Reading YMCA moved up into 2nd place - their highest of the season - after a battling 3-1 victory over Woodcote/Stoke Row.

The sides have already met twice this season and on each occasion the matches have been hard-fought and this contest was no different with YM just having enough quality to clinch the points.

YM were able to field a settled side for the second week in a row, with Mark Ilsley replacing the absent Danny Fitzpatrick the only change, whilst Woodcote were able to pick from a virtually full strength side.

YM started well and saw striker Dan Newman put the ball in the net after just 10 minutes only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.  Woodcote responded quickly and had a great chance when Marc Edward-Smith gambled on a long ball to go in on goal but YM stopper Scott Mortimer stood up well to send Edward-Smith wide and away from danger.

Skipper Tim Sidwell and Drew Tipper were prominent throughout the first half with both eager to get on the ball and dictate play and working hard off the ball to deny the Woodcote defence space.  At times YM were playing some neat football on a difficult surface and they made the breakthrough on 20 minutes when a quick interchange of passes saw Andrew Heath reach the byline and dummy a defender before floating a cross to the backpost where Tipper was unmarked to head home.

Woodcote were hitting the strikers early with Frank Dillon delivering some excellent balls from the left back area but their best route back into the game seemed to be from wide areas or from set pieces where some superb crosses were causing the YM defence some real problems.

Woodcote's Michael Butcher went close on the half hour after a Dean Jordan shot rebounded in his path but Mortimer was again on hand to tip the ball on to the post and back into the grateful keeper's hands.  Mortimer's handling was also tested with some low, skidding shots from distance but he passed every test comfortably.

There was always an air of vulnerability about the Woodcote defence and so it proved when the hardwoking Nader Edmunds chipped a ball over the Woodcote backline into the path of Sam Jennings who showed great technique to meet the ball first time with a left foot shot that nestled into the bottom corner.

YM should really have gone 3-0 up before the break when Heath was clean through on goal but he could only wildly slash the ball wide whilst both Jennings and Heath again went on penetrative solo runs only to make the wrong decision at the end.

YM maintained their form in the second half with the defence looking increasingly assured and with Tipper, Sidwell and the lively Edmunds prompting and probing a third YM goal looked likely.  Woodcote had the first real chance of the half though when the pace and power of Jordan saw him race in on goal but Mortimer, again, stood tall and forced the young striker to shoot wide.  Then YM had a chance when a great run and cross from Newman found Tipper on the edge of the box but his volley flew high over the bar whilst Heath again went close with another chance.

But YM began to lose their shape and their passing became ragged which was an invitation for Woodcote to enjoy their best spell of the match.  And they duly pulled a goal back when a pinpoint ball out of defence from Steve McMillan found Edward-Smith whose drilled in cross was met by strike partner Jordan who bundled the ball into the net.

The game was in the balance at this point but YM settled back down and began to dictate things again with Heath again missing an opportunity to restore his side's advantage when clean through.  YM then had the luxury of bringing on Wokingham striker James Wise and his tireless closing down of the Woodcote defence was bringing YM back into the game.  YM then killed the game off when Sidwell hit a perfectly weighted cross into the path of Tipper who showed great courage to outjump Woodcote keeper James Small and head the ball in to complete his brace.

In the final minutes YM's Ben Green had a good chance to score from long range whilst Woodcote's Edward-Smith went close with an excellent header and then Butcher brought out a fingertip save from the outstanding Mortimer.

Enthused YM player manager Mark Lemm said "This was another strong performance from us and we look full of confidence at the moment.  We had a dip in form after Christmas and we had a bit of a clear the air chat and since then the lads have responded superbly - we're 6 games unbeaten since then and have been getting increasingly better each week.

I really rate Woodcote and they have 5/6 players that most sides in the league would love to have and overall they have probably deserved to win at least 1 of our 3 matches this season.

All our focus will now be on our BTC Senior Cup Semi-Final against Shinfield in 2 weeks time and although it will be a really difficult match we could not be going into it in any better form."

READING YMCA: MORTIMER, ILSLEY, ZIELINSKI, CASSIDY, CORNELL, D TIPPER, SIDWELL, HEATH (replaced by B GREEN 65mins), EDMUNDS, JENNINGS, NEWMAN (replaced by WISE 60mins) SUBS WISE, B GREEN, M LEMM (not used).

LEMMY'S MOM - DREW TIPPER

Reading YMCA Rapids scraped a draw against a strong Taplow A side and had to thank Ben Callow for holding his nerve to convert a 1st half penalty.

The Rapids had the slope in the 1st half and went close through Andy Bullett and Lee Worth before a foul on Ryan Tipper was rewarded with the crucial penalty.

Taplow put the Rapids under alot of pressure in the 2nd half but the Rapids defence was superb whilst the midfield duo of Bullett and Tipper were immense in the centre of midfield.

Stand-in Rapids boss Lindsey Edwards said "Taplow fielded a strong side today and pushed us all the way.  But we worked really hard and we have now set ourselves up for the final game against Beringfield Res which is a must-win if we are to have any chance of promotion."

READING YMCA RAPIDS: HARVEY, SANIGAR, CALLOW, C TIPPER, D MORRISON, WILLIAMS (replaced by GROVER 70mins), R TIPPER, BULLETT, KISLUK, WORTH, MASLEN (replaced by SPENCER 70mins) SUBS GROVER, SPENCER.

Tim Zielinski stormed to last weeks MOM award after a stunning display in the Win over Westwood. Not only did he marshall the YM defence with some tough tackling and ball winning, the YM long throw specialist popped up with what turned ou to be the winning goal. A storming 50 yard run and sublime lob over the keeper.