Rebels March On

Slough Town continue their triumphant progress with two brilliant victories over Tilbury 3-1 in the League Cup and Maidenhead United 3-0 in the League. The win over Maidenhead hoists the Rebels well clear of all opposition at the top of the table and the championship seems almost a certainty. Maidenhead have been tipped as likely outsiders for Premier Division honours but on Monday evening's showing they can forget any hopes of the trophy resting on their mantle shelf this season.

In the three years the Athenian League Cup has been in existence Slough Town have never managed to go beyond the fire round, but this season Tommy Lawrence's squad have moved into the last eight without any great difficulty. The 3-1 win over Tilbury at Slough Stadium on Saturday was accomplished with the minimum of fuss, two goals in the first half from Hill and Amos and one in the second half from Jamieson to counteract Tilbury's only goal was enough to see Slough go into the hat for the quarter finals, to be drawn away to Chesham.

Slough fielded an unusual side with Kay Eaton ineligible having played for Boreham Wood in an earlier round and John Ritchie unfit due to an attack of flu. Micky O'Sullivan and Stuart Jamieson substituted.

The early minutes saw both sides taking their time in settling down and play swept from end to end without any effective strike until the 20th minute when Turl headed against the Tilbury cross-bar. Slough were slowly getting on top at this stage and in the 28th they went in front. Cruse took a corner on the right and Ray Hill moved to power home a fine glancing header that Benson could only finger on its way into the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.

Three minutes later Jamieson made a good run down the right and crossed for the lurking Hill to head goalwards but a fine save from Benson kept the score at one.

In the 35th minute right-back Smith was booked for a foul on Cruse, and as Slough increased the pressure the Tilbury defence became more desperate in their tackles. In the 40th minute Cruse crossed for Reid to lob the ball goalwards, but Benson again just fingered the ball over for a comer. Cruse took the corner, short to D'Arcy at the near post, who back-headed the ball across the goal for the waiting Amos to nod home the second goal.

After the interval Slough pressed forward. A fine volley from a subdued O'Sullivan brought yet another fine save from Benson, b after this the game slowly died and became a boring midfield dual with a goal needed to liven it up and when it came in the 68th minute it was simplicity itself. A very well worked move from Tilbury on the right ended with Bradley drawing the Slough defence out before crossing to the far post for the unmarked Dunwell to head home into an unprojected net.

This brought Slough back to life and Cruse hit the woodwork in the 70th and eight minutes later Slough completely crushed the Tilbury challenge when Cruse had a miscued shot deflected and Jamieson was on hand to ram home his first ever goal for Slough.