Slough Win The Cup!

The final between Aylesbury United and Slough in the Berks and Bucks Senior Cup attracted a large gate on the Wycombe Wanderers ground at High Wycombe on Easter Monday. Two crowded special trains went from Slough, whilst the team travelled in a saloon carriage placed at their disposal by the Great Western Railway Company.

The majority of the supporters of the South Bucks team wore blue and amber favours, together with medallions containing a very good photograph of the Slough team. Other more enthusiastic individuals carried umbrellas made of the colours of the club, whilst they were still further exhibited the team of which they were supporters by pinning cards on their hats with the stimulating injunction on it “Play up Slough!”.

The well known green and white colours of the Aylesbury team were sported by a goodly number, but the train with the North Bucks team and their supporters had not yet arrived. The sight of the green and white was quite sufficient to cause several groups of “Sloughites” to imitate the vocal utterances of a well known member of the poultry yard.

There was a capital show of people on the ground fully half an hour before the advertised start, whilst the hill which overtops the ground on the south side proved a point of vantage for many hundreds of those wishing to see the game without any entrenchment on their finances.

At 3.15 a shout went up and the Slough team received a splendid welcome. Amongst Wycombe people it seemed to be the opinion that the Aylesbury eleven would prove too good for the South Bucks team, especially after the former’s drawn game with the redoubtable Clapham team.

In the competition, Slough had beaten Reading Amateurs 1 to nil, Maidenhead 2 to 1, and Wolverton 7 to 1; whilst Aylesbury’s record was Maidenhead Norfolkians 3 to 2 after a drawn game at Aylesbury, and Wycombe Wanderers 2 to nil. In the first round, they were drawn with Windsor and Eton, but the latter club scratched.

The wearers of the green and white were, of course, to a man confident of the team’s success. The supporters of Slough were not over sanguine about their representatives capabilities, although they knew they would have a good try to locate the cup for the year in the South Bucks town.

It had just gone 3.30 when another shout rent the air, mingled with which were the well known “Quack, Quack” of their opponent’s supporters, and the Aylesbury United team ran on to the field. There were by this time close upon 6,000 people lining the ground. Fisher, the Slough captain, spun the coin, and Cromack, the United skipper, called wrongly.

The knowledge that Charlie had been lucky in winning the toss caused another outburst of cheering. Very wisely he chose to defend the Lane goal. This gave the Slough team the benefit of a wind, whilst the sun shining in the faces of their opponents gave them a still further advantage.

The Slough team started with a rare dash, and rushed down to the United goal and nearly scored within the first minute. A corner was conceded, and although Young nicely centred a point was not obtained, the ball being secured by the Aylesbury men and transferred to midfield.

Fisher pulled up the North Bucks men and kicked the ball to Denton, who shot across the goal. Cowley then broke away and got well up the field when the ball was sent into touch. From the throw in. Fisher kicked down causing Ford to send over the touch line.

A foul was then given to Slough in a good position, and the “sphere” was planted in front of the united goal. The latter’s halves got possession. The ball hovered in close proximity to the Marlow Hill goal. Denton put in a tricky piece of play and beat Witherington.

The Slough team were pressing hard, when Hearn caused relief with a fine shot on the right wing. He finished up a good run, but then sent out. Smith received a pass from Summersby, and he transferred the ball to Young, who raced down the field and centred beautifully, but Denton was not quite near enough to put the finishing touch on.

A corner to Slough was splendidly kicked by Summersby, but Cromack cleared. The Aylesbury quintet then got away and play was quickly transferred to the other end of the field, but Summersby was conspicuous for a very fine piece of play, when he was badly fouled. From the kick, Poole tried to find the net, but the ball hit one of the half backs and a fruitless corner was conceded.

Richards was responsible for a pretty run, and he then passed to Hearn, but the latter sent out. Yet a further corner fell to Slough, who were having much the better of the argument. Richards again got away and he had a fair chance to score, but his attempt was weak.

Immediately afterwards, Cowley shot over the bar. The danger averted the ball was taken by the Slough right wing down the field, and Wright sent in a lovely shot which ran along the bar and then went out. It was a near thing.

Richards and Vickerstaff were off, when they were checked by Fisher, who essayed a pot shot which just went over the bar. Crocker was directly afterwards called upon to save, but he was tempted to play to the gallery and as a result he nearly let the united in, a lightning shot being headed out of goal by Fisher.

Some doubt arose as to a foul within 25 yards of the Slough goal, and the referee decided to throw up the ball. The Aylesbury United forwards were quickly on the ball, and it was sent out to Hearne who centred beautifully over to Cowley, and the latter headed into the net and scored a grand goal just 19 minutes after the start.

This success naturally caused delight to the Aylesbury men, who signified their exuberance by a brief pyrotechnical display. The joyousness soon calmed down when it was observed that the success of their opponents had not disconcerted Slough, who immediately after the restart were busy in Aylesbury territory and Young banged in a fine shot.

The South Bucks men had distinctly hard lines, and they should have at least had two goals to their credit. Matters were decidedly lively. Poole tried a long shot, but Cromack had no difficulty in disposing of it, and five minutes after the scoring of the Aylesbury goal Denton ran close in and passed to Pool, who equalised amidst tremendous applause.

On the ball being again sent in motion, Fisher sent in a long high shot, which Cromack just managed to save by jumping up and pushing the ball over the bar. He had hardly negotiated the last shot before he had to defend his citadel against Smith, after some pretty combination had been shown by Wright and Young.

