Unfortunately, the Whites did not really deserve anything from this match, and that was what they got, as a really poor performance for the first 70 minutes left Dover three goals down.

They could have snatched a point with two late goals, but a missed penalty and a ‘goal’ unfairly disallowed left them defeated.

Steve Browne made a couple of changes to the side that lost to Wealdstone the week before, with Daniel Braithwaite, Craig Wilkins and Warren Ryan securing places in the starting line-up. This meant that Dean Readings and Stuart Maynard were pushed to the bench, and Marcus Sawyerr did not even travel.

The first three minutes of the match really summed up the Whites’ season. Whites were immediately on the attack, and were awarded a corner after two minutes. Braithwaite swung it in, and Wilkins headed at the back post. The ball was clearly well over the line, but the referee and linesman both deemed that the defender cleared it, even though Slough supporters agreed that it should have been a goal!

Just as the Whites were in shock that a goal was not awarded, Slough went up the other end and scored. Ian Hodges touched the ball onto Alex Haddow, who took the ball on and slotted home.

The game was being played like a cup-tie, with the game going from end-to-end, and Whites almost drew level minutes later. After good work down the right, the ball was crossed in to Nick Grime, whose looping header seemed to be destined for the corner of the net, but for a superb save by keeper Shaun Allaway.

However, there were mistakes all over the pitch, and Matt Murphy almost benefited from one. Cloke’s backwards header was poor, and left Murphy free to run through on goal. Fortunately, Dominique Jean-Zepharin blocked his shot well to stop the danger.

Jean-Zepharin made another good save when he touched Alex Haddow’s free kick onto the post, but from the resulting corner the second goal came. As the ball was cleared from the corner, it fell to Matt Murphy on the edge of the area. He miss-hit his shot, but Jean-Zepharin made a mistake and the ball squirmed under him.

Whites fans were getting increasingly depressed on the terraces, and things were not helped when Craig Wilkins hobbled off of the pitch with a recurrence of his troublesome back problems after 36 minutes.

Stuart Maynard replaced him, but the pattern of mistakes continued. And minutes before the interval, Slough almost scored again. Josias Carbon was left free on the edge of the box, but his shot hit the bar, and thankfully half time arrived with the Whites only two goals behind.

The second period continued in the same fashion as the first, and after 53 minutes Slough scored the goal that effectively sealed the game. A Glen Harris cross from the right wing went in high to the back post, and Ian Hodges out-jumped Dominique Jean-Zepharin to bundle the ball home.

Although the game seemed over, Whites were handed a lifeline on the hour mark, as moments after Slough had had a penalty appeal turned down, we were given one. Stuart Maynard made a great bursting run into the box, but was barged over. Craig Cloke stepped up to take the penalty, but the ball clearly moved as he ran towards it, and keeper Shaun Allaway saved his effort.

The game really did seem to be over, and went a bit stagnant for a while. But after 74 minutes, Paul Armstrong did really well to turn his defender, and put Victor Renner through on goal. He took the ball on and finished well as he flicked the ball over the onrushing keeper.

Browne then put Bubb and Wright on in place of Ryan and Grime, and went for the game, as the home side were tiring. It almost had an immediate effect, as Shearer forced a good save out of the keeper, following a Braithwaite free kick.

Just as the Whites fans were getting excited about the side becoming more of an attacking force, Slough almost sewed the game up, as Craig Cloke was forced to clear off of the line from Matt Seedel.

The final few minutes belonged to the Whites. Carruthers almost scored following a Dean Palmer overhead kick, before Armstrong did reduce the deficit, smashing a half-volley home following good work by Carruthers down the left. Although Whites did try for the equaliser, the closest they came was a Shearer drive that went over.

So Whites fell to another defeat, in a rather weird game. Unlike previous weeks, the performance was not there, but we could still have snatched a point or three. If Cloke had scored his penalty, and had the referee allowed that effort after only two minutes, then the game could have been very different. However, Whites did not really deserve anything from this match, and we really need to start picking up points before it is too late.

Slough Town: Shaun Allaway, Josias Carbon, Michael Murphy, Steve Daly, James Saulsbury, Alex Haddow, Matt Murphy (Matt Seedel, 82mins), Glen Harris, Ian Hodges, Ryan Spencer, Christian Metcalfe.

Subs: Velli Hakki, Matt Seedel, Martin Moller, Matt Miller, Michael Parkin.

Bookings: Ian Hodges (66mins)

Dover Athletic: Dominique Jean-Zepharin, Daniel Braithwaite, Craig Cloke, Dean Palmer, Lee Shearer, Nick Grime (Chris Wright, 79mins), Matt Carruthers, Warren Ryan (Byron Bubb, 75mins), Craig Wilkins (Stuart Maynard, 36mins), Victor Renner, Paul Armstrong.

Subs: Stuart Maynard, Dean Readings, Chris Wright, Byron Bubb, Paul Rogers.