Slough Draw With Oxford City

Slough met Oxford City on Saturday, in the Amateur Cup competition, on the Dolphin Ground, before a somewhat disappointing attendance. Slough placed their advertised team in the field, but the visitors were started to be without the majority of their best players, notably the Rev. H. Alington and B. A. Corbett.

The turf was in excellent condition, and what little wind there was blew across the ground, and was of trifling advantage to either side.

Five minutes after the start, Blanchett, in endeavoring to clear, sent the ball whizzing towards his own goal. Crocker stepped out to meet the leather, and missing it, enabled Ashmore to score the softest point imaginable.

Just prior to change of ends the City men came again, and completely penned their opponents. Twice Crocker saved, but a third shot from Walker beat him, and the Oxford representatives crossed over with a lead of two goals to love.

Rain, which had been threatening for some time, now fell heavily, and rendered the ground very slippery. Nevertheless, the game continued to be well contested, Slough having perhaps a trifle the best of the exchange on the whole.

Twenty minutes from time, a shot from Smith was landed into the net by Hawkins and the game appeared to be all over, bar shouting.

But hardly had the ball been restarted than a shot from Brades was put well out of the reach of Belgrove by one of the Oxford backs, and Slough were credited with their first point.

Cheered on by their supporters, the home side now played up in striking contrast to the form previously displayed by them. They completely out maneuvered their opponents, and after Brads had hit the crossbar, Ridout registered a second goal with a pretty shot.

Although Oxford tried hard to keep their opponents out, it was all to no account, and amid a scene of the wildest enthusiasm, Brads equalised matters. These three points were all obtained in eight minutes, and it looked any odds on Slough winning. How Belgrove kept the ball out on two or three occasions was a marvel, but just on the call of time Abrams again landed it into the net. It appeared, that the referee had previously allowed an appeal by Howse for a foul, and this robbed Slough of the game.

Extra time was ordered to be played and as the visitors looked nearly "pumped out" it was thought that Slough would after all win. But it was not to be, for Abrams was seized with an attack of cramp, and had to be carried off the field and this disorganised the forwards.

After playing just on 15 minutes, during which period neither side scored, the referee stopped the game owing to darkness, and the club will now have to meet again at Oxford next Saturday.

Fisher, Ridout, Stavey, Brades and Poole were the pick of the Slough team, and Belgrove (who saved cleverly time after time), Edgington, Roberts, Smith, Ashmore and Hawkins were the best of the visitors.