Fountain Double Not Enough As Slough Draw

These teams met at the Dolphin ground on Saturday in the first round of the senior cup competition of the Allied counties, but the attendance was not so large as might have been expected.

Unfortunately Newbury had to take the field with only nine men, three of the team having missed the train, G. Heath, C. Liddiard and P. Brindley, S. Lemm, reserve player who journeyed with the club, making the ninth man.

From the start Slough attacked strongly, and Poole missed a good chance. After Newbury had been down the field Slough returned and Cox drove in a shot which the goalkeeper stopped. Fountain, however, got possession and sent the leather back into goal.

The homesters were not destined to hold the lead long, for almost from the kick-off Newbury went down the field, and from a pass by the right wing player Stillman headed in the beautiful goal.

With the exception of an occasional burst away Slough continued to press, and both Cox and Fountain got in excellent shots which the goalkeeper kept out. Once Poole missed a fine chance from a good centre by right and just after Denton dealt very weakly with a shot with which he ought to have scored.

Several ripping shots followed, but the goalkeeper proved equal to the best of them and kept everything out sent in his direction. Then Stillman broke away, and West conceded a corner, but this was got away.

On another occasion Fountain ran the leather to within a couple of yards of goal, and then he failed to beat the custodian, has he shot straight at him, and the latter had no difficulty in clearing.

Just after, a long shot by Ivall was met by Wright who centred across to Denton, but the ball went outside. Slough pressed almost continually, and could do everything but score, the custodian keeping a good goal.

Two corners fell to their share, but they brought no result. After a brief incursion by Newbury the homesters returned, and from a shot by right tussle ensued in front of the Newbury citadel, but the goalkeeper emerged triumphant, his display being hailed with considerable enthusiasm.

The Newbury forwards were very energetic, and the left-wing wanted a lot of watching. Fountain and Denton were continually putting at goal, but their efforts were unsuccessful and at half-time the score was one each.

The second half started in the same way, shot by Cox, Fountain and Ivall all being got away. For a long time Slough simply bombarded the Newbury goal, but the shooting was extremely weak, some of the shots barely reaching the goalkeeper.

Then Newbury broke away, and Werrell had a trio of shots to deal with. After 20 minutes play Newbury got away on the right wing, and weak play by the backs allowed Stillman to get right in and score a good goal.

After another serious bout of futile pressing, Slough netted the ball, but it was given offside. Minutes after Denton beat two men on the left wing and nicely centred, and from this Fountain equalised.

The rest of the game was simply a struggle on the part of Slough to obtain the winning goal, but the Newbury defence prevailed, and consequently the game will have to be played on the South Berks ground.