Attrell winner shocks Millwall

The Slough dressing room door was wedged open and champagne corks were popping. Ten yards down the corridor the Millwall door was closed. Another clubhouse door was in tatters - the first casualty of this incident-packed FA Cup tie.

Sent-off striker Dean Neal, who got his marching orders after just 15 minutes for fighting with Slough right back and local taxi driver Dave Yerby, kicked in a security door in a rage of temper at Wexham Park.

This first-round tie became a catalogue of disasters for Millwall.

Ten minutes after losing Neal, the Lions conceded a harsh penalty which Slough skipper Keith White fired wide. Then on the stroke of half time midfielder Dave Martin was ordered off along with Slough's Dylan Evans for fighting.

As the players trooped off at the interval the fans took over. Fighting broke out and hundreds of Millwall supporters stormed the pitch to the home fans, who made off into the surrounding fields. And that was just the first 45 minutes. The game had reached a feverish pitch — both on and off the field.

Millwall, down to nine men, kept their heads in the second half, creating a string of chances that should have ended the Isthmian League club's unbeaten home record this season.

The fans behaved themselves and the tie looked to be heading for a replay when Slough teenage striker Gary Attrell found an opening to snatch the 87th minute winner. It was a cruel climax to a scrappy tie. Millwall had failed to do what Dulwich Hamlet had done a few weeks earlier - stop Slough scoring at home.

Former Crystal Palace goalkeeper Frank Parsons only had two real shots to deal with in the first half, saving well from Trevor Aylott and Dean Horrix. But the Slough goal was under siege for most of the second half. Aylott looked a different class as he teased the part-timers with his tight control and sharpshooting.

The big striker outpaced Yerby down the left and his 55th minute cross beat Parsons, but Andy Massey missed a free header. Two minutes later Parsons was at full stretch save a half-hit volley from Aylott.

Skipper Sam Allardyce nodded the ball forward to hand Aylott another chance, but his shot on the turn flew just wide of post.

But the miss of the match came from Lawrie Madden, five minutes from time. Horrix crossed from the right, Massey missed it and Madden burst through to send a full-blooded header wide from five yards.

That painful miss turned to agony two minutes aftter when Slough defender Maloney chipped the ball forward for Attrell to chase and his low drive beat onrushing 'keeper Paul Sansome.

The result could put an end to any chances caretaker boss Barry Kitchener had of landing the manager's job. Let's hope that when one door closes another one opens...

Barry Kitchener, Millwall's caretaker manager, was still bitter about sent-off pair Dean Neal and Dave Martin. "They cost us the game," said Kitchener. "I can't defend them, but I won't take any further action until seeing the referee's report. They retaliated to some rough treatment, but should have known better. They know the rules."

With defender Paul Roberts also booked in the first half for tripping Slough's matchwinner Garry Attrell, Kitchener had problems at half time. "Obviously I was worried. We were rushing around, playing their type of game with only nine men," he said.

"But we were a lot calmer after the break. I reshuffled the team and really we were then the only side in it. We had enough chances to have won easily. Then just one lapse of concentration right at the end cost us the tie. The players are sick and they feel they've let me down."

Jubilant Slough chief Terry Reardon was also angry with the dismissals. "It was terrible to see professional players lose their heads like that," he said.