Any lingering hopes Reading YMCA had of a late title challenge were finally extinguished at Scours Lane on Saturday after a 0-0 draw with leaders Newbury FC.

But the Young Men could yet have a say in the title’s destination with Highmoor/IBIS, Cookham Dean and Westwood Utd still to play as the Senior Division reaches its climax.

YM player-manager Mark Lemm said “We really needed to win today to have any chance of making a serious title challenge and it looks to be a 4-horse race between Newbury, Westwood, Highmoor and Cookham.

If I’m honest though, the title wasn’t really on our radar this season but we are improving and hopefully next season we can continue that process and be genuine contenders.

We’ll now be looking to finish as high as possible and a runners up spot is still a realistic target.”

YM started the game brightly but it was Newbury who had the first real chance when a Newbury player headed the ball wide of the upright.  Both defences looked solid and organised with YM’s backline of David Rolfe, Danny Fitzpatrick and Adam Cassidy doing a great job of keeping top scorer Kalief Madden quiet.

It was a half of few clear cut chances but it was YM who were having the better of play and looking the most likely to break the deadlock.  Tim Zielinski and Dan Newman both went close with speculative long range efforts whilst the non-stop running of midfield livewire Andrew Heath was always a threat.

On the rare occasions when Newbury did threaten it tended to be from long balls with the strong wind making it difficult for the YM defence.  And Newbury really should have taken the lead just before half time when indecision in YM’s defence saw the ball fall to a Newbury striker who could only pull his shot wide of the post.

The pattern continued in the second period with YM having the better of the play but neither side able to create a real opportunity.  YM were playing some of the best football of the season with the central midfield duo of skipper Tim Sidwell and Zielinski growing increasingly influential.

It was Newman and the outstanding Heath who were providing the real cutting edge for YM and both had good opportunities to win the game.  Great work from Edmunds saw him float a cross over the Newbury keeper’s head into the path of Newman but the ball was a little too high and Newman instinctively handled even though partner Drew Tipper was lurking behind him to tap the ball in.

Some more excellent approach play from YM saw the ball squared to Heath in the box but with the goal at his mercy the ball slid under his foot.

Tipper saw a skilful snap shot drift wide of the post and defender Fitzpatrick volleyed into the side netting from a free-kick but the game ended in a stalemate with Newbury probably the more relieved of the sides.

Lemm continued “We were excellent today and I thought we were the better sides for long periods.  We had a sticky patch after Christmas but we are back playing the way we can and we now have to take that momentum into the final few games of the season.

Newbury weren’t at their best but they can’t play well every game and on reflection they may look at this as a point gained.”

 
READING YMCA: MORTIMER, FITZPATRICK, CASSIDY, ROLFE, EDMUNDS (replaced by C LEMM 70mins), SIDWELL, ZIELINSKI, HEATH, CORNELL (replaced by WOODROW 75mins), NEWMAN, D TIPPER SUBS C LEMM, WOODROW, ILSLEY (not used).

YM livewire Andrew Heath was the star man for YM in the 2-2 draw with Westwood. Heath was thrust in to an unfamilar position behind the front 2 and responded with an outstanding display that meant YM took points off the top 4 once again. Heath was inches away from sealing the game in the last second when his shot cannoned back off the frame of the goal.