded Perks after Yeboah’s clearance was blocked. The playmaker looked certain to score, but instead hit the side-netting. Later on, with Marlow happy to sit back and hit Slough on the counter, Ricky Perks came to the rescue and made a good stop from Jermaine Roche, turning the ball around the post.

With time running out, a rare chance arrived as Swift swung a corner in and any one of three Slough players could have connected and scored, but didn't – and it looked as if Marlow would hold out and take the tie.

But with just five minutes left, following typically tireless chasing by Sean Sonner, Adam Logie did well to cross the ball from the right and Slough’s persistence paid off as Burnell doubled his and Slough’s tally, heading powerfully past Perkins from inside the six yard box.

In the dying minutes, Logie blasted a long shot inches wide and a Yeboah header was pushed past the post as Slough came closest to a winner – but in truth the Rebels will probably be fairly satisfied to have earnt a replay, which had looked unlikely for so long in the second half, at Oak Tree Road on Tuesday evening.

Marlow Lineup

Watkins, Case, Avery (Roberts), Willment, Lane (Mealing), Isaac, Mason (c), Maclellan, Stone, Roche, Couch. Subs not used: Harman, Dickens, Croxford

Rebels

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