Reading YMCA crashed out at the semi-final stage of the BTC Senior Cup for the 3rd sucessive year after an epic encounter with Woodcote/Stoke Row.  YM were cruising at 2-0 before finding themselves 3-2 down and then twice clawing Woodcote back before finally surrendering to 2 late goals.

Both sides were at virtually full strength for the game but it was the Young Men who stormed out of the blocks by taking the game to Woodcote from the opening whistle.  Drew Tipper and Johnny Adey both had excellent chances from close range before a long throw from Matt Bicknell eluded the Woodcote defence to find Nader Edmunds galloping into the box where he stretched to flick the ball over the advancing keeper Dan Ball and into the net.

YM continued to dominate with Sam Jennings winning everything in the air and Martin Abery looking lively and they were rewarded when an Edmunds through ball found Jason Wagner who cooly sidefooted past the onrushing Ball for 2-0.

Woodcote now looked totally dispirited but they did manage to stir themselves and began to enjoy more territory with long free-kicks into the box causing the occasionally moment of alarm. Then on the half hour mark, Woodcote managed to pull a goal back when a Dillon long throw was flicked on by Ross Weatherstone to the unmarked James Hancock who headed into the net.  The goal gave Woodcote a huge lift and they were now on top with YM suddenly looking nervous and they made it 2-2 when a mix up in the YM defence allowed Weatherstone to nip in and score.

Woodcote then capped a remarkably turnaround when more indecision in the YM ranks allowed Toby Nowell to race between the defender and keeper to make it 3-2 at half-time.  YM were left stunned that they were now behind after dominating most of the half.

The second half was a more sedate affair with both sides evenly matched and probing for opportunities.  YM were now enjoying the advantage of the conditions and were edging territory and possession whilst Woodcote continued to look a threat from set pieces whilst Weatherstone was an excellent target and the pace and trickery of Nowell always a threat.

Slowly the pressure was building on the Woodcote defence with Jennings firing wide when well placed and Abery twice being denied by last gasp tackles.  Eventually the pressure told and when a Adey shot beat Ball, Abery was on hand to force the ball into the back of the net to level the scores at 3-3.  This proved to be Abery's last action of the game as he was forced off with an ankle injury to be replaced by Dan Szutenberg.

The final minutes of normal time were cagey with neither side willing to risk conceeding a late goal but YM did suffer another blow when Wagner had to leave the field with a groin injury although YM were able to call on Rob Lee to replace him.

Players were now starting to look tired and the game was becoming stretched.  Woodcote had a shot cleared off the line whilst Adey sidefooted wide when well placed.  But it was Woodcote who regained the lead when a deep cross beat defender Bicknell and saw Dillon clear on goal but, though he skewed his shot, Weatherstone was on hand to tap in for 4-3.  But YM were not beaten and they levelled the scores again just before the break with a superb Szutenberg free-kick into the far corner.

As the match entered intom the final period, Jennings had a great chance to win the game when he raced clean through on goal but although he took the ball round the keeper he was forced wide and the chance was lost.  It proved costly as shortly afterwards Nowell picked up the ball and beat 3 defenders across the edge of the area before hitting a shot into the far corner which trickled into the net.  Szutenberg then ended an eventful cameo by swearing at referee Brian Russell and was shown the red card.

YM were now finished and, pushing men forwards, they were left exposed and when Dillon was through on goal he was brought down by the YM keeper who also saw red and the ensuing penalty clinically dispatched by Weatherstone past stand-in Mark Lemm to end the game at 6-4.

YM boss Lemm said "We started superbly and after 30 mins I couldn't see how we could lose but we handed Woodcote a lifeline by conceeding a soft goal and were shellshocked to be losing 3-2 at half-time.  To our credit, we kept our composure and levelled the game and then again in extra time but we kept shooting ourselves in the foot by defending poorly.

It was a mad game and it could have gone either way but Woodcote just found that something extra to turn the game their way.

