It's Easy For Rebels

Like every other non-league club in the country, Slough Town started their FA Cup campaign on Saturday dreaming of the possible glory an extended run in the competition can bring.

Two seasons ago that kind of glory came to Wexham Park when the giant killing Rebels beat third division Millwall, so Slough went into Saturday's first qualifying round clash at Newbury determined to embark on perhaps another famous cup run.

However, following a series of disappointing results three consecutive defeats manager Terry Reardon must have had some trepidation about the game. With Peter Skerritt, Trevor Baron and Howard Kennedy all injured, there was every reason to suspect that Newbury could provide a difficult hurdle for the reshuffled Rebels to overcome.

But at the end of the day it all went right for the Rebels as they coasted home to a comfortable victory and a home tie with Southern League Fareham Town in the second qualifying round on Saturday week.

Newbury had obviously had Slough watched on the previous Tuesday when Bognor's offside tactics had unhinged the Wexham Park side's striking ability, and so it was on Saturday that the same tactic helped to stifle the eager Slough strikers, albeit with far less success.

The early stages gave little evidence of the way in which the game would end with Newbury eventually outplayed. Both sets of defenders looked unhappy on a hard, bumpy surface and chances were created at each end.

As early at the fifth minute Dave Lloyd backheeled the ball just wide of the post while Newbury's Jimmy Rowland, left with an open goal, lofted his chip shot just over the bar. Lloyd continued to be prominent for the Rebels and a mazy dribble through the heart of the Newbury defence saw his final shot well saved by Birks.

It was Lloyd who was instrumental in the creation of Slough's opening goal after 17 minutes when his astute pass to the feet of Rowan Dodds was fed into the path of Dave Russell, who scored with a blistering shot.

For a while Newbury threatened to get back on level terms and a poor back pass by Keith White almost let the home side in. But although Stanford's shot went past the stranded Peter Rackley, Eddie Hutchinson was on hand to clear off the line.

With Dave Alexander a commanding force the Rebels midfield started to then take control and a White header, following good work on the right by Russell, almost brought goal number two.

But Slough were not to be denied and on 30 minutes Devon Petty dribbled through on the right, passed to Russell, who in turn found Dodds and he made no mistake from close range.

Just before half time Stanford rocked the Slough crossbar with a powerful header but from here onwards the Rebels dominated affairs.

After a quiet start to the second half, White suddenly brought the game alight when he brilliantly turned two defenders and then his dangerous cross was just out of reach of the striving Slough players.

It was White who added the third goal after 70 minutes. A Newbury clearance took a fortunate deflection off Petty's head, Lloyd was quickly onto the loose ball and following a fine passing movement White rounded things off by firing past Birks.

Nine minutes later and it was White again as he collected another good ball from Petty and with his back to goal spun round to shoot powerfully past Birks.

Meanwhile Lloyd had been taken off to give Dylan Evans an opportunity to get into the game for his first appearance this season.

By now Newbury were totally overrun, twice the Rebels were denied possible penalties; a tremendous header from Hutchinson was punched over by Birks and then when Russell's corner swirled straight into the net the effort was disallowed for reasons not obvious to anyone.

The fifth goal arrived five minutes from time when Hutchinson, who had an outstanding game, took a corner on the right which White knocked on for Evans to head home.

Five goals up and full of confidence, Slough began to play with the opposition, Petty side-footing the ball against the post and there seemed little chance of Newbury ever opening their account.

Then surprisingly in injury time Warren Angell crossed low into the Slough goalmouth where the ball spun off Francis Araguez and past Rackley to give Newbury some consolation.