Controversy and Courage: Bartlett-Antwi looks for positives after Slough's late collapse

Ruben Bartlett-Antwi scored his second goal of the season against Hornchurch. Photo: Zak Rana

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They may have been buried beneath the surface, but Slough Town’s goal-scoring substitute Ruben Bartlett-Antwi felt there were positives for the Rebels to take from Saturday’s 5-2 defeat to league leaders Hornchurch.

The Rebels more than played their part in an entertaining - if controversial - National League South clash at Arbour Park and led the game twice before being pegged back and succumbing to a heavy defeat on their own patch. ‘

Having taken the lead through Johnny Goddard’s sweeping, left-footed finish, they were then hit with several body blows before the break and two or three of them were very much ‘below the belt’.

Tom Wraight fired Hornchurch level with a strike that deflected in off player/manager Scott Davies. Then came two moments which wrestled momentum from the hosts and handed it to Daryl McMahon’s visitors.

First the referee opted to yellow card Slough’s Tarik Gidaree for a dive in the box, when many in the ground felt he’d been brought down by the last man as he looked to get through on goal.

Then Rebels’ defender Peter Ojemen was shown a straight red card for a clash in the middle of the park with Charlie Pegrum, a decision Davies felt spoiled the spectacle and ruined his side’s hopes of getting something from the game. He said afterwards he hopes the card is rescinded as it ‘wasn’t fair on the player or the game’.

Amazingly, the Rebels managed to restore their lead in the 66th minute through Bartlett-Antwi’s deft finish, after great link up play from Wiktor Makowski.

The pitchside view from Saturday

Ionut Dates#OneSlough pic.twitter.com/b7K3YxBgRf

— Slough Town FC (@sloughtownfc) September 22, 2025

But their lead lasted just eight minutes before Wraight crashed home his second of the game, and Slough’s energy levels waned badly after Charlie Ruff nodded Hornchurch in front for the first time in the 77th minute.

Further goals from Darren McQueen and Josh Rees simply rubbed salt in the wounds.

“There are positives, we’ve shown some togetherness,” said Bartlett-Antwi, who was brought on in a triple change with Brian Nelson and Makumbi at half-time.

“We’ve shown that we can do it against the better teams. But it’s about making sure we put the game to bed when we get the chance and staying resilient.

On the referee’s match-defining decision to show Ojemen a straight red card in the 44th minute, he added: “I thought it was very harsh, his leg was high, but both of their legs were high. It’s the referee’s decision and he’s decided to take him off.

“On another day a ref might have also given us a penalty. I thought we were a bit unlucky with that. If we get a penalty, then we possibly go on to win the game.

“I’m always happy to score, but I want to win matches. We need to come back and win now; there’s pressure on us to progress.”

Slough fell to 19th in the table off the back of Saturday’s defeat, however, they take a break from their league campaign this weekend when they travel to Bedfont Sports in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup. Bedfont sit 15th in the Isthmian League South Central Division (step 4) but have played fewer games than many of their rivals.

The pitchside view from Saturday

Ionut Dates#OneSlough pic.twitter.com/b7K3YxBgRf

— Slough Town FC (@sloughtownfc) September 22, 2025