Exit Maidenhead

The finalists last season in the above competition, Maidenhead United and Slough, were fated to meet in the first round this season, and the game was played at Slough, when the Bucks men were victorious by one goal to nil, thus proving Maidenhead's stumbling block in two successive seasons.

Both teams were unable to field their full strength sides owing to players lacking the necessary qualification. Maidenhead being without Eagles and Moorhouse, and Slough minus Nicholls, Fulford, Banks and Tatton; but Slough were better served by their substitutes than Maidenhead, and so passed into the next round. A crowd of about 2,500 spectators witnessed the game, and local supporters were greatly in evidence, many taking advantage of the seating accommodation provided in the new grand-stand which bee been erected. The band of the Slough D.S.S. Federation was present and whiled away the waiting periods with some excellent selections.

The opening exchanges were quiet, with Maidenhead first to get near goal, for when C. Care piloted the ball up the field, McConnell miskicked and let in Spratley, whose shot was cleared by Dale. A fine run by Grant, of Slough, took the game to the Maidenhead half, and the ball passed from Norris to Glover and back to Payne, who sent it over the bar.

Dashing away on the right, W. Cook sent Spratley through, but Dale ran out and succeeded in clearing his lines, setting Grant moving till Blay nipped in and stopped. W. Cook again raced away and his centre led to a scrimmage in the goal-mouth, Dale being conspicuous with a daring save. Then a fine run by Grant almost led to the downfall of the Maidenhead goal; he put the ball to Johnson and from the latter it went back to Grant, whose shot was scraped away from the goalline by P. Care, and Blay cleared.

Laurie broke through while Gallop appealed for offside, but once again Dale left his goal and cleared, while just after Hancock put Laurie through, and the latter put by with an open goal as Dale came to meet him. The two players collided and Laurie had to leave the field for a few minutes.

Keeping up pressure, Maidenhead almost had a goal when Clarke tricked Gallop and passed to Spratley, whose shot was luckily saved by Dale and a corner resulted, which W. Cook spoilt by "hands." Laurie returned hereabouts and Maidenhead's right wing got busy, Richards paving the way for Spratley to give W. Cook a chance to get in a delightful shot, which hit the cross-bar and bounced over.

For a few minutes after this play was confined to midfield with the ball frequently in touch, and then Slough made a raid, in which Norris was checked by Blay when looking very dangerous. Maidenhead replied through H. Cook, who took advantage of a miss by Gallop and was working close in when McDonnell cleverly stopped him.

A brilliant run by Grant and a neat pass enabled Baldwin to get in a swift ground shot, which P. Care just got out in time, and his brother gave a corner, this being got away by Richards, but just after C. Care let in Johnson, who gave Baldwin a fine opening, which was not taken advantage of.

Maidenhead made one or two movements on the right, but these were spoiled by inaccurate passing, and were usually stopped by Lucas. Another run by Grant and a centre was put an end to by Hancock just as Norris was going to shoot and and Maidenhead got up on the right, and Cook put the ball in for Laurie to score.

Mr. Page pointed to the centre, but yielding to vigorous appeals from the Slough players, consulted linesman Crane, who decided that the ball had been out of play previous to Cook centreing and the goal was disallowed. Slough attacked hard after this and Blay and Richards were very prominent in defensive work, one clearance by the latter when Johnson was almost through being very praiseworthy. Just previous to half-time Dale was hurt in collision with Clarke.

Resuming, Slough attacked on the right, Glover being prominent with a couple of good shots, and a centre from Johnson passed across the goal and rolled behind, Grant being just too late to reach it. Maidenhead had a try through Clarke and Laurie, and a shot from the latter was turned over the bar by a Slough defender, and the corner kick was cleared.

Grant got away and centred to Johnson, who was fouled, and a corner was forced without result. Grant put over from Norris's play, and just after had some good dribbling nullified by C. Care, who enabled H. Cook to get in a run. but nothing came of it. Grant again was responsible for a splendid run, and be maneuvered a position for Norris. whose shot P. Care just managed to punch out and Tubb conceded a corner.

Spratley then got going and passed out to W. Cook, who swung the ball in the goal mouth, where Laurie headed into Dale's hands. Slough attacked again and Johnson went for goal, but his kick we blocked and the ball travelled out to Grant; he put in a splendid centre, and Norris headed the ball into the net from out of a crowd of players 17 minutes after the resumption of play.

The Slough forwards were very persistent after this and Norris almost got through, being robbed by Tubb near goal; the latter enabled H. Cook to get in a run and his centre was snapped up by Clarke, who shot well, but Dale managed to keep the ball out and it was eventually got away, as was a corner kick a little later.

Another attack on the Slough right saw Norris head just over from Glover's centre, while later the referee awarded Slough a corner, but some of the players did not heed the whistle and Vic Blay put the ball through hie own goal in trying to stop the Slough rush. However, it did not matter, as the whistle had previously blown and the corner kick was taken and put behind.

The light got very bad towards the end, and it was difficult to follow the flight of the ball. Slough concentrated on defence, and although making several raids Maidenhead failed to score, but a last minute rush by Hancock came near the mark.

Slough left they field victorious by one goal to nil.