Richards then got going and this speedy forward was quickly over the half line and well in Slough territory, but the ball was sent over the goal line. Smith got the leather and passed out to Young. “Reggie” got by Witherington and passed to Wright, who centred it. Poole shot, but the ball hit the crossbar and rebounded into play. Poole rushed up and shot it into the corner of the net and added a second goal.

With a goal in their favour, the Slough supporters were decidedly happy. This reverse caused Aylesbury to “buck up” and immediately on restarting the forwards looked dangerous, but they fouled the goalkeeper and a free kick relieved Slough.

Young immediately afterwards sent in a low shot and nearly beat Cromack. Richards also caused Crocker to extend himself, but the Slough custodian was quite equal to the emergency and saved well. Padwick badly fouled Cowley when the latter was getting dangerous and again the ball was uncomfortably close to the Slough goal, but Crocker cleared.

After Aylesbury had pressed for a few minutes, the ball was got away and Wright dribbled down close to the Aylesbury goal line, and Ivall then sent in a warm shot which worried Cromack. Slough had much the best of the exchanges and Ivall sent in another fine whit which went just a little too high. Vickerstaff was making tracks for the Slough citadel, but an infringement of the offside rule stopped his progress.

Half time arrived with the score Slough 2 goals, Aylesbury United 1 goal.

The Aylesbury supporters declared that with the wind on their side it was odds in favour of the United’s victory. The sun was not quite so powerful, but the wind was perhaps a trifle fresher. At the commencement of the second half, Slough at once called upon Cromack to save, which he did, though at the expense of a corner.

Some hard kicking sent the ball well into the Slough quarters and Simmonds shot wide. A foul was given against Slough in their own half, but it did not prove advantageous to Aylesbury, as the ball was quickly brought down the field. And passed over to Denton who ran up and centred to Smith, but the Slough centre lost what appeared to be a good chance.

Notwithstanding that the wind was not against them. Slough continued to have considerably the best of matters, every man in the team playing a hard, dogged game. Summersby tried a high shot, but there was no pace on it, and consequently it was comfortably dealt with by Cromack. The Aylesbury defence had a lot of work to keep out the wearers of the amber and blue, abut they were successful, a foul kick eventually giving them relief.

Wright gained applause for a pretty piece of play and then the Aylesbury forwards tried to find the net, but Crocker saved easily.

Denton gained possession and dribbled into neutral territory when he was dispossessed of the ball. Cowley was nearly getting in for the united, a fast shot going over the bar.

Poole dribbled up, beat Witherington and shot, but Cromack fisted out and again play was transferred to the Slough end. Both Cowley and Simonds had chances to score, but they were too slow and were knocked off the ball each time.

Fisher gave a corner and the ball hovered about the Slough goal for some little time and Simonds sent in a weak shot, Crocker defended well. Another and better attempt to penetrate the citadel was frustrated, and then play for a brief spell settled in midfield.

Poole dribbled and passed to Wright, who was offside, and a grand opportunity to score was missed. Some good individual work was put in by the United forwards, and some anxiety was caused the Slough supporters. Cowley sling the ball over from the left and Hearn sent in a beauty which just went over the bar.

For a little time the United had the best of matters, but they could not score, the defence of Slough being grand.

A good piece of work was shown by Poole, Denton, Wright and Young, and Witherington had to clear. A foul in midfield was given against Aylesbury, Fisher kicked to Ivall and the latter transferred to Poole and Smith. These two forwards were met by Witherington and Ford. The United backs seemed to muddle it, and Smith nipping between them got the ball and shot it into the net before Cromack had time to catch sight of it.

Three goals to one and a quarter of an hour to play caused much hilarity amongst the Slough supporters, and an equal depression in the ranks of the Aylesbury people. Vickerstaffe had an open goal but failed to take advantage of the best opportunity to score afforded to either side during the afternoon. It was a very weak effort and Crocker saved, though he was obliged to give a corner.

Hearn soon after sent in a grand centre, but Simonds failed to get to the ball to help it into the goal. From a corner a maul ensued in front of the Slough goal and Crocker saved brilliantly. The Aylesbury men tried hard to improve their position, but they were always outclassed, and when the whistle blew time, Slough were left the victors of this season’s competition, the score being Slough 3 goals, Aylesbury United 1 goal.

Every impartial person who witnessed the match will agree that the better team won. Slough were for quite three parts of the time in Aylesbury quarters, and the score against the United should really have been larger than it was. Every man played a resolute and determined game. They looked like a winning team from the commencement, and many think they gave the best exhibition they have given this season. One could not with fairness point to a weak spot.

Fisher, Young, Ivall, were perhaps the best performers on the winning side. The first named was particularly cool, and gave a splendid game throughout. He was well supported by Walker, but the team throughout acquitted themselves magnificently, and were thoroughly deserving of their success.

A feature of the match was the gentlemanly and sportsmanlike conduct of both teams, and there was very little rough play. It was a very fast game, but the winners had been well trained, and they stayed the course without slowing or falling away. Mr G. Laudeergon proved a smart referee and gave entire satisfaction both to the players and the spectators, whilst Messrs Hawes (Chesham) and Maissey (Maidenhead) proved very efficient linesmen.

At the sound of the referee’s whistle there was a wild rush across the field of play, and a scene of great enthusiasm prevailed. The jubilant Sloughites shouldered the respective members of the team, who in questionable comfort were carried to the hotel where they were staying. Mr. Fisher and the team were the recipients of congratulations on all sides.