Reading YMCA advanced to the 2nd Round of the BTC Senior Cup after a hard fought encounter with Premier Division side Marlow Utd Res.

YM went into the game close to full strength whilst Marlow were missing several players called up for 1st team duty but both teams went into the game in good form and it promised to be an intriguing cup tie.

On a poor playing surface, the game started slowly and it soon became apparent that the opportunity to play good football was limited and that whoever went on to win the match would have to grind out a result.  YM found themselves in some good positions in the opening stages but a combination of poor decision making and good defending denied any clear cut chances until striker Johnny Adey went close with a lob over the keeper when clean through.

Marlow looked a threat from set pieces and long throws and keeper Scott Hodgetts had to be alert to keep out one effort.

But the game descended into a midfield battle with defences well on top and the game stayed deadlocked at 0-0 going into the break.

YM started the 2nd half well but suffered a blow when Adey limped off with an ankle injury and he was shortly followed by Matt Bicknell who picked up a thigh injury.  As the half wore on it became a tense war of attrition with both sides evenly matched and committed to win the tie.  With 20 minutes to go Marlow began to exert some pressure forcing YM to defend desperately on a couple of occasions and Hodgetts was again forced to make a superb stop to deny a Marlow striker.

But with the game heading towards extra-time, YM found some extra energy and finally made the breakthrough when Nader Edmunds pulled the ball back for Sam Jennings to blast a fierce volley into the roof of the net.  The goal knocked the stuffling out of a brave Marlow side and within a couple of minutes Edmunds and Jennings combined again to leave Jennings to slot past the onrushing keeper.  Jules Baker had a great chance to make it 3-0 with the last kick of the game but lost his footing at the vital moment.

YM manager Mark Lemm said "It was clear very early on that this game was going to be a battle and we can take a lot of heart from the fact that we stood firm and ground out the win.  Marlow put in a massive effort and it took some great finishing from Sam Jennings to win us the game."

READING YMCA:HODGETTS, CAYZER, GREEN, FITZPATRICK, BICKNELL (replaced by CASSIDY 65mins), ADEY (replaced by LEE 50mins), EDMUNDS, WAGNER, D TIPPER, ABERY (replaced by BAKER 85mins), JENNINGS SUBSLEE, CASSIDY, BAKER.

LEMMY'S MOM - SAM JENNINGS

YM’s second string picked up a point via the most unlikely of sources on Saturday, against a resolute Wokingham and Emmbrook side at Pangbourne rec. Stand in goalkeeper Jamie Froud notched a 94th minute equalizer after the Rapids had enjoyed around 75% of possession in a pulsating encounter. Manager Paul O Boyle welcomed back Chris Leach, Tim Sidwell and Mark Ilsley to his squad and a strong looking Rapids, got off to a flying start with Mr Trickster, Steve Daly probing down the right and Chris Leach delivering some excellent first time crosses. It appeared only a matter of time before YM took the lead but top scorer Luke Kassonde sliced a guilt edge chance wide from 3 yards and the usually reliable Dave Morrison, took too long on the ball and was soon caught by the bruising Wokingham back 4. The away side were showing why they are up there in division 2 but the YM centre halves of Dave Rolfe and Ryan Tipper stood strong with the former playing some delightful balls out from the back to get YM going. 10 minutes before the break the Rapids were hit with the sucker punch, falling behind to a well worked goal that was dispatched in to the bottom left hand corner by a ‘satsuma’ after YM had committed one too many men forward. It nearly got worse as a Tipper slip almost gifted a second, but the Wokingham man could only fire over Froud’s crossbar from 8 yards.

The second half started in much the same vein as the first with YM on the front foot but the entire 45 minutes were to be played out in the same fashion. YM probing for the equalizer but also open to a Wokingham counter attack. Sean Kenny was delivering some wicked set pieces and Rolfe came close to fashioning the goal YM’s pressure deserved when the keeper saved well and the YM man, making his 150th appearance, could only spoon the shot over when off balance. Recently injured Tim Sidwell was introduced with half an hour left and immediately added some bite and physical presence to the midfield keeping YM moving forward. As the half worn on it seemed YM may come away pointless with several more chances failing to trouble the Wokingham Keeper. Luke Kassonde then broke down the left and pulled the ball back for Sidwell, but the former YM captain could only drag a poor attempt wide. The board went up and 4 minutes were left and with a set piece wasted and the ball in YM’s corner for a minute it seemed the game was over. YM got one last break when Sidwell launched a throw in down the keepers throat and it gave them one last life line of a corner with 6 seconds left on the clock. All 22 players were jostling in one packed area and it was keeper Jamie Froud who ghosted in at the front post to nod home Morrison’s whipped corner to spark jubilation for YM and despair for Wokingham.

YM boss O Boyle said ‘I thought we deserved at least a point today against a very resolute Wokingham side, and in all fairness I thought we wouldn’t get it, but the lads kept on going. Special mention to Dave Rolfe making his 150th appearance and was outstanding at the back today

YM RAPIDS: FROUD, LEACH, ROLFE, R TIPPER, KENNY, DALY, CORNELL, BULLETT, D MORRISON, KASONDE, ATKINSON. SUBS: SIDWELL (Replaced LEACH 55), M ILSLEY (Replaced BULLETT 70), O BOYLE (not used)

BOILERS MOM: DAVE ROLFE