Rebels refuse to fall: Slough Town's resilience rewarded in five-goal FA Cup thriller

Wiktor Makowski celebrates his leveller against Enfield Town. Photo: Zak Rana

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Slough Town showed their ability to deal with and overcome adversity during Saturday’s thrilling FA Cup win over Enfield Town at Arbour Park.

The Rebels suffered setback after setback during a dramatic first half, but fought back to win the match 3-2, despite being heavily depleted by injuries.

The hosts fell behind after only 40 seconds when Ollie Knight headed home from Avan Jones’ ball through, and Enfield will feel they should have taken advantage of a dominant opening spell.

Slough also saw two key players forced off with injury late in the first half, shortly after Ruben Bartlett-Antwi had deservedly headed them level when Johnny Goddard’s shot had bounced back off the crossbar in the 29th minute.

Looking the more composed and settled side in the final stages of the half, the Rebels were blindsided by three hefty blows as they lost both captain Henry Ochieng and Bartlett-Antwi to injury before Henry Hawkins rose to head the visitors back in front from a corner kick on the stroke of half-time.

Having already come into the tie without a raft of first team players due to injury, these blows might have seen a less resilient side throw in the towel.

Not Slough.

Instead, they found a way to impose themselves on their visitors in the second half, forcing them back inside their own half, and when Wiktor Makowski dispossessed his marker on the byline and whipped a low shot beyond Rhys Forster in the Towners’ goal, it was no less than they deserved.

Both teams might have won it in an exciting final 20 minutes, with Enfield striking the foot of the post through their substitute Bayley Brown.

But instead, Slough managed to haul themselves through to the first round of the competition for the second time in three seasons when Goddard picked out substitute Jaiden Drakes-Thomas on the edge of the box, and he pulled a shot into the bottom left-hand corner and beyond Forster.

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Right-back Tarik Gidaree and man-of-the-match Makowski both spoke of the team’s resolve and fighting spirit.

“It was a tough game,” said Gidaree.

“We made it in the end. We always come through adversity, so I’m not surprised. I think that’s our strongest attribute. Even if players have to come out of the team due to injury, we’re always together and always fighting.

“Jaiden’s was a great goal. That’s the thing, everyone plays their part. Jaiden came off the bench and scores the winner. It’s excellent from the boys and I can’t wait for the first round.

“Most definitely. It would be a great experience (to get a league club in the next round).”

Slough will be ball number 67 in today’s first round draw at Wembley. They’ll hope to be drawn out against one of the bigger league sides - who enter the competition at this stage - and Makowski is hoping they get to play away at one of the big stadiums, having never played at this stage of the competition.

He said: “I’m just super proud of the boys and how hard we worked. Going 1-0 down and then going down again after we’d equalised.

“It was hard. There were 1,200 people here today so there would be a lot of boys who haven’t played in front of that many people before. I’m just so proud of everyone in our team.

“We worked so hard to get that result and then got to celebrate in front of the Slough Town fans. It’s a feeling you can’t describe.

“I’ve never been this far before in the FA Cup so it’s a new experience for me.

“We just never gave up. It’s a never say die attitude. When you go 1-0 down after 40 seconds. We had 90 minutes to respond, and we ended up doing it, that’s all you can say.”

He added: “It would great (to get a league club) and if it was an away day as well it would be even better. It would be great to play at a big stadium and bring as many Slough fans as possible. That is the dream really isn’t it.”