SLOUGH Town FC suffered their second successive Southern Premier defeat after going down 3-1 at home to a strong Poole Town on Saturday.

Rebels were beaten by Hitchin by the same scoreline in their previous fixture after seeing keeper Mark Scott sent off midway through the first half.

But their hopes claiming three points at Holloways Park on Saturday were dashed by a spirited Poole fightback in the second half after Rebels had taken the lead.

There was plenty of action in both boxes during a goalless first half, though neither side could find the net.

Rebels were more than a match for a Poole side which finished runners up in the league last season.

The hosts came under early pressure when Alan Connell and Luke Roberts both threatened for the visitors.

But they soon found their rhythm and Adrian Sear had a shot blocked before Warren Harris forced a crucial save from Poole keeper Nick Hutchings.

Both sides then traded chances as Scott denied Poole's Connell before Slough's Eddie Smith fired wide at the other end, but it remained goalless at the interval.

However, the deadlock was finally broken two minutes after the restart, and it was the home side who went in front.

Half-time substitute Jamie McClurg headed the ball forward and Smith beat Poole's offside trap before volleying home his first goal of the season.

Sadly, the lead lasted barely a minute as Poole hit back with an instant equaliser.

The visitors caught Rebels cold from the kick off and and Steve Devlin took advantage by slamming a superb volley past Scott.

Despite the setback, Slough enjoyed a decent spell of possession after the equaliser and were unlucky not to regain the lead when Gary MacDonald's header from a corner was lacked off the Poole line by Lewis Tallack.

It was a vital clearance by Tallack as Poole got their noses in front with a second goal on 65 minutes when substitute Richard Gillespie stepped off the bench to score with his first touch of the game.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of Slough and their hopes of salvaging something from the game received a major setback in the 88th minute when defender Stuart Lake was sent off as the last man after hauling down Gillespie.

To run salt into Rebels' wounds, Poole grabbed a third in stoppage time when Marvin Brooks fired past Scott from a tight angle.

Slough were due to travel to Chesham United on Monday and then host Cirencester Town at Holloways Park this Saturday (3pm).

Burnham FC were let off the hook by Hook Norton in a 1-1 away draw in the FA Cup preliminary round on Saturday.

Hook Norton, who are two divisions below Burnham, took a shock lead in the tie.

But Mark Tallentire's Blues were given a reprieve when a Hook Norton own goal 14 minutes from time earned them a draw.