Reading YMCA survived a spirited fightback from rivals Woodcote/Stoke Row to hold on to the 3 points and maintain their lead at the top of the Senior Division table.

Woodcote were the surprise team of the season going into this top of the table clash and are always dangerous on their home pitch but YM have a good record against the villagers in recent seasons and looked to be heading for a comfortable victory until Woodcote's late charge.

YM went into the game at full strength with the exception of unfortunate defender Chris Lemm who damaged knee ligaments during the week but YM were able to hand ex-Didcot Town star Matt Bicknell his debut.  In contrast, Woodcote were missing influential skipper Mike Higley as well as top scorer Toby Nowell.

YM flew out of the blocks with the movement of the front 3 causing problems and the maurading Naz Edmunds prominent.  YM soon created their 1st chance when the ball fell to striker Sam Jennings but the ball skipped off the surface preventing the target man from getting a good connection.  The Young Men were full of movement and creativity in attack and the chances continued to flow at regular intervals.  Martin Abery had the next chance when his well timed run beat the Woodcote offside trap but with the keeper committed he could only lob the ball wide of the upright.

Drew Tipper and Jason Wagner both had decent long range efforts before YM finally broke the deadlock in scrappy fashion when central defender Ben Green rose powerfully to win a header from a corner and the ball deflected into the path of Abery who couldn't miss from close range.

Woocote were struggling to get into any sort of rhthym with YM's work rate off the ball forcing them to hit hopeful balls over the top of the YM defence.  There were warnings for YM though with Ross Weatherstone going close with a header and James Worsfold also going close with a lob after a mix-up between Green and defensive partner Danny Fitzpatrick.  Generally, though it looked like the long throws and set piece delivery of the Dillon brothers would be their best route back into the game although Green and Fitzpatrick in particular were in a men mood.

Debutant Bicknell was also showing his pedigree and was increasingly influential in YM's attacking play as the half progressed with his precise left foot deliveries.  

YM were still on top and went close again when, in almost identical fashion to his earlier effort, shot wide with the Woodcote keeper exposed.  But the killer blow came seconds before half-time when a Woodcote defender tried to dribble out of his own box only to be robbed of the ball allowing Johnny Adey to fire into the net.  It was no more than YM deserved after a strong 1st half but they were mindful that at 2-0 the game was not won and that Woodcote had the individuals to turn the game round very quickly.

YM had a great chance to finish the game in the opening minute of the 2nd half when a Woodcote defender was caught in possession allowing Adey in on goal but his effort was blasted over.  YM were more subdued than in the 1st half but continued to have the better of the game and Jennings twice went close with volleys.

It was Jennings though who looked to have made the game safe when he raced on to a fantastic reverse pass from Abery to show great strength in holding off a defender to slot home.

Woocote refused to give up though and enjoyed their best spell of the match as YM became a little ragged.  A deep cross from the left should have been dealt with by the YM defence but instead Jake Dillon nipped in to power home an excellent header into the top corner.  The game was now end to end and Woodcote were causing their share of problems with YM looking nervous in defence.

YM had a strong appeal for a penalty when Abery was brought down and on another occasion outnumbered the Woodcote defence 4 men to 2 only to choose the wrong option.  Then with barely a minute left, the ball fell to Carl Smith 25 yards from goal and he hit a thunderbolt into the bottom corner.  But it was too late for Woodcote to make a last effort and the whistle was blown shortly after the restart to leave YM 3-2 victors.

Manager Lemm said "Woodcote away is always one of the toughest games of the season so to come away with 3 points having played some decent football with do our confidence good.  We really should have been 4 or 5 up but ending up scraping the win which is disappointing for us but credit to Woodcote.

Woodcote were missing some key players today and have already played some tough fixtures so they will be up there at the end of the season."


READING YMCA:HODGETTS, CAYZER, GREEN, FITZPATRICK, BICKNELL, ADEY (replaced by BAKER 85mins), EDMUNDS, WAGNER, D TIPPER, ABERY (replaced by NEWMAN 70mins), JENNINGS (replaced by LEE 75mins), ABERY SUBSNEWMAN, LEE, BAKER.

LEMMY'S MOM - NAZ EDMUNDS

Reading YMCA Rapids first venture in the Maidenhead Cup came against a tough side in Alpha Arms Academicals at Pangbourne.

The Rapids got off to a scrappy start finding it hard to maintain possession of the ball and generating few chances. A long ball from the Apha midfield was not cleared properly by the Rapids defence allowing the lively front man a run on goal who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner under the on rushing stand in keeper Jamie Froud.

This prompted YM into a reaction and a move which was started deep in the YM half by Andy Bullet who drilled the ball out to Darren Cornell making a start wide on the right. Cornell took on the fullback and delivered a great cross which Bullet himself just failed to reach but was pounced upon by the in form Kasonde who tapped in from close range to level the scores.

At half time the Rapids received the hair dryer treatment from boss O'Boyle who was disappointed with the level of commitment from his players and ability to keep possession..

James Atkinson led an immediate response creating some early chances in the second half and scored the Rapids second goal latching onto a cross from the left before slamming the ball past the Alpha stopper.

From that point on, the home side sat back and allowed Alpha to take the initiative who created a number of half chances and with 15 minutes of the game left a wonder strike from the Alpha midfielder levelled the game, and at that stage it looked like Alpha would be the most likely victors.

With the game looking like it was going to go into extra time a break away led by returning skipper Steve Woodrow saw the YM record breaker find an acre as the away side pushed for the winner and he made no mistake picking out Atkinson in the box who took his time to control the ball and smashed it into the back of the net for his second of the match. The contest was put to bed by Kasonde in the last minute of the game who tapped in a cross from Atkinson to round off a fine display for the YM new boy.

YM boss "I was pleased with our response in the second half and we are showing good character and a determined willingness to maintain our unbeaten start to the season".

READING YMCA RAPIDS:FROUDE, LEACH (replaced by WOOD 75mins), ROLFE, CASSIDY, ILSLEY, CORNELL, BULLETT, KENNY (replaced by WOODROW 60mins), ATKINSON, KASONDE, DALY (replaced by EVANS 70mins) SUBSEVANS, WOODROW, WOOD.

BOILER'S MOM - JAMES ATKINSON