Slough Town
5
Own Goal (17), Hartridge (44), Delaney (48), Reardon (58), Connell (84)
Horsham
2
Langford (13), Wellham (79)
Mithras Cup
Attendance: 1475
Terry Reardon
Well over a thousand spectators watched a Horsham side that included six ‘reserves shock Slough, one of the most powerful amateur sides in the south at the time, by taking the lead.
Outstanding in a team that never gave up the fight was goalkeeper Dai Mason, whose courage sometimes bordered on the foolhardy. John Grant also had a great game in defence and was never afraid to back up the attack, and Alan Lancaster blossomed with the added responsibility of captaincy despite a nasty bang on the heard early on.
Young Graham Langford, making his first team debut, never stopped running and it was his refusal to take ‘no’ for an answer that led to him scoring a shock goal in the thirteenth minute.
When Keith Wellham pulled the score back to 4-2 in the second half, it was one of the few occasions this season that the Premier Division side had had two goals scored against them at home this season.
Only three minutes after Langford’s goal, however, Town were on terms when big-hitting left-half Bobby Hatt broke through but nearly lost the ball before hammering it past the helpless Mason, his strike going in off a defender.
The visiting ‘keeper was again prominent before a quick break enabled centre-forward Hartridge to give his side the lead, shortly before the interval.
Slough struck hard immediately afterwards. John Wayling headed off the line and Mason forced Hatt’s shot round the post before unmarked Delaney nodded home the corner-kick for Slough’s third.
Ten minutes later, Horsham’s fate was seemed to be sealed when substitute Reardon side-footed home the ball after Mason had partially stopped a terrific drive from close range.
But, despite increasing pressure, the Horsham defence fought off a series of corner-kicks and, after a combined move, Wellham reduced the arrears to 4-2.
Cheered by their success, the visitors pressed and it was from a breakaway, four minutes from time, that Slough made it five when inside-right Connell ran through to take the ball round Mason.
Outstanding in a team that never gave up the fight was goalkeeper Dai Mason, whose courage sometimes bordered on the foolhardy. John Grant also had a great game in defence and was never afraid to back up the attack, and Alan Lancaster blossomed with the added responsibility of captaincy despite a nasty bang on the heard early on.
Young Graham Langford, making his first team debut, never stopped running and it was his refusal to take ‘no’ for an answer that led to him scoring a shock goal in the thirteenth minute.
When Keith Wellham pulled the score back to 4-2 in the second half, it was one of the few occasions this season that the Premier Division side had had two goals scored against them at home this season.
Only three minutes after Langford’s goal, however, Town were on terms when big-hitting left-half Bobby Hatt broke through but nearly lost the ball before hammering it past the helpless Mason, his strike going in off a defender.
The visiting ‘keeper was again prominent before a quick break enabled centre-forward Hartridge to give his side the lead, shortly before the interval.
Slough struck hard immediately afterwards. John Wayling headed off the line and Mason forced Hatt’s shot round the post before unmarked Delaney nodded home the corner-kick for Slough’s third.
Ten minutes later, Horsham’s fate was seemed to be sealed when substitute Reardon side-footed home the ball after Mason had partially stopped a terrific drive from close range.
But, despite increasing pressure, the Horsham defence fought off a series of corner-kicks and, after a combined move, Wellham reduced the arrears to 4-2.
Cheered by their success, the visitors pressed and it was from a breakaway, four minutes from time, that Slough made it five when inside-right Connell ran through to take the ball round Mason.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Chris Reynolds
- 2 Jimmy Kelman
- 3 John Ford
- 4 Bobby Hatt
- 5 John Delaney
- 6 Malcolm Scott
- 7 Bobby Stevens
- 8 Les Hartridge
- 9 Roger Connell
- 10 Chris Mullen
- 11 Peter Wright
Substitutes
Horsham Lineup
Dai Mason, John Wayling, John Grant, Richard Hounsome, Alan Lancaster, John Gregory, Peter Dove, Graham Langford, Dave Owens, Keith Cook, Keith Wellham.