Gilkes fires Slough through

Two Michael Gilkes goals helped Slough Town come back from behind to knock St. Leonards out of the FA Cup.

However, the Rebels got off to the worst possible start to their continuing FA Cup adventure when they lost their goalkeeper Dominique Jean-Zephirin in the warm-up with a suspected broken finger. Adrian Blake stepped in to deputise and to make his debut for the Rebels.

On the pitch, things also did not start well. The Saints gained an early free kick on their left wing which was put straight into the danger area. Steve Daly was first to the ball but his clearance cannoned off Paul Barrowcliff's face and into the net leaving the Rebels 1-0 down within 56 seconds.

This left Barrowcliff in a daze and requiring attention from Kevin McGoldrick, but the left full back was able to continue.

Slough nearly conceded a second goal 20 minutes into the game when a short back pass from Dean Palmer saw the two collide with a Saints striker and the ball trickled toward an unguarded goal, but Barrowcliff was alert to the danger and able to clear. This collision left all three players down and requiring attention. As a result, Saints top scorer so far Mark Lovell was replaced soon after by Paul Wilson.

Saints continued to be the better side on a bumpy surface as Slough struggled to adapt and Terry White was not far away with his half volley effort which Blake had to tip over the bar. Substitute Wilson could have also extended the lead shortly before half time, but his tame effort after breaking clear was comfortably saved by Blake in the Slough goal.

Slough had two half chances just before half time in their best spell of the half. Byron Bubb had two long range efforts which tested Newstead in the Saints goal, but the young keeper was equal to both.

The second half saw Slough attacking down the slope and almost looking a totally different side to that which had come out in the first half.

Peter Baker had been given space in the Slough box but his effort was tame and striaght at Blake. Slough broke quickly and released Sammy Winston, but the narrow angle he created for himself was too tight and his shot flew harmlessly across the goal.

Saints soon forced Slough back and only a good save from Blake from a Phil Henderson header kept the score at 1-0. Baker again found some space at the back post, but again his effort was weak, and Blake was not troubled.

Then the game was turned on its head. A harmless Slough long ball drifted out for a throw down by the left wing corner. Quickly taken back to Newstead in the Saints goal, the keeper had the misfortune of a bad bounce and his miscontrol allowed Gilkes to pounce, taking a touch to round the keeper and slot into an unguarded net.

Within two minutes Slough had taken the lead. Winston broke and carved out a chance, cutting the ball across the goal. The ball was missed by everyone until Bubb stole in at the back only to see his shot cannon back off the bar. Gilkes was on hand again though to volley home the rebound through a crowd of players.

Slough were now very much in the ascendancy and their confidence grew. They now began to take the game to St. Leonards and Gilkes was unfortunate not to get his hat-trick, volleying narrowly wide.

Winston also had a chance after Barrowcliff was released down the left wing, but the striker's effort was uncharacteristically off-target from a narrow angle. Byron Bubb nearly opened his account after pouncing on a half cleared corner, but his effort from the edge of the area was wide.

Slough continued to pressure but could not find the killer goal. Daly headed a deep Gilkes cross in towards Browne, but the centre back was unlucky to see his volley hit the bar and go out of play. Browne again was involved when he received the ball on the right wing before taking a few players on. As he reached the byline, he cut the ball back, missing everyone and the ball was cleared.

Gilkes again was close to adding to his tally when a volleyed effort produced a reaction save from Newstead before being cleared. And Newstead was again was called into action after 86 minutes when another 25 yard effort was well saved by the young keeper.

Slough held on for the final few minutes of stoppage time and progressed through this potential banana skin to qualify for the Second Qualifying Round.