Howard's Delight

“I AM thrilled to bits, but hope that not all games are as close as that," said Slough Town's new manager Howard Kennedy, after Saturday's pulsating FA Trophy clash at Wexham Park.

And the Rebels' new boss in the hot seat for the first time could not have summed up this third qualifying round battle with Aylesbury United better.

In what amounted to Slough's biggest game of the season the Rebels got the result they so desperately wanted, but in the last 20 minutes they gave their supporters more than one heart stopping moment.

Playing with the sort of passion, drive and commitment which has been so badly lacking recently, Kennedy saw his side make a flying start and really by halftime Aylesbury should have been dead and buried.

But in a match which saw all the goals scored in a frantic first 20 minutes it was Aylesbury who finished the stronger as they came so close to spoiling Kennedy's dreams of starting his managerial career at Wexham Park with a victory.

However, a combination of poor finishing, desperate defensive work, a hint of luck and one brilliant save from Peter Rackley, ensured that it was Slough who went in Monday's first round proper draw.

“Really there were 101 things wrong today but the side showed great character and they really wanted to win," said Kennedy after the game.

He continued: "I was very pleased with the attitude and application the lads showed. ‘After all that had gone on before I knew it would be the sort of game it was. We had the chances in the first half to have built a commanding lead but then came under a lot of pressure in the second half. It was always going to be a difficult game and Aylesbury were a very good and well organised side, and their big centre forward was always going to present a danger.'

And how did Kennedy enjoy his first game in the hot seat: "I was more nervous than whenever I played and kept looking at my watch more times than I can ever remember before," said an overjoyed Kennedy.

As is often the case when a new manager takes over Slough looked a different outfit to the one which had struggled to win just two of their last ten matches. And what a start Rebels made.

After only six minutes Keith White went desperately close with a full stretch diving header and two minutes later Slough were ahead. White’s corner had Aylesbury goalkeeper Keith Baker in trouble and Colin Tate got the vital touch at the far post to head home.

But Slough's glory was short-lived because on 16 minutes that man Clifford Hercules struck again it was his effort which had thrown the Rebels out of the Berks and Bucks Cup a month earlier.

Tony McGuinness's corner found Hercules looming completely unmarked at the far post and he crisply headed past Rackley.

However, this was going to be Slough's day and after 19 minutes came the goal which in the end settled the tie. The talented Charlie Flaherty whipped in a cross from the Slough skipper turned and right, it found White, and the cracked home a great shot past Baker.

The skill and battling spirit of Flaherty and Devon Petty were now complemented by the astute passing of White and Dave Alexander in midfield and Slough were looking good. And the Rebels should have further increased their lead by halftime. First Flaherty put Alexander through with a brilliantly timed pass but his final effort was struck wide, and then when Petty was faced with only Baker to beat he saw his shot run just inches wide of the post.

This time Slough were in no mood to serve up another of their disastrous second half displays and White soon made their intentions clear with a free kick blaster from 20 yards which Baker did remarkably well to beat away.

Still the chances came for Slough to settle the issue with Colin Tate, White and Dodds missing opportunities, but by now Aylesbury were starting their surge.

One total miskick by Rackley as he raced out to clear almost resulted in disaster and then Cliff Campbell chances he was to have. wasted two of the numerous The save of the match point blank range Rackley came on 74 minutes as at kept out Hercules' close range header and then in a desperate last five minutes for Slough, Campbell missed a golden chance and Hercules saw another effort flash inches past the post.

Referee Alan Williams added to the tension by playing an extra five minutes, but nothing was going to deny the battling Rebels anything but a victory from what was an epic cup encounter.

Both Dodds and Petty came in for some heavy treatment in the second half as they weaved their way through the Aylesbury defence and Peter Mead and Andy Dockery were cautioned, while Eddie Hutchinson's name was also taken for a wild challenge on McGuinness.