HARRIS EARNS REBELS A POINT
SLOUGH won’t have any problems adjusting to life in the National League South if they keep performing like this.
From the moment Warren Harris cancelled out Zak Joseph’s early opener for Hampton & Richmond midway through the second half, the luckless Rebels would have felt a point was a harsh outcome on them.
Chris Flood hit a post and Sam Togwell struck the crossbar in the second half as Gary McCann’s new-look Beavers held on for the draw.
Slough joint bosses Neil Baker and Jon Underwood guided the club to promotion through the Southern League play-offs last season and on this evidence they will hold their own at Step 2, 20 years after they were demoted from the Conference.
Their swish new Arbour Park ground glistened in the sweltering sunshine. but it was Hampton’s frontline that sparkled in the opening 20 minutes.
McCann made the switch from Hendon to take the Beavers job this summer after Alan Dowson moved on to Woking following defeat in the play-off final on penalties.
Only substitute Taurean Roberts made the matchday squad from that final, with McCann handing ten debuts, six to former Greens players as he called on his former charges to reinforce his squad.
It took just three minutes for one of them to have an impact. Craig Dundas, signed from Sutton on Thursday and making his second debut for Hampton, played in winger Joseph, who smashed in at Jack Turner’s near post.
Dundas then saw a header cleared off the line by Togwell before the impressive Joseph forced Turner into a fine save with a bouncing volley.
Despite having more of the territory, the hosts struggled to create openings until James Dobson crossed from the left and Slough’s other winger Harris headed in at the back post.
Hampton sat too deep all afternoon with a young back four taking some cautious first steps into Step 2 but even wide man Rhys Murrell-Williamson, who
shone for St Albans at this level last season, looked off the pace having only signed for the club on Thursday.
Initially the visitors seemed to approach the second half with more purpose, although Slough soon re-established their grip on the game.
Harris had a header cleared off the Hampton goal line before striker Flood nearly produced what could well have been the goal of the season on the opening day.
A mazy run inside the area ended with his stab at goal striking the post and running clear across goal with no-one on hand to tap it home.
As the Rebels turned up the heat, Turner saved at full stretch substitute Scott Davies’ fine free-kick and then Flood headed offtarget.
To compound their luckless afternoon, Togwell rose to head against the crossbar deep into injury time but this curtain raiser from Slough will breed much confidence. STAR MAN: Warren Harris (Slough Town) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★