Slough Heating too HOT for Penn in B&B Cup

Slough Heating 3 aet 2 Penn & Tylers Green

Slough Heating, unbeaten this season, from the East Berks League, a step below PTGFC in the pyramid system, gained a surprise victory in the Berks & Bucks Cup second round match at Slough Polish Club, with a winner in the last ten seconds of extra time.

On the back of two defeats, this was the chance to get back to winning ways in a fixture, which on paper, PTGFC should be winning. However, the team had four enforced changes with players missing, for various reasons, from the previous week. This could not be used as an excuse though, as the club has good strength in depth this season so this was an opportunity for players to stake their claim for a place.

So Dean Munday, Mike Benning and returning club captain Danny Rob came into the starting team, with Jamie Louison back in defence and prolific goalscorer Liam Radcliffe and Graham Potts on the bench.

The first twenty minutes were very cagey with not much happening, but worryingly Slough were controlling the midfield and winning first and second balls in a lot of situations. Neither goalkeeper had much to do as moves from both side petered out to nothing. In fact it was a rather scrappy affair. Then in the twentieth minute disaster for Penn as a move down the right was not dealt with ,and Slough’s full back latched onto the loose ball and came in unchallenged from the right wing and a shot cum cross somehow slipped in at the near post . Fair play to Slough, although a woeful goal from PTGFC defensive point of view. The rest of the half was mostly “huff and puff” without anyone being able to “blow the house down” and Slough comfortably reached half time 1-0 ahead.

In the second half Liam came on for Mike Benning and Graham Potts came on for Dean Munday. The second half continued in the same vein although Penn were now winning more of the ball and seemed to have the taste for the battle and some good moves were beginning to cause Slough some problems without that final cutting ball or piece of magic, or the unexpected, which are needed to unlock organised defences. Slough coped easily with high balls but struggled when PTGFC got the ball down and played down the flanks or through the defence, rather than high balls which their tall robust defence could easily deal with. Time was running out when PTGFC mounted an attack in the 85th minute and from a cross into the box, the ball came down out of the stars from a miscued clearance and there was Chris Hurst to expertly side foot on the volley into the corner of the net. 1-1 and surely a cue to go on and win the game against tiring opposition.

Full Time, now for extra time. PTGFC took the game to Slough now, and began to look the fitter side and were causing problems. Rino Sepede went through one-on-one but tamely gave the ball to the keeper. Then, yes you’ve guessed it; a hopeful ball upfield was seized upon by a Slough forward who had far too much time to comfortably slot the ball past Matt and into the net for an almost embarrassing goal. 2-1 Slough. Penn responded and from a delightful cross, Graham Potts, who was having a good game, slid in and almost equalised .Half time 2-1

The second half of extra time saw Penn equalise when a mix up in Slough’s defence after pressure from Rino, saw Liam Radcliffe with the simple task of smashing the ball past the defender on the goal line to make it 2-2. Penn now looked the more likely to win and were probing for the winner, when disaster struck again. From a position of possession in midfield, Penn lost the ball and it was quickly played forward to Slough’s player / manager who brought the ball down ,side stepped our defender , side stepped Matt Cannings in Goal and calmly walked the ball into the empty net. A truly class finish from a player who obviously (and this was confirmed afterwards) had played in higher football.

Penn kick off, whistle goes, and Chairman’s dream of B&B cup must wait until next year.(Although the reserves are still in the B&B Junior Cup)

A disappointing result but we must stick together as a team and play our way out of our current predicament. ”all for one, one for all” as the saying goes.

Next week, we play our local rivals Chalfont Wasps, who are top of the league at present, at Home in the League, and any player in the club who is not “gagging” to play in that one does not deserve to be part of PTGFC.

Keep the faith

Tony Hurst – Chairman