A late goal deep into added goal denied Salisbury all three points in a compelling encounter in Berkshire.
Salisbury had led against Slough Town after a Jordan Ragguette goal in the 25th minute – but a goal in the dying embers of the game by Leon Chambers-Parillon made sure that the home side salvaged a point.
Brian Dutton’s side started well – causing their hosts problems with their press and compact shape and then finding space out wide with both Jordan Ragguette and Cameron Coxe seeing plenty of the ball.
Noah Coppin and Craig Fasanmade were also causing issues upfront with their movement, and it was Fasanmade who had a chance as early as the 5th minute, but he was denied by Charlie Horlock at the Slough ‘keeper’s near post.
Slough came back into the game, and Dan Lincoln had to be alert when David Ogbonna’s deflected strike needed dealing with in the 22nd minute.
It was Salisbury, though, who broke the deadlock on 25 minutes when Jordan Ragguette raced down the left, driving into the box and striking a cross over Horlock and into the back of the net.
Salisbury might have doubled their lead two minutes later, when Jaden Perez did well to try and tee up Fasanmade, but Fasanmade couldn’t quite stretch far enough to reach the cross.
The away supporters and Fasanmade were left frustrated again in the 26th minute, when the Salisbury forward went down in the box after what looked like a shove in the back from behind by a Slough defender, referee Jack Willmore waved away the appeals though.
It was Fasanmade again with a chance to extend Salisbury’s lead when he was put through one-on-one with Horlock, but he lifted his effort over the ‘keeper and over the bar, and it landed on the top of the net with 5 minutes of the half remaining, and that is how it remained at the break.
Slough rang the changes at halftime, making a triple substitution and a tweak to their formation – Salisbury had no such luxury, having been able to name only three substitutes, one of those being coach Theo Lewis.
Salisbury could again have extended their lead early in the second half after a slip from Horlock, but it was well covered by Henry Ochieng to deny the visitors a chance.
Slough dominated possession for the majority of the second half without creating any clear cut chances, Salisbury defending well – then two moments had an influence on the game. Firstly, an injury to referee Jack Willmore saw him replaced by forth official Harry Wood, which took several minutes.
The second was a flash point following a poor challenge from Noah Coppin on Ochieng led to a scuffle. All four officials consulted before showing Coppin a yellow card and a red for Slough’s Kewku Lucan, who had only been on the pitch for 10 minutes.
Despite the extra man, Salisbury still conceded a lot of possession to their opponents, compounded by taking off Coppin and Fasanmade who had run themselves into the ground – Salisbury had no obvious outlet and wave after wave of attack came in on their penalty area. Every one was repelled by a well-drilled and well-organised White defence.
Then in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Owen Dore slightly miscued a clearance from the edge of the box, it fell kindly for Slough, Leon Chambers-Parillon let fly from 25-yards, through a body of players, beyond the despairing dive of Lincoln and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net – denying Salisbury all three points.
It was virtually the last kick of the game, and the game ended one-one.