A late Aston Robinson header was enough to see Highmoor/IBIS inflict Reading YMCA's first league defeat since September.
YM had done well to claw themselves back into the game after Highmoor took an early lead but the home side then spurned several good chances to clinch the match and Robinson capitalised to move Highmoor to within 3 points of leaders Woodley with the sides facing each other on Wednesday evening. YM welcomed back top scorer Martin Abery for the game after a month long absence but were missing Adam Cassidy through suspension as well as in-form wide man Johnny Adey. Highmoor were even worse hit with several players unavailable leaving them with just the bare 11 which included Ashraf Ali who was drafted in for his first start of the season. Highmoor were on fire in the opening half hour as their attacking formation left the Young Men chasing shadows at times. Highmoor could have been comfortably in front but some desperate last ditch defending from the YM defence kept the scores level until Shezad Beg picked up the ball 25 yards from goal before hitting a low shot into the bottom corner. YM defender Ben Green then cleared another shot off the line as YM struggled to hang on.

A change in formation by YM boss Mark Lemm saw his side begin to settle and slowly they began to force themselves back into the game.  Green and Scott Allen both wasted golden opportunties when they found themselves with free headers from Drew Tipper's free-kicks but on both occasions their headers flew over the bar.
Despite Highmoor's dominance they were giving their opponents plenty of space and crucially their attacks were beginning to lack the same fluidity as they had early on.  With Sam Jennimngs leading the line well for YM there was a sense that YM could yet get something from the game as the sides headed in at the break.

YM could not have had a better start to the 2nd half when Nick Seymour met Tipper's through ball with a deft first touch that allowed him to race in on goal before delivering a low shot into the corner of the net.  YM had raised their game and for the next 30 minutes the home side were on top as Highmoor became disorganised.  

Set pieces were proving to offer YM's best route to victory and Jennings almost gave his side the lead when he stole in at the near post to stab a shot towards goal only to see the excellent Chris Elton keep the ball out.  Abery was then played in on goal only to see the ball travel slightly wide of the goal which allowed Elton time to race out and smother the shot.  Jennings then saw another shot saved by Elton before then beating Elton to a cross but seeing the ball sail agonisingly over the bar.

With 10 minutes to go the game had become ragged with both sides committing more players to attack whilst leaving gaps at the back.  Then with 2 minutes left great work by Ali ended with him whipping a cross into the near post where Robinson ws on hand to loop a header over keeper Scott Mortimer. YM had one final chance when Luke Kasonde was clean through but Elton capped a superb individual performance by saving well again.

YM boss Lemm lamented "We were shell-shocked in the opening half hour with Ian Griffin in particular causing us all sorts of problems.  We hung on though, found our feet and really should have won the game with the chances we have. The last 10 minutes were like to boxers out on their feet in the final round and Highmoor just found enough to deliver the killer blow. We're disappointed but we've reacted well to setbacks this season and we now have to go out and get 3 points in our next game."

YM's second string stormed in to their second cup final of the season with a 3-1 win over Oxford based Benson Bluebirds. YM welcomed back livewire Steve Daly to the starting lineup and Adam Cayzer to the middle of the park.

It was the home side that got off to the better start with Steve Woodrow, Dave Morrison and Daly all creating chances with Dan Sutton and Tim Sidwell both having good chances from set pieces to put the Rapids ahead. That honour fell to Daly who expertly bought the ball down 25 yards out and unleashed an unstoppable dipping volley over the Bluebirds keeper to give YM the perfect start on 15 minutes. The back line of Leach, Rolfe, Ilsley and Wood had to be alert to a couple of quick breaks by the Oxford side but in general it was the Rapids that looked more likely to increase their lead, and this moment came on 35 minutes. Some top work by Dan Sutton down the right led to his cross dropping at the back post and the hapless 'birds keeper could only see the ball through his legs for an OG and to give YM a 2 goal cushion going in to the break.

The second half was a different story with the Rapids losing shape and Benson coming more and more in to the game looking for the goal that would get them back in to proceedings. YM stood firm for 20 minutes with Rob Taylor making 3 excellent stops before Sidwell went off with a knee injury. The reshuffle seemed to throw YM for a minute and it was from a set piece that Benson clawed their way back in to the game with a cool headed finish at the near post. It was no more than the visitors deserved and Dave Rolfe had to be at his best to repell everything thrown at his defence, making 3 outstanding headed clearances in a row. The game was now stretched and YM could sense a counter attack would kill the game off. Dean Williams made an instant impact hitting 2 huge tackles and setting Dave Morrison away who beat the offside trap and steamed through on goal only to smash the post with after a great save from the Bluebirds stopper, when a square ball would have sealed the match. The fitness of the away side meant they would not let up for the entire 90 minutes but Morrison made ammends 5 minutes from time when he was put through again by Daly and made no mistake from 8 yards with the keeper beaten. Williams could have capped an outstanding cameo performance with a goal in the dying seconds but could only shoot straight at the keeper.

An exhausted Paul O Boyle said 'the 3-1 score appears comfortable but all credit to Benson. They came at us for the entire second half giving it everything. On a different day we could have gone down but these Rapids players have been fantastic all season and we knew we had the quality to kill them off - just wish it could have come sooner!! A special mention to Adam Cayzer who ran his heart out for 90 minutes and really drove us forward'

READING YMCA RAPIDS: TAYLOR, LEACH (replaced by TOWNER 75mins), ROLFE, ILSLEY, WOOD, DALY, SIDWELL (replaced by EVANS 65mins), CAYZER, WOODROW, SUTTON (replaced by WILLIAMS 70mins), D MORRISON SUBS WILLIAMS, EVANS, TOWNER.

BOILER'S MOM - ADAM CAYZER