So Close To A Miracle

Slough came so close to staging a miraculous return from the dead after a series of shocking errors had given Yeovil a four goal lead.

The Rebels could feel the soil falling over their heads as they took only 34 minutes to dig themselves into a GMAC Cup grave from which there seemed to be no escape at Wexham Park on Tuesday.

Ghastly mistakes from 'keeper Trevor Bunting, Paul Gardam and Jeff Bateman seemed to have put even an honourable second round defeat out of their reach and with 16 minutes left the position had not changed.

Then a slip by Yeovil 'keeper Dave Walter allowed Keith White to salvage some pride.

With five minutes left Jimmy Brown expertly stuck away the second and when Paul Waites found the net a minute from time half the Slough supporters were pinching themselves in disbelief and the rest were searching the night sky for flying pigs.

A minute proved not long enough for Slough to score an inconceivable fourth and take the match to a replay, but by then they had at least done enough to be able to walk off with their heads held high rather than slink off in shame.

Manager Alan Davies summed up the night's events by saying: "Against a side like Yeovil you can't expect to give goals away and come back and win. Three of the four goals were down to my players. They came in at half time with their heads hung low and I said they have got to go out and play for their pride. Everyone watching the game would say they had redeemed themselves in the second half.

“Bunting was indeed an unlikely candidate to star in the first act of the Rebels adaptation of the 'Comedy of Errors’.

A harmless free-kick into the box after 12 minutes fell inexplicably from his grasp and John McGinlay poked the ball towards the goal. As Tony Knight and Jimmy Jacobs raced back to clear, the ball scrambled against the post, only to hit Jacobs and roll in.

Seven minutes later it was Gardam's turn to take centre stage, leaving a back pass short and presenting Paul Randall with the easy task of beating Bunting.

The third act, after 30 minutes, was more of a company production, with no one Rebel taking a starring role. Neil Coates' corner from the left reached the unmarked McGinlay deep in the box and he lashed his shot high into the net.

Four minutes later came Bateman's solo spot. He tried to control the ball as it bounced thigh high into the box and Paul Miller whipped it away from him to score the fourth goal.

The curtain appeared to have come down emphatically on Slough's GMAC Cup run, Yeovil were faster and stronger and managed 12 first half attempts at goal compared half-hearted Slough effort from Bateman.

Whenever Slough had the ball their players found three or four green shirts surrounding them and Yeovil's they shall not pass approach was willingly, and not unexpectedly, extended to include the odd foul here and there the moment danger threatened.

There was apparently little danger when Ken Wilson tried to tease two Yeovil defenders on the left after 74 minutes. But when his low cross came over, the diving Walter let the ball slip from his arms for White to grab a simple tap-in.

With five minutes left there was little indication of the excitement in store as Walter's clearance was headed back towards the Yeovil goal by Bateman. For once though, Brown had beaten Yeovil's machine-like offside trap and he calmly placed the ball out of the 'keeper's reach for his 23rd goal of the season.

The Rebels' game suddenly had extra urgency about it and in the 89th minute, moments White had almost had an indecent act committed on him from behind by Zachhau in the box, Wilson was surprisingly ruled to have been brought down just outside the box on the left hand side of the field.

Waites drove the free-kick across the goal from the narrowest of angles and saw it go in at the far post. Surely Slough would not do it. Suddenly it seemed as though they might Wilson beat the offside trap in injury time to race after a long ball, only for Walter to grab it first and maintain Yeovil's wavering grip on the tie.

Match Stats:
Corners: Slough 6, Yeovil 8.
Attempts on target off target blocked: Slough 3-3-0, Yeovil 9-50.
Slough attempts: White 1-0-0-, Brown 1-0-0, Waites 1-0-0, Bateman 0-2-0, McLeod 0-1-0.