Amateurs Through To Final

There was a splendid crowd at the Windsor recreation ground on Saturday, to witness the semi-final tie the Berks and Bucks senior cup, between Slough and Reading Amateurs.

In the previous rounds this season, Slough defeated Wolverton 3-1, and Maidenhead Norfolkians 3-1; and Reading beat biscuit factory 5-1, and Windsor and Eton 2-0.

The general opinion was that the amateurs were the better team, and this opinion was fully borne out by the result. They have never had a better side, and they play football as it should be played. Notwithstanding the dreadful weather of last week, Sec Crane had cut the ground into playable condition, but the going was very heavy, and the ball wouldn't bounce.

The arrangements on the ground are excellent, and at three. 30 when the teams lined up, amidst cheers, there must have been over 2000 spectators.

No less than six of the Reading amateurs have played for Berks and Bucks County team this season, and five of the Slough men have had similar honours. The Amateurs wearing black shirts with white shorts, and Slough in amber and blue.

B. O. Corbett, the famous international and Corinthian, and J. H. Gettins, the well-known Millwall and Reading player, where opposing each other, and shook hands caudally before the struggle commenced. The weather was fine, and a keen struggle was looked forward to.

A. G. Smith won the toss for Slough, and decided to kick down the ground towards the St Marks School goal, thus having this sun and wind behind them in the initial half. Slough were the first to show up, and Ivall having shot by, Prior secured the ball and sent in, but West cleared.

Then the Amateurs got going, and Lunn ran the ball up the ground nicely. He passed to Stapley, and the goal looked certain, but the Reading centre forward lifted the leather over the bar.

Gettins was next prominent and looked like getting clean through, but was intercepted in the nick of time. A freekick for a technical foul against Reading relieve the pressure on the Slough goal, but it was only momentarily.

Gettins works the ball up and passed to Lunn, but the latter was given offside. Just afterwards Page put in a capital shot, which went close to the uprights.

Slough had a turn, and Prior put by. After Redding had visited the other end, Corbett secured the leather and passed it to Ivall, but the ball was cleared. Slough stuck to their powerful rivals well, and pressed, and Prior centred finally, but Ivall who received the ball was given offside.

Reading went away, but were pulled up for a similar offence, and Corbett securing made a capital run on the left but the leather ultimately went outside. Gettins was fouled, and Reading became dangerous, but young averted danger by conceding a corner. This came to nothing, and Corbett got away, but was given offside.

Then Lunn made tracks for the Slough goal, but was given offside. The referees idea of the offside rule did not agree with that of most of those in the crowd. Page having sent by, Corbett ran down the ball missed the target. Then Young put in a long shot which was fruitless.

Corbett was again prominent, but Reading cleared, and Lunn looked like scoring, but the ball screwed a lot and went wide of the uprights.

Hands were given against Slough, and just afterwards Gettins secured the ball, and sent in a stiff shot from close quarters, which it under the crossbar and fell onto or inside the goal line, and the referee at once awarded a goal. This was exactly 20 minutes after the start, and the Reading supporters loudly cheered.

Reading put on the pressure again, and Gettins, who was in rare form, again got through, but Werrell saved well. Reading when next pulled up for a foul, but the freekick came to nothing. Young conceded a corner, which was well taken, the ball hitting the uprights.

Gettins having been given offside, West was called upon to save. From the clearance, Gettins secured and passed to Lunn, but the latter shot by. Then Slough got down and West saved.

Denton shortly afterwards shot by, and Corbett tried hard to get through, but the ball was cleared. Lunn secured and Werrell saved well. Ivall had a chance for Slough, but sent by. Prior took the ball down and Slough gained a corner. This was well taken, and Denton headed by.

Stiles was prominent in stopping Corbett, and Smith put in a fine cross shot just after, but the ball missed the crossbar and went by. A freekick for a foul against Reading letting Slough, who saved a corner, but it was of no avail.

Then Gettins ran clean through, but was unaccountably given offside by the referee, amid groans. The decision made Gettins scratches head.

Slough now had a turn, and Smith shot over the bar. Prior then put in the centre but nothing came of it. Just before half-time, the Amateurs pressed and Werrell had to clear. A fruitless corner fell to Reading and the referee then blew his whistle for the interval, when the score stood Reading Amateurs one goal, Slough none.

The game had been fairly even up to half-time, although the Amateurs had shown the better football. I'm crossing over, however, there was only one team in it, and that was not Slough.

They tired perceptively, whereas Redding appeared to be as fresh as new paint. Directly after the restart, Gettins got through but was given offside. Stapley was given offside in the next minute. Reading, however not to be denied, and Stapley passing nicely to Gettins, the latter, who was quite by himself, but the ball beautifully into a corner of the net – a splendid goal, with which Werrell had not the slightest chance.

The Amateurs gained a corner immediately after the restart, which was cleared. Ivall failed Stapley, and from the freekick Reading pressed. Then Lunn secured the leather, and notched a grand goal, only a few minutes after the other point had been registered. Thus Reading were three goals up.

Slough then did a spell of attacking, and West saved twice from Prior. To freeze for technical fouls were given against the Amateurs, and Ivall headed by. The referee Paul Reading up for offside, but the ball was sent down the ground, and Stapley and Lunn both tried shots could not net the ball.

Offside was given against Reading, and West was called upon to save. Gettins then got down, but Slough cleared. Corbett, who was being literally starved, now got the ball and made a fine run on the left. He centred excellently, but there was no one there to take the ball and the chance was missed.

Stapley was busy afterwards, and he looked certain to score on one occasion, only having the goalkeeper to beat, but Werrell saved splendidly at the expense of a corner. This was well taken, but the ball was cleared. Stapley secured, however, and nearly got through, and a corner resulted. Corbett was again prominent with a fine run, but there was no one to support him.

Smith passed the ball to Ivall, but the latter was given offside. Gettins again went down, but was floored by Ivall. A foul was next given against Reading, and from the freekick Smith had a chance, but West saved.

Then Werrell negotiated a shot from Gettins, but a corner followed, and getting shot over.

The same player again tested Werrell, but the latter cleared. Slough next had a turn, but West got the ball away. Corbett put in a good run, and from his past Smith shot, but West saved.

Gettins went away with the ball, and a corner was the result, but the place kick was cleared. Gettins and Dadswell were both very much in evidence after this, but another goal was not registered until shortly before time, when Stapley, by some good play, went clean through with the ball and landed it into a corner of the net amid hearty cheers.

Gettins tried again to beat Werrell, but could not. A corner fell to Reading, but it came to nothing; the referee then sounded time, and the final score read Reading Amateurs 4 goals, Slough none.