‘Like breaking a brick wall with a spoon’ – Davies on Slough Town’s frustrating night

Scott Davies didn’t much want to deal in excuses after his side’s 3-1 home defeat to Hampton & Richmond Borough, but he needn’t worry about that because there were many mitigating factors for Tuesday’s loss.

The Rebels returned to Arbour Park off the back of two impressive away wins over Bath City and promotion challenging Hornchurch, both sealed in the space of a few days without seven first team regulars due to injury and illness.

More were lost in this entertaining clash which tipped the visitors way not long after Jaiden Drakes-Thomas had curled home a beautiful equaliser off the post early in the second half.

Having fallen behind to Max Kretzchmar (10') first half opener, they failed to make the most of the momentum which came with Drakes-Thomas’ 54th minute leveller and they switched off from a set piece in the 65th minute.

It was clumsily conceded by Reiss Greenidge but even more poorly defended, Aaron Lacey left alone at the back of the six-yard box to head home.

From there the Rebels huffed and puffed in their attempts to equalise once more, but Davies likened their attempts to trying to break down a brick wall with a spoon. In his mind at least, they weren’t going to score against Hampton’s experienced backline - even if they had all night to try and do so. So, when substitute Jaye Long conceded an injury-time penalty there was no blame attached to the young boy making his home debut. It didn’t impact the outcome of the game.

Speaking to Connor McNeish for sloughtownfc.net after the final whistle, Davies said: “Hampton scored the first goal, and it took the stuffing out of us a bit. Then we got into one or two good areas, and we had Harvey Walker go through one on one, and he’s not managed to find that finish. That’s me clutching at straws a little bit.

“Then Jaiden scores a brilliant goal in the second half, and I thought momentum was with us. But then we lose our man at a set piece, and you give them a leg up.

“You must defend it better. We’ve lost a man at the back post and it’s the softest goal we’ve conceded all season to be honest. You’re flabbergasted to understand how they’ve scored and it’s gone in and there’s no one within five yards of him. Really disappointed on that front.

“I thought we celebrated (our goal) for too long. We didn’t get the crowd with us and prolong that moment long enough. Five minutes later we were 2-1 down and it becomes a basketball game. We looked like we were huffing and puffing trying to break down a brick wall with a spoon. We could have been there all night, and I never felt it was coming to be honest.

The Rebels were further weakened by injury as the game progressed, losing Brian Nelson and new signing Erion Zabeli to hamstring strains while substitute John Clarke was also forced off before the end. That takes the number of walking wounded to 11 - almost a full team - and where this leaves Slough’s season, with the side sitting comfortably in mid-table is up for debate.

  Davies doesn’t want his players to take off their boots and pull on their flip-flops with 10 games to go, but he and Tony Fontenelle will need all their powers of persuasion to prevent the campaign from petering out.

They remain 10 points off the play-off places, but too many strong teams sit above them for a top seven challenge to be realistic, and their ability to compete with the best has been weakened again by injury. Where would Slough be this season if not for all the injuries?

“Full credit to Hampton they were better than us,” added Davies. “We gave it a go, and I don’t want to make excuses, but we’ve got so many injuries now. We picked up another three tonight. That’s working with the small squad we have.

“We’ve had to change shape and personnel, and it’s upset the continuity of the team and our performance. It became a bit disjointed. I can excuse that one, I can let them have that one, because they’ve been to Bath and Hornchurch and given us everything. They are tired and it’s to be expected, they’re human beings. But maybe it was a game too far with the small squad we’ve got right now

“Erion had to come off with a hamstring, Brian is a hamstring as well. Clarkey (John Clarke) had to come off as well so there’s three, we know about added to the six or seven we already had.

“But it has opened opportunities. Jack Timberlake who’s been out on dual registration with Hanworth Villa and been doing very well. He came on and gave a really honest performance.

“Jaye Long has come on and he’s distraught after giving away the penalty, but it’s not impacted the game. The game would have ended 2-1. There’s no blame attached. He’s a talented young boy. He should be more pleased he’s got his home debut which is great for an 18-year-old.

“Hampton defended well and kept our front men quiet. That’s kind of unheard of because we score a lot of goals. We’re fifth or sixth highest scorers in the league. We’re always capable of scoring a goal.

“I thought they were better than us and I thought they looked like that had more to play for. We looked like a team that is sat in mid-table. I didn’t want us to be like that as we’ve still got a lot to play for.”