Midfield cup battle ends in stalemate

Slough's Amateur Cup history, especially over the past ten years keeps repeating itself, drawn games at home, often followed by defeat by a Northern side in the replay. Ashington from Northumberland came to the stadium on Saturday and forced a draw which means once more Slough make the trek North for a second bite at the cherry. The gate was 1,100 and facing a small return for all the expense of going North the tie is likely to lose the club money.

Much pre-match talk about the time it would take for Ashington to adjust to the faster pace of the Isthmian League was shown to be just so much fantasy as from the start of the game they showed the crowd that they were faster and fitter than Slough, what they lacked was skill and this they made up for by hard and sometimes unfair tackling leading to one booking. Coach Jackie Marks also found his name in the referee's book for coaching from the line.

This was not an exciting cup-tie, both sides missed easy chances and much of the game was spent in midfield with careless passing allowing both teams to contain the opposing forwards.

Ashington did the early attacking gaining a corner within the first minute and they certainly looked the fitter side, after a lull in the play in the fifth minute when referee Baker had an announcement made warning about objects being thrown on the field Slough began to settle down, Crosby, Anthony, and Turl combined well for the latter to have a good shot blocked, minutes later Trevor Williams fired in a fine shot but this was also blocked.

In the 16th came Slough’s goal, and what a good goal, Barrie Davies crossed the ball from the right and it seemed to run harmlessly towards the far post, defender Ritchie left it for the keeper but Brown raced in and somehow managed to angle the ball back into the net.

In the 24th Slough went close to increasing their lead when Anthony pulled the ball down and turned just outside the Ashington area to send in a curving shot but the ball went just wide of the post.

At this time Ashington keeper Nesbitt was warned for time wasting. Within seconds Pringle led the Slough defence a chase before gifting an open goal to striker Wright but the veteran of Whitley Bay blasted well over.

The second half saw the visitors slow to make use of the strong wind and Slough were reduced to breakaways and Williams went close with a shot in the 50th, this Welsh international was having a fine game at this stage but his clever work was ruined by heavy tackling and Ashington’s Hilliar was booked for this in the 52nd.

With the visitors looking sharper Spittle had more to do, saving well from Mutrie in the 58th, seconds later Anthony and Williams combined to give Nesbitt another chance to shine. But it was Ashington who were now looking the better side and after Slough skipper Davies limped off in the 72nd minute to be replaced by Lane it became one way traffic and in the 82nd came the equaliser, Pringle received the ball on the edge of the Slough box with four defenders around him and calmly avoided the flaying feet to slot the ball past the advancing Spittle.

Straight from the kick-off Turl raced through to cross for Brown to fire in a good effort but Nesbitt somehow managed to scramble the ball away and the replay was a certainty. The game finished with the farcical substitution of Ashington’s Scott during the first minute of injury time.