Slough Suffer Heavy Defeat

Large numbers were attracted to the Dolphin Ground on Saturday afternoon to witness the locals and the 1st Batt. Scots Guards fight for supremacy in the initial stage of the English Cup competition.

The match had been the absorbing topic of conversation among the local "enthusiasts" all through the week, and many were the opinions expressed upon the probable result of the meeting. The prevailing idea seemed to be that if the locals obtained the lead they would give a very good account of themselves, and that if it was the other way round matters would be very different.

Unfortunately the hopes that had been cherished by the supporters of the "favourites" were frustrated.

Within a quarter of an hour of the start — play commenced at 3.15 — a penalty was given against the locals, and, thanks to it, Kirk scored for the military.

Inside a a couple more minutes Kilkenny had added yet another point. This seemed to utterly demoralize the home team, and the result was that their play was not so smart as had been ere their ardour had been cooled.

Added to this Blanchett was hurt and had to leave the field, and it stands to reason that this fact did not prove very reassuring.

Consequently play was for a time even of a more dispiriting nature than it had been, and it was while this was plainly evident that a smart run by Kirk ended in Fox adding the third point for the soldiers.

After this the locals seemed to pull themselves together somewhat, but try how they would they could not score.

The score was still the same when the teams changed over, but it was not destined to remain so for any great length of time. Each individual member of the Slough team seemed to have come to the conclusion that it was no good being downhearted, and the result was that within but a very few moments from the restart some very pretty passing on the part of the local forwards resulted in Abrams securing a neat goal.

This put the Guards upon their mettle, and within a few moments of this goal being scored, they were bombarding the home citadel. One of the many shots they put in hit the goal posts; another very smart one that immediately followed was very nicely saved by Ivall ; and a third resulted in a corner being conceded them.

Nothing, however, resulted and a few minutes later, after some exciting play had taken place in mid-field, the Guards once more were allowed a corner. Thanks to some smart play on the part of the local backs operations were again transferred, but the Guards were not to he denied, and shortly after Kirk added another goal for them.

Play after this became of a more interesting nature all round. The Guards, however, were having the better of the exchanges, several corners being allowed them. Some of the play that was put in by the home forwards was, however, worthy of great praise.

Abrams on several occasions got away and some of the shots he put in looked like beating the visiting custodian, but unfortunately for Slough none of them did.

After this the Guards scored through Fox, and Abrams was again conspicuous for his smart play. Following this the military made another determined onslaught on the home citadel. Shot after shot was put in with rapid succession and the last of them proved effective, Ganson scoring.

Nothing else was scored and the locals had therefore to leave the field defeated by six goals to one.

No one who saw the game could, for one moment, suggest that the best team did not win. The Guards were, on the day's play, much better than their opponents. Many were the expressions of regret made as to the absence of Crocker and Stacey, but it had to be admitted, on all hands, that their substitutes, New and Bubb, acquitted themselves most creditably.

Of the front row, Abrams was regarded by the greater number of the large crowd, who surrounded the enclosure, to be the best, and Young also came in for very favourable comment. Poole, too, at times put in sonic good play, as also did Summersby, first in his usual place, and later, after Blanchett was hurt, at half-back. Of the half-backs, New was, however, the most popular.

At back, Steele, as usual, put in some good play, but he did not stand out quite so conspicuously as he does sometimes, and Bubb played a rattling game. Before he was hurt and had to leave the field, Blanchett was also conspicuous for some good kicking.

One might write at length of the bad luck which was was thought by some of the most enthusiastic of the spectators to attend the local players, but that would be futile. The fact would also remain that Slough had bidden farewell to their chances — if they had any — for the English Cup, and that the Guards, who none can deny, played a splendid game, beat them by six goals to one.

It might, however, be again stated, in mitigation of the defeat, that two of the Slough team were unable to take the field, and that Wilshaw, the centre, was not used to his comrades' play, and was, therefore, to a certain extent handicapped.