Ducks Shoot Rebels Out

Slough made another swift exit from a cup competition on Monday evening after being outclasses by Vauxhall League Aylesbury United in the second half.

The result followed the usual pattern, the Rebels taking the lead and then surrendering their advantage with a weak show after the restart. The Ducks, who did the league double over the Rebels last season but lost in the County Cup, turned in a far more aggressive second half and got the result they so dearly wanted.

For Slough's part, they totally outplayed Aylesbury at a canter for the first 45 minutes, but couldn't finish their chances to convert the supremacy. Injuries to Mark Hill (groin), Gary Donnellan (Hamstring), and suspensions for Steve Thompson and Tony Dell, meant that the Rebels had to reshuffle.

Russell Goodenough made his competitive debut at left back and Naseem Bashir started his first game other than friendlies, for a long time. Slough took total control at a slow pace from the off and virtually entrenched the home side in their own half.

Darren Anderson's presence up front added bite to the forward movement, but the Rebels still lacked a killer instinct in front of goal and struggled to find the net. With 27 minutes gone they finally took the lead they deserved, Mark Turkington intelligently taking an immediate free kick which found Phil Stacey. His low drive from the right was parried by keeper Tim Garner to Tommy Langley, who tapped home.

Slough were imaginative. cruising and a rout looked on the cards for the Conference club. With nine minutes remaining before the interval though, the Ducks snatched an equaliser out of the blue when Darren Collins was left unmarked at the far post to direct a header home.

Halftime saw Trevor Gould, the Aylesbury manager, introduce Owen Wright up front and he almost scored within seconds of the restart but saw his effort skim across the face of the goal.

Slough enjoyed freedom and space in the second half to move forward but never looked like scoring as they failed to break down a solid Aylesbury rearguard.

At the other end though. had Aylesbury's tall, fast powerful strikers, Glen Donegal and Cliff Hercules been more accurate, the home side's tally would have been much higher. On the hour. Donegal gave the home side the lead, turning in the box to fire low past Trevor Bunting with a hint of handball involved.

Seconds later Bunting had to pull off a flying save from Donegal and was then beaten by Hercules who was clean through but could only miss in front of an open goal.

The pace and style was more suited to Aylesbury's game, rapid and direct forward movement with the pitch icing up by the minute. Hercules finally hit the net on 68 minutes, finishing a goalmouth scramble which saw the ball hit the post and cleared off the line by Slough's best performer on the night, Trevor How.

A reshuffling of the defence in order to get more men forward saw Phil Stacey replaced by Mark Mallinson and Vernon Pratt by Jon Sissons soon after.

This left the Rebels short at the back and both Hercules and Donegal had golden opportunities which resulted in horrendous finishing. Darren Anderson picked up a harsh booking in the final minutes but it was a night when the vociferous Slough supporters had to swallow their pride.