The Reading league rep side crashed out of the FA national league system cup on sat away to a very organised Dorset side. Reading went in to the game with several changes from the last round due to injuries and work commitments, with Cookham's Mark Doswell moving to centre half and Westwoods Dave Green coming in to the middle of midfield.

The game started at a frenetic pace with neither side able to graba foothold and start to control proceedings. It became clear very quickly that the Dorset side were extremely fit and willing to chase down the Reading side at every opportunity. It was therefore no surprise when the home team took the lead when a defensive mixup led to 3 Dorset players interchanging passes that was finished off in style with a 20 yard strike beating Reading keeper Craig Beales. Beales then suffered further misery when he had to go off injured after a Dorset player fell on the Woodley stopper after a corner. Luckily manager Mark Vincent had included a spare goalkeeper, which saw the introduction of Mortimers Dave Lyons. Reading then stepped up the pace and began to claw their way back in to the game with YM's Drew Tipper and Westwoods Ashley Baynham working hard up front to create something. The break through came on the half hour when some good work down the right between Tipper, Sidwell and Mortimer's Ben Dunk left Baynham through on goal, and although the keeper made a good save, Highmoor's Chris Jewel was on hand to squeeze the ball home from the tightest of angles. Lyons was then on hand to save an extremely dubious penalty that was awarded after skipper Scott Allen was adjudged to have bought a Dorset forward down - a decision that incensed the Reading players and fans. Justice was done. Some tough tackling from Dave Green and some last ditch defending kept the Reading league side in it, but Dorset would have been unhappy not to go in to the break leading after a very average Reading performance.

The 2nd half started in as the first finished with Dorest in control. Their midfiled 3 were working extremely hard to close down the Reading side and not allow them time on the ball. Tipper and Baynham were workinghard without much reward though they nearly took the lead when a raking Jewel pass found Sidwell in space who then tried to square the ball back for Tipper to slot home but agonisingly saw the ball take a deflection off a Dorset leg and roll to safety. Sidwell was then replaced on the hour by Rabson's Craig Cristian after a clash in the opening exchanges left the YM man with a gashed leg. Dorest then pushed for the winner and got the breakthrough with a well worked goal that tore the Reading defence apart with 1 touch football. Dorset then contrived to miss a hatful of chances and were always exposed the a Reading counter attack with Lyons making some outstanding saves to keep the Berkshire men in it. Tippen then went through one on one after a poor backpass but dragged his shit wide. Then with just 2 mins left Ben Dunk delivered a pin point cross that Dave Green tucked home with ease to put Reading right back in the tie. The game finished level and Dorset were kicking themselves.

Extra time proved a turning point and Reading threw everything at Dorest, and were much the better side though neither team could find the all important goal. With Reading pushing for the win the killer blow came in extra time when a Dorset forward stood the ball up over keeper Lyons who palmed the ball on to the post but could only watch in dispair as it cannoned back off the post to an onrushing midfielder who tapped in to an empty net. Dorset then withstood the inevitable onslaught and closed out a tie that should have been won within the previous hour of play.

Reading can take heart from battling back but if all 14 players had turned up with their A game then the result would surely have been different. Credit goes to Dorset as they were the better side on the day and fully deserved to book their place in the next round.

MOM: Dave Green (Westwood)

Reading YMCA Rapids became only the second side to take points off Turnpike this season as they came from behind to snatch a hard fought draw.

Both sides had their chances in the opening 20 minutes with Steve Woodrow, Mark Lemm and Nader Edmunds all going close for the Rapids but it was Turnpike who took the lead.

The second half continued with Turnpike playing the better football but the Rapids having the better of the chances.  The Rapids were effectively down to 10 men on 70 minutes as Dave Morrison pulled a hamstring but with the Rapids looking like they were running out of ideas it was Morrison who clinched a point when he beat the Turnpike keeper to a superb Sean Kenny cross to head into the empty net.

Reading YMCA 1st team manager Lemm was standing in for the absent Paul O’Boyle and he said “We fielded a really strong side today with almost every player having Senior Division experience but it speaks volumes for the quality of Turnpike that this was an even game.

It is important for the club that we get out of Division 4 this year but it is clear that it will be extremely tough with at least 4 sides in the division probably capable of playing in Division 1 at least.”

READING YMCA RAPIDS: HARVEY, KEARSEY (replaced by WOOD 55mins), CASSIDY, FITZPATRICK, KENNY, BULLETT, WILLIAMS, EDMUNDS (replaced by SUTTON 60mins), D MORRISON, WOODROW, M LEMM SUBS WOOD, SUTTON.

LEMMY’S MOM – ADAM CASSIDY