Delaney Get Cup - And A Soaking

Former Slough centre-half John Delaney sunk his old club by laying on the only goal of a hard-fought Berks and Bucks Senior Cup Final on a mud-covered Chesham pitch on Monday.

Delaney, who has been on the losing side in all his previous five County finals, fully deserved a winners' medal at last and it was unfortunate that an unsporting Slough should supporter throw a bucket of water over him at the end.

While it was sixth time lucky for Delaney, it was a case of third time lucky for Wycombe as they had lost to Slough in the previous two County Cup finals. It is worth recalling that when the teams last met at Chesham, Wycombe took the Cup in 1968 by defeating Slough 3-2 to extra-time.

Slough, having been beaten in the Amateur Cup Final by a goal from another of their former players, Roger Connell, must feel the season has gone sour on them.

But they can take some consolation from a 3,809 attendance which will give them and Wycombe the major part of the gate receipts.

Although Slough were feeling the effects of playing their fifth game in nine games they could have no excuses for losing. Wycombe, Isthmian League champions for the last two seasons but unable to finish higher than third this time, always looked more dangerous than the Rebels in the second half.

Alf D’Arcy, recalled to the back four after injury, and his fellow centre back Keith Mead were magnificent but Wycombe striker Keith Searle was quick to break away from Mead in tight situations and even when beaten, Searle often prevented Mead from getting the ball away cleanly.

Reardon, able to switch back to midfield in place of the injured Gaine, marked Wycombe danger man Pritchard out of the game in the first half, but “lost” Pritchard several times after the break.

Meanwhile the industrious Day was finding it hard to escape the attentions of Williams. Up front, O’Sullivan often switched with Chatterton, but after three early chances, were shut out by Delaney and Bullock.

Anthony, playing against his old club, once again persisted in doing too much and was held by ex-Slough full back Gamblin.

Yet the Rebels, playing in a “new style” set of shirts with blue accents going down under the arms, produced the smartest build-ups early on.

O’Sullivan twice came close to scoring, just mis-timing his header after D’Arcy sent a free-kick to him and then seizing on a bad back pass by Bullock, only to fire inches wide of an open goal.

The second half was only six minutes old when Wycombe took the lead. Slough’s defence got in to a real tangle as Delaney headed back Bullock’s free-kick and Searle brushed past D’Arcy to thump the ball home from close range, with Wolstenholme going in too late.

Wolstenholme had to race out to save at Pritchard’s feet before Slough recovered. Then Chatterton cut in from the right, feinted to pass to Day, but instead produced a powerful drive which ‘keeper Maskell managed to pull down.

Only now did an element of rough play creep in, but referee P. Sawyer stamped it out immediately by booking Rob Williams in the 65th minute for body-checking Reardon.

With 23 minutes to go, Slough sent on substitute Churchill for Jamieson and moved Reid to right back. This gave Slough four men up front and when Anthony popped up on the left to get over a cross to the near post, Chatterton headed narrowly wide.

Eleven minutes from time, Chatterton attempted one of his free-kick thunderbolts but it was charged down by a defender who was never five yards from the ball, let alone ten!

As the pressure built up, Churchill had a back header cleared off the line by Birdseye. But this was as near as Slough got and Wycombe finished the stronger side.