This is the 3rd consecutive year we have lost in the semis and we were leading in all of those games so its hard to take but YM have more good days then bad so we have to take it on the chin when it doesn't go our way.  We've still got 2 trophies to go for and not many clubs can say that so we'll dust ourselves off and look forward to the next game.

Woodcote are a very good side with players who can come up with some individual magic and Pete McAlister has done a great job in moving them forwards over the past few years.  They have got a great chance now of winning the cup and I expect them to do that."

READING YMCA:LYONS, CAYZER, GREEN, FITZPATRICK (replaced by M LEMM 112mins), BICKNELL, ADEY, EDMUNDS, WAGNER (replaced by LEE 85mins), D TIPPER, ABERY (replaced by SZUTENBERG 75mins), JENNINGS SUBSSZUTENBERG, LEE, M LEMM, WHITE (not used).

LEMMY'S MOM - DREW TIPPER

YM's second string suffered their first defeat of the league season in a controversial tie away to Woodcote. YM can blame various factors including having 11 players but the fact remains they had the lead and let it slip. Going in to the game, manager Paul O Boyle was forced to play himself at right back and shuffle his pack once more due to late pull outs and the 1st team game above.

YM got off to a bright start with Luke Kasonde causing all sorts of havoc in the home defence. Rolfe, Tipper and Cassidy were all standing strong and not allowing Woodcote any time on the ball, feeding Sidwell to dictate play bringing in both wide men in to the game. Leach was first up to latch on to a Sidwell pass and deliver a cross with Cassidy heading just wide. O Boyle was enjoying plenty of space down the right and his pinpoint cross was met by the former YM skipper who could only head over The breakthrough came on 25 minutes when a long throw eluded the home defence and Cassidy stole in to nick the ball on to a defender who could do nothing to keep it out. This galvanised YM and Dave Morrison had 2 great chances to double their lead after excellent work down the left by Kasonde and Chris Lemm. Dave Rolfe nearly provided the own goal of the decade when an attempted cross field pass nearly floated in to his own net from 20 yards, but the ball drifted out for a corner.

Having rarely threatened, Woodcote found themselves level on 35 minutes when a home striker looped the ball over Scott Mortimer in off the post to draw the sides level. YM went back in front in controversial fashion when half the players on the pitch were asking to get the ball kicked out for an injury, and half the players couldn't hear, so when Morrison slotted the ball home after Sidwell had played in Kasonde the home side were incensed but the goal stood.

The second half was a totally different game with Woodcote pressing hard for the equaliser and YM losing any shape they had. The Rapids cause wasn't helped on 60 minutes when Woodrow pulled up with a hamstring injury and with no subs the away side had to carry on regardless. 20 minutes of the scrappiest football you will ever seen ensued and it was no surprise when Woodcote got the leveller on 70 minutes. Some poor defending at a set piece allowed a Woodcote lump to stab the ball home to make it 2-2. Chris Lemm then picked up a knock and YM were essentially down to 9. Woodrow had the best chance for YM as he bore down on goal only to smash the ball at the keeper. As the rain lashed down (as it always seems to at Woodcote) the surface became slippery and it was Ryan Tipper who had the unfortunate touch to allow the nippy Woodcote forward in to smash home their 3rd and put YM behind. With a few minutes left on the clock Cassidy hammered the ball against a post and off to safety for the home side and the game was lost.

Boss O Boyle 'I could make excuses all day about the injuries and lack of players but that is only our fault. At 2-1 up we should have killed the game off and enjoyed the afternoon. Instead we lost our heads and shape and allowed Woodcote back in to the match'

YM RAPIDS: MORTIMER, O BOYLE, R TIPPER, ROLFE, C LEMM, LEACH, SIDWELL, CASSIDY, WOODROW, D MORRISON, KASONDE. SUBS:N/A

BOILERS MOM: DAVE MORRISON