8,500 supporters packed into Plough Lane to see the locals attempt to reach the semi-final of the premier amateur cup competition, with the home side back to full strength with the return of Lemmer in place of Jones.

What a game it proved to be. Starting in bright sunshine, with a layer of soft snow on the ground, by the end the thaw was complete and conditions atrocious. Tilbury took a shock lead after only two minutes through Whipps, finishing a pass from Ashford (the player, not any of the towns of that name!). Wallis and Cousins both struggled against the speed and dash of the visitor’s forward and their robust style which suited the state of the pitch perfectly. Whipps had the ball in the net again, but was given offside. Wimbledon was awarded a penalty for handball, but Laker put the spot kick at least four yards wide. With a quarter of an hour gone the Town centre-back, Waterman, injured a leg and had to retire, and soon after Stannard charged Bennett against the post and knocked the ball over the line to equalise. Laker then beat Bennett but was ruled offside. If the Dons thought they had weathered the storm, they were mistaken as just before the break Whipps scored his and Tilbury’s second goal, turning in a cross from Stammers with his body.

The second half started at a cracking pace and Whipps completed his hat-trick two minutes after the restart, only for Lemmer to almost immediately pull one back. Pressure from the home side resulted in shot after shot, but Tilbury packed their goal and Stannard missed an open goal opportunity. Back on the attack and the visitors restored their two goal advantage when Webb shot low under Haydock. The ball crossed the line and passed through a hole in the side of the net, but the officials had seen enough and the goal stood. With time running out Tilbury’s numerical disadvantage started to show and when Stannard managed to scramble the ball in through a crowd of defenders the home side threw the kitchen sink forward and were rewarded when Laker hit the equaliser to force extra-time.

Tilbury were visibly distressed, and the Dons piled on their advantage, Lemmer scoring a fine goal three minutes into the first additional fifteen minutes and an minute later Edelston all but made it safe. In the second half of added time Edelston scored again, leaving Bennett sprawled in a pool of
watery snow and with the final whistle imminent Laker added the eighth.