Woking reached the first round proper of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win at home to National League South outfit Slough Town in the fourth qualifying round.

Michael Doyle’s starting 11 was unchanged from the 1-1 National League draw against York City. Max Dyche returned from suspension to replace Dennon Lewis on the bench.

Slough were also unchanged from a 3-1 home win over Tonbridge Angels, with former Woking striker Slavi Spasov starting up front, while former academy product Sam Evans made the bench.

The game started with Woking dominating possession and creating an early chance when Dion Kelly-Evans’ cross was met by Lewis Walker at the back post, but he volleyed over.

However, Slough took the lead eight minutes in when a superb cross from David Ogbonna was met by former Woking loanee Spasov, who had a simple finish from a yard or two out.

Just after the 20-minute mark, Slough nearly doubled their lead. Will Jaaskelainen was seemingly caught off guard by an initial shot from John Gilbert, punching the ball away before making an impressive follow-up save from Spasov from close range.

Woking’s best chance of the opening half hour came when Kelly-Evans crossed for Harry Beautyman, whose header dropped agonisingly over the bar. Adam Chicksen then crossed for Walker, whose header this time went just wide of the near post.

After 35 minutes Raheem Conte crossed for Beautyman, whose header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Charlie Horlock in the Slough goal. Spasov nearly doubled the Rebels’ lead minutes later when he headed just wide of the bottom corner.

Woking had their equaliser on the stroke of half time when the Slough defence was caught out by a through ball. Walker squared for Beautyman and the midfielder applied the finish into an empty net to level the score.

Woking’s first opening after the break came four minutes into the second half, with Dan Moss finding Walker in behind, who fired just wide of the near post.

Matt Ward was introduced off the bench shortly into the half, but the visitors had a good spell of pressure and player-manager Scott Davies’ free kick was pushed over by Jaaskelainen as the Rebels threatened.

Ogbonna tested Jaaskelainen again with a fierce drive, but the Finnish stopper was able to parry behind.

A huge chance for Slough with just over ten minutes left saw Spasov’s effort cleared acrobatically off the line by a combination of Ben Wynter and Kelly-Evans, before superb play from substitute Dale Gorman saw him find Moss at the back post, but he fired just over the bar.

As Woking ramped up the pressure, a neat move ended in Moss sliding the ball across the face of goal, but neither Charley Kendall nor Beautyman could get on the end of it.

But with 84 minutes gone, Beautyman curled a peach of a strike into the far corner, after the referee decided to play on after Davies claimed to be fouled.

Davies accumulated two yellow cards for his protests, being sent off after continuing to criticise the decision following his substitution.

In stoppage time, a chance for Evans was denied brilliantly by the intervention of Chicksen, who cleared off the line.

By William Bewsey