YM striker Drew Tipper struck twice as the Reading league beat the Wiltshire league 3-2 after extra time. The game was part of the FA National League System Cup which has been going for 4 seasons, and was played at Chippenham Tows ground.. Its played every 2 years and the Reading league's last outing was a trip to Gurnsey that ended in defeat. However this was not to be the same out come.
Reading started really well on a perfect pitch and were passing the ball round nicely and creating chances with the wide men of Chris Jewell (Highmoor) and Ben Dunk (Mortimer) causing havoc down each flank. The opening goal came around 10 minutes in when another perfect Jewell cross was met by YM striker Tipper who looped his header over the keepr and in to the top corner. The goal was just reward for all the Reading pressure. Reading then went looking for a second and could well have had it when Dunk crashed a shot off the cross bar from 25 yards after cutting in from the left. For the first 30 mins the back 3 of Carl Reeves, Scott Allen and Lee Ovens (All Cookham) snuffed out any potential attack as Wiltshire played their direct game with a lack of cutting edge. However it was a long ball from the keeper that proved to be the turning point when it cleared the Reading back 3 and left a Wiltshire forward bearing down on Craig Beales (Woodley) goalmouth. With the Reading defence struggling to get back Beales clattered in to their forward to give away a stonewall penalty. Allen had managed to get back alongside Beales and therefore the Woodley stopper escaped with a yellow card. The penalty was converted and Reading lost their way slightly with the half time whistle coming at the perfect time.
Reading regrouped and began the second half as they had started the first - sharp lively passing and creating chances. The midfield 3 of Doswell (Cookham), Hamilton (Highmoor) and Sidwell, (YM) were staring to come in to it more and dictating the play. It only seemed a matter of time before the second goal came. Handscombe (Cookham) Jewell and Tipper were all causing problems and chance after chance went begging. Then on 75 minutes the hammer blow came. Another long ball fell kindly to a Wiltshire forward who seemed to find a lot of free space and drove in to the box where his crossshot was deflected in to the net by Doswell to give the home side an undeserved lead. Reading had 15 mins to get back in to game forcing many a set piece, but lost Jewell to a hamstring injury with 10 mins to go. Nick Edwards (woodley) was his replacement and Ashley Baynham (Highmoor) also made his entrance to replace Handscombe. It from another Reading set piece the breakthrough came. A Dunk corner was pinballing around the box when Sidwell managed to stab it back towards Hamilton who riffled his shot past the hapless Wiltshire keeper and the onslaught began. Reading threw everything at Wiltshire to get the winner in normal time but couldn't find a way past the Wiltshire rear guard.
Extra time began in the same pattern and there was only one team trying to win it and the breakthrough came with 10 mins to go. Baynham surged down the left and left his man for dead, cut the ball back where Tipper was waiting to pounce. With 3 on rushing defenders he took aim and smashed his shot in the bottom left hand corner and left the keeper no chance. From there on in it was a case of keeping the lead in tact as Wiltshire looked for an equaliser, however they could not find a way through and the Reading league held on for a deserved win.
Manager Mark Vincent said: 'we played the better football and deserved the win but let in 2 silly goals and made hard work of it. The result was the most important factor and we are looking forward to a trip to either Dorset or Hanpshire in the next round'
MOM - Drew Tipper (YM)
