Skelmersdale
1
Bermingham (58)
Slough Town
0
FA Amateur Cup
Attendance: 7500
Skelmersdale United right back Alan Bermingham was the hero of this nail biting FA Amateur Cup replay at seething White Moss Park.
Bermingham’s moment of glory came in the 58th minute when Slough’s ruthless defence conceded yet another free kick, this time near the edge of the penalty area to the left of the goal, skipper Moorcroft beckoned to Bermingham who was standing by the centre line on the other side of the pitch.
The right back moved across and suddenly accelerated into a top speed 25 yard run – for all the world like a Freddie Trueman of old, about to lauch one of his thunderbolts - and that’s what it must have looked like to Slough’s transfixed defence as Birmingham had spotted a gap in its line up and blasted a shot through and into the far corner of the net.
Hundreds of youths and children in blue and white scarves invaded the pitch in celebration; it took police more than 5 minutes to clear the pitch.
Slough hurtled everything forward at United’s defence in a desperate bid to equalise but Skem have not conceded a goal at home in the competition and were not about to start now.
If United had scored another goal, Skelmersdale’s triumphant Amateur Cup march could have come to an abrupt and tragic end.
After the match United director Walter Giller announced: “The referee was shaking, he was frightened. He said if anybody else ran on he would abandon the game. I was worried stiff and went round the ground pleading with the youngsters. To be honest I was hoping we wouldn’t score again for fear of what would happen."
Bermingham’s moment of glory came in the 58th minute when Slough’s ruthless defence conceded yet another free kick, this time near the edge of the penalty area to the left of the goal, skipper Moorcroft beckoned to Bermingham who was standing by the centre line on the other side of the pitch.
The right back moved across and suddenly accelerated into a top speed 25 yard run – for all the world like a Freddie Trueman of old, about to lauch one of his thunderbolts - and that’s what it must have looked like to Slough’s transfixed defence as Birmingham had spotted a gap in its line up and blasted a shot through and into the far corner of the net.
Hundreds of youths and children in blue and white scarves invaded the pitch in celebration; it took police more than 5 minutes to clear the pitch.
Slough hurtled everything forward at United’s defence in a desperate bid to equalise but Skem have not conceded a goal at home in the competition and were not about to start now.
If United had scored another goal, Skelmersdale’s triumphant Amateur Cup march could have come to an abrupt and tragic end.
After the match United director Walter Giller announced: “The referee was shaking, he was frightened. He said if anybody else ran on he would abandon the game. I was worried stiff and went round the ground pleading with the youngsters. To be honest I was hoping we wouldn’t score again for fear of what would happen."
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Chris Reynolds
- 2 John Wilks
- 3 John Ford
- 4 Bobby Hatt
- 5 John Delaney
- 6 Malcolm Scott
- 7 Dave Roberts
- 8 Jimmy Kelman
- 9 Les Hartridge
- 10 Bobby Stevens
- 11 Chris Mullen
Substitutes
- 12 Micky Bell