Jimmy's perfect timing

Jimmy Jacobs' first goal for two years helped give Slough sweet revenge over Aylesbury, sweeping the Rebels into the Second Road of the Berks and Bucks Senior Cup and add to the woes of the struggling Vauxhall Conference League side.

Eighteen months ago the Ducks dumped the Rebels out of the same competition in the semi-final following a controversial replay. However, with Aylesbury boasting only one win this season and their side bedeviled with injuries, it was always on the cards that high riding Slough would produce the first upset of this season's competition and so it proved.

Rebels manager Alan Davies was able to recall Jacobs into midfield after a nine-match absence and he replaced Paul Gardam, with skipper Keith White reverting to the left-back spot. There was also a surprise re-appearance for Peter Skerritt among the Slough substitutes. Four years ago Skerritt, who at the time was the subject of interest from Football League Brentford and Nottingham Forest, fell and injured his knee so badly at Croydon that it was assumed his career was over.

The disappointing crowd were also interested in the performance of Aylesbury's Rowan Dodds following reports that he was eager to return to Wexham Park and renew his partnership with the club he scored 112 goals for between 1978 and 1986.

Given a warm welcome by the home supporters, Dodds looked out of sync with his new team-mates and ill at ease with the Ducks style of football. His strength has always been his ability to run at defenders and his talent would be well used at Slough, whose style tends to lend itself towards knocking the ball behind their opponent's defence and letting the forwards chase it.

It is understood that Aylesbury are prepared to let Dodds leave for £5,000 providing that they can secure the transfer of Mark Boyland from Wycombe Wanderers to replace him.

Slough manager Davies remained tight-lipped regarding the deal, and it is difficult to see how he could break up the Neal Stanley-Steve Thompson partnership, which is beginning to forge itself into a lethal strike force, although both players could still be more accurate in front of goal.

Indeed, Stanley should have given the Rebels the lead in the 19th minute. Jeff Bateman's through ball gave him the chance to race behind the Ducks' defence, but his low cross just eluded the onrushing Thompson.

Thirty seconds later Stanley frittered away an even clearer opportunity. Gary Dodd, finally beginning to live up to the reputation he arrived at Wexham Park with, released Thompson after 22 minutes, but the RAF PE instructor drove his shot inches over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Team-mate Tony Dennis enjoyed greater success seven minutes later with a speculative shot-cum-cross that curled over the flat-footed keeper Tim Garner from 25 yards for what was Dennis' first goal of the season.

Aylesbury had more to offer at the start of the second half and Bunting had to be sharp to dive across to smother Derek Duggan's well directed free kick.

Dodds flicked another Duggan free-kick over the bar later and saw his only close effort of the game ruled out in the 68th minute for a foul on Bunting as he desperately tried to repeat his effort of last April when he scored the goal that knocked the Rebels out of last season's Berks and Bucks Cup, and took Windsor to the final.

The Rebels finally put the match beyond the reach of the Ducks in the 70th minute with an excellently worked goal. The much improved Bobby Dell and White combined on the left to give Dennis the chance to flick a cross into the path of Jacobs, who gleefully thumped home his first goal for two years from the edge of the penalty area.

Slough might easily have increased their lead even further had Paul Hackett not deliberately handled Stanley's cross and picked up a caution for his trouble, or if Garner had not done well to hold onto a White special from 20 yards in the 77th minute.

Aylesbury also had their chances, with England non-league international Brendan Phillips drilling an effort just over in the 70th minute and Adrian Mann pushing a low shot across the face of the goal four minutes later.

Peter Hutter's late consolation from a Duggan free-kick five minutes from time proved to be in vain for the visitors and they were unable to force an equaliser.