Rebels come so close to Orient upset

SLOUGH Town's FA Cup dreams might have been shattered, but it was the Rebels who walked off Wexham Park the real heroes on Tuesday evening.

The draw shows it's Orient who now go to Oldham Athletic in the third round but just how close Howard Kennedy's magnificent lads came to making the trip themselves. Only those in the largest Wexham Park crowd for many years will ever know.

Slough were superb on Saturday but they raised their game to even greater heights on Tuesday evening and Orient must have driven back to East London knowing they had come within a whisker of being dumped out of the FA Cup by the battling Rebels.

In many ways it was a cruel night for Kennedy's lads because for long periods they completely outplayed Orient — but never got the breaks when it mattered most.

Again, they more than matched their Canon League opponents and often were the more skilful and inventive side. But the one big difference was that when the chances did arise Orient took theirs — scoring from three of the five opportunities they created in the 90 minutes.

But as at Brisbane Road on Saturday, this only gave Slough greater determination and drive, and in a frantic last 15 minutes the Rebels came very close to increasing the agony for Orient.

After a somewhat sedate and nervous opening, Slough soon made their intentions clear and on 16 minutes went so close to a "golden goal".

From absolutely nowhere, the outstanding Jimmy Jacobs burst through and saw his well-driven low shot somehow turned away for a corner by Peter Wells. This was the first of 13 corners the Rebels were to force compared to Orient's three as, especially in midfield where Jacobs, Keith White and Devon Petty were outstanding, Slough started to dominate on the heavy pitch.

But luck often plays its part in cup football and Orient had theirs in the 18th minute. When Rowan Dodds was fouled, referee Hedges played advantage but the ball broke for Orient. Colin Foster released the dangerous Kevin Godfrey and he scampered down the right and crossed low for Ian Juryeff to fire home from close range.

There was one further scare for Slough when Chris Way pushed Juryeff's looping header on to the bar and saw Godfrey strike the post with the rebound, hut the rest of the half belonged to Slough.

Paul Shinners almost scored a spectacular own-goal; Micky Kiely and Steve Norman went desperately close with headers before right on half-time the magic left boot of White again struck. Wilson was fouled and it had to be a White "special". And he did not disappoint, cracking home a 25-yard scorcher that went straight through a startled Wells.

Slough were back and they now smelt a cup shock was on. White, who saves his best performances for the FA Cup, was at this best and did a superb job completely marking Orient playmaker Shaun Brooks out of the game.

After the break Slough were rampant. Wells was forced to desperately tip White's corner over the bar and then Kiely's lunging diving header was blocked away. Another White blockbuster was only held at the second attempt by Wells and Slough looked set to take the game by storm.

But Orient had one trump card and that was striker Godfrey, the one really class player on show. And after 62 minutes Orient broke away, Godfrey played a quick one-two with Shinners and coolly knocked the ball past Way.

Nine minutes later it looked all over for Slough when Shinners rose at the near post to head home Andy Sussex's corner. However, Slough were not dead and they piled on the pressure and there was never any hint Orient would run away with the game.

Orient's defence became more panicky and the 'lumbering Foster joined Kevin Hales in the referee's book. Wells was then forced to make a desperate save from another White free-kick on 75 minutes.
Kennedy had gambled everything by sending on Dean Woodley for Norman and playing only three at the back with Tony Knight moving forward.

And the drama continued when, in the 84th minute, Jacobs headed back Wells' poor goal-kick and as Dodds' went past Foster he was brought down by the Orient 'keeper. Skipper Harris kept his composure and hammered the penalty home and Slough had six minutes to do the impossible. For once in this great cup run it proved just too much but they still gave Orient some anxious moments and looked the fitter and more eager side.

In the dying moments Godfrey broke clear but Way was bravely out to save. A fourth Orient goal would have been an embarrassment to the fourth division outfit they didn't deserve it. So Slough are out of the FA Cup hut what a great fight they made of it. Every player gave as much as they possibly could and they were all heroes.

Report: Slough Express