Super Frank

FA Cup ties have the habit of producing remarkable feats, but none so remarkable as the one achieved by Slough Town goalkeeper Frank Parsons at Wexham Park on Saturday.

Parsons is more accustomed to making the headlines for his goal-keeping performances, but in this thrilling third qualifying round tie he became a goalscoring hero, when he netted the Rebels winning goal to take them just one step away from the First Round Proper of the competition.

Quite the most incredible goal ever seen at Wexham Park came in the 60th minute. From all of 100 yards Parsons sent a clearance downfield and assisted by the gale force wind it bounced about 15 yards from the Hampton goal and sailed straight over the head of a startled Paul Riley, and into the net. For a second there was a stunned silence around Wexham Park until the impact of what had happened sunk in, and then Parsons was engulfed by his Slough colleagues as they celebrated what proved to be the winning goal.

It was a sensational climax to a remarkable first 15 minutes of the second half with four goals scored, as both teams battled their way through monsoon conditions which at times made constructive football a near impossibility.

Hampton soon gave the Rebels an early warning that they were going to be no pushovers when after just 15 minutes Steve Russell was allowed to head home, totally unmarked, a Tim Hollands cross.

This goal visibly shook the Rebels and unable to find the brand of free-flowing football they have been producing recently it looked as though they may again fall foul of another cup giant-killing act by a side from a lower division.

It took a brilliant one-handed save by Parsons to keep out a deflected Peter Shodeine effort while Gary Attrell and Rowan Dodds wasted golden chances for Slough when they failed to find the target after breaking clear of the Hampton defence.

When Mick Doherty saw a fine effort superbly saved by Riley three minutes into the second half one began to wonder if this was going to be one of those days when despite their overall dominance the Rebels would never score.

But two minutes later those fears were eased when they got back on level terms. Steve Norman sent Rowan Dodds away on the right and when his low cross skidded across the face of the Hampton goal it looked as though another chance had gone begging. But Keith White came skidding in at the far post and from the most acute of angles somehow turned the ball home.

The action now became non-stop and it took a desperate save by Riley to prevent Mick Haselden from scoring a dramatic own-goal. Then after 55 minutes Hampton showed just what a dangerous side they were on the attack when Shodeine intercepted a poor Attrell clearance, crossed, and there was Russell again to head past a stranded Parsons.

Slough now showed the type of character and battling instinct which has been growing in their game recently and within three minutes were back in the match. Norman crossed to the far post and a combination of Attrell and Dodds helped the ball back into the heart of the Hampton goal, and as the visitors defence hesitated in pounced Mick Doherty to stab home his 11th goal of the season.

The tension was now at fever pitch and as the old cliche says "this was a typical cup-tie."

And then in the 60th minute came Parsons' quite incredible 'freak' goal and for the first time Slough were ahead.

Dodds then had a header ruled out for offside, a Devon Petty cross struck the crossbar and still the drama did not end. First Norman brilliantly kept out a cracking shot from Hollands and then five minutes from time Mick Doherty cleared off the line after a Hampton corner had thrown the Slough defence into chaos.

Hampton pushed forward desperately in the closing minutes for an equaliser but it was not to be and Parsons made sure no one was going to deny him the honour of scoring the winning goal in an FA Cup-tie. All-in-all a quite remarkable match which will never be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it, least of all the Rebels new goalscoring hero Frank Parsons.

Slough were well worth their victory but all credit to Hampton who made them fight all the way and further proved the point that nothing is ever a formality in the FA Cup.