Reading YMCA continued on their mission to retain the BTC Senior Cup with a 5-1 win over Senior Division rivals, Woodcote/Stoke Row.

YM have racked up 11 goals in their 2 games in this competition but must now face the tricky task of a semi-final match up with Shinfield if they are to reach their second consecutive final.

YM went into this clash with somewhat of a striker crisis with no less than 4 strikers injured or unavailable – a situation that prompted player-manager Mark Lemm to play himself up front alongside the prolific Drew Tipper.

But Woodcote have also got their share with problems with Sean Gavagan, Michael Butcher, Duncan Holder, Johnny Clark and James Alexander all unavailable.

YM started the better of the 2 sides and took an early lead when Lemm headed a corner back across goal towards Nader Edmunds whose shot was deflected into the path of Danny Fitzpatrick who scrambled in from close range on his 100th appearance for the club.

The Young Men continued to create chances and almost extended their lead when a Darren Cornell through ball was met by Lemm who flicked the ball past keeper Ben Rawlings but wide of the upright.  Edmunds then went close with a header from an Andy Bullett corner whilst Bullett himself should have scored when meeting a cross at the back post.

Frustratingly YM could not get a crucial 2nd goal and their attacks began to dwindle as Woodcote asserted themselves on the match.  Woodcote striker Marc Edwards-Smith was finding a lot of space down the channels and was holding the ball up well allowing his side to play in the YM half.  Strike partner Ross Weatherstone was also using his experience to lure YM into giving away needless free-kicks.

The Dillon brothers, Frank and Jake, were also beginning to influence the match with their dribbling skills and precision crosses.  Woodcote then snatched a deserved equalizer when Weatherstone hit a superb 20-yard left foot shot into the roof of the net.

In was now anybody’s game but the turning point came on the stroke of half-time when some great play from Tipper saw him lob the ball over the top of the Woodcote defence into the path of Lemm who met the ball with a first-time volley which rocketed into the net.  The timing was a big blow for Woodcote and meant YM went into the break 2-1 up.

The game changed in the 2nd half with YM on top for the majority of the period aided by 2 early goals both scored by the outstanding Tipper.  First he outpaced the Woodcote defence to race on to an Adam Cassidy long ball before flicking the ball over the advancing Rawlings.

Tipper’s 2nd goal was down to individual magic as he collected a Lemm flick-on, nutmegged a defender and then curled a perfect shot into the top left corner.

At 4-1 down, Woodcote had to force things and the game became stretched but centre-backs Cassidy and David Rolfe were now dealing relatively comfortably with the Woodcote attacks.  And in midfield, Edmunds, Aidey Kearsey and Tim Zielinski were getting through a prodigious amount of work to deny their opponents any chance of a comeback.

With Woodcote pushing forwards their defence were being left exposed and YM took full advantage to hit a 5th goal.  Some confident passing in the midfield ended up with Steve Woodrow being released on the left and his exquisite cross was chested down by Tipper into the path of Dean Williams who slammed his shot passed Rawlings.

The final 10 minutes saw Woodcote lay siege to the YM goal and they could easily have grabbed a couple of goals but it just wasn’t their day.

YM boss Lemm said “The scoreline flattered us a bit as I don’t think there is much between the sides but for probably the first time this season we were clinical in the final third and made good decisions.

There is a lot of determination amongst the players to retain the trophy and that, coupled with scoring goals at the right times, got us through this match.

It’s now important that we put the cup to the back of minds now and focus on winning games in the league.  Last year our cup runs really galvanised us in the league so I’ll be looking for the same again.”

READING YMCA: MORTIMER, FITZPATRICK, CASSIDY, ROLFE, EDMUNDS, KEARSEY, BULLETT (replaced by WOODROW 65mins), ZIELINSKI, CORNELL, M LEMM (replaced by WILLIAMS 70mins), D TIPPER SUBS WOODROW, WILLIAMS, MEAKIN (NOT USED).

LEMMY’S MOM – DREW TIPPER

Reading YMCA Rapids secured the double over AFC Corinthians with a much improved performance in their 5-1 win.

Dave Morrison opened the scoring when he met a Dan Sutton cross and then Sutton and Morrison combined crossing for Steve Wood who scored his 1st for the club from close range.

Then just before half-time Morrison was again the provider when his flick-on was chased by Sutton who slotted past the keeper.

Corinthians started the 2nd half well and pulled a goal back before sub Richard Wilson scored his 1st for the club from close range and then Rob Maslen scored the goal of the game when he latched on to a Mark Illsey through ball before hitting a shot with the outside of his right boot from the edge of the box.

Manager Paul O’Boyle said “We played really well in the 1st half but slipped a bit during the second period but overall I’m very pleased.  We were able to bring in a couple of our more experienced players and it makes such a difference to how the team performs.”

READING YMCA RAPIDS: HARVEY, TOWNER, SILLEY, C TIPPER, ILLSLEY, SANIGAR, R TIPPER, KENNY, WOOD (replaced by WILSON 60mins), D MORRISON, SUTTON (replaced by MASLEN 60mins) SUBS WILSON, MASLEN.

BOILER’S MOM – DAN SUTTON

Tough tackling midfielder Aidey Kearsey earned his 2nd MOM of the season with star man display against Highmoor/Ibis. Kearsey has been YM most consistant performer this season making the holding midfield slot his own.