Reading YMCA will meet Theale/Royal Mail in the BTC Senior Cup Quarter Finals after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Premier Division leaders Park Utd.

Park were unbeaten going into the clash but rarely threatened against a YM side still missing Johnny Adey and Matty Bicknell as well as keeper Scott Hodgetts.

Player manager Mark Lemm replaced Hodgetts in goal and was a virtual spectator in the 1st half with YM camped in Park territory.  But for all their territorial superiority, the Park defence were in a defiant mood and restricted YM to just a handful of half chances until skipper Danny Fitzpatrick broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time.

Fitzpatrick had gone close early in the game when he headed narrowly over from a Jason Wagner corner and striker Martin Abery did exactly the same shortly afterwards.  YM's best attacking outlet though was full back Adam Cayzer as he galloped up and down the right flank for he entire half.  One particular barnstorming run saw him cut inside on to his left foot before drilling a shot towards the bottom corner that the keeper did well to tip round the post.

Then with sides looking destined to go into the break on level terms, Fitzpatrick headed home a Wagner corner with the keeper caught stranded in no man's land.

The 2nd half was all one-way traffic with Park running out of ideas and YM slowly turning the screw.  YM made the game safe on the hour in slighty fortuotous circumstances when a Wagner free-kick rom the touchline sailed over the keeper directly into the net.  Although Park's Ricky Sidhu went close with a header the stuffing had been knocked out of Park and YM looked the likelier to add to the scoring with Sam Jennings and Wagner spurning decent chances.

Steve Daly had come on to great effect on the right hand side and was causing Park problems but midfielder Naz Edmunds was the stand out player during the 2nd half as he seemed to be all over the pitch winning tackles and starting attacks.  YM could not add to the scoring though although Jules Baker's shot drifted agonisingly wide of the upright in the final minute.

Manager Lemm said "I thought we were excellent today.  We've played better football this season but to restrict a quality side like Park to a couple of long shots and a header speaks volumes for the effort and discipline we showed today."


READING YMCA:M LEMM, CAYZER, GREEN, FITZPATRICK, LEE, KASONDE (replaced by DALY 60mins), EDMUNDS, WAGNER, D TIPPER (replaced by BAKER 73mins), ABERY (replaced by C LEMM 65mins), JENNINGS SUBSDALY, BAKER, C LEMM.

LEMMY'S MOM - NAZ EDMUNDS

YM’s second string came through a stern test against a resolute Woodcote SR Res side run by former YM hard man Adey Kearsey at Pangbourne on Saturday. The Rapids went in to the game on good form but having missed a week due to the condition of the pitch, and it was the rain that also put paid to any decent football being played. Boss O Boyle welcomed back Jamie Froud in goal and Adam Cassidy came in to replace Dave Rolfe who was missing due to a festive fiscal outlay trip.

YM came out the blocks and nearly scored within 10 seconds as Sidwell found Atkinson down the right, who’s pace caught the WRS left back napping, but the pacy winger could only lash his shot wide when a square ball might have been the better choice. It seemed as though it would only be a matter of time before YM took the lead but once the game settled down WSR came roaring back at the young men and took the lead on 20 minutes when a high floated ball eluded the back 4 and WSR big midfielder nodded home to break the deadlock. The tackles were flying in with Darren Cornell as effective as ever in breaking up play, Adam Cassidy and Mark Ilsley commanding at the back and Steve Woodrow causing havoc whenever the Rapids broke at pace. It was the record YM appearance front man that got the home side back in the game as he sprung the offside trap and scored a trademark goal with a cool finish, that YM fans have seen time and time again over the last 15 years. With the Rapids in the ascendancy, Steve Wood broke down the left and squared for Sidwell to fire a thunderbolt just over, Dan Sutton screwed a half chance just wide and Cornell ghosted in to the box only to be denied by the WSR keeper as the teams went in level.

The second half was all YM who went looking for the 3 points from the off as WSR were penned in. Cornell and Sidwell were running the midfield and it was the introduction of Dave Morrison who ignited the side as his hold up play allowed YM to build their attacks with more conviction. WSR enjoyed 5 mins of possession and were looking for the next goal when YM hit them with the sucker punch. Sean Kenny and Cornell wound in to tackles and the latter set Sidwell away who tore down the centre of the pitch and fed Woodrow, who cut in from the left and took the shot on that the WSR keeper could only parry in to the path of Atkinson and YM whippet tucked the ball in to an empty net. From then on it was all YM looking to make the game safe which was done so with 10 minutes left. Woodrow once again burst down the left and clipped a delightful ball to the back post where an unmarked Atkinson smashed his shot against a WSR defender and Sidwell tapped the ball in to the empty net to nail the deserved 3 points for the rapids.

Boss O Boyle said ‘We weren’t at our best today though the conditions didn’t help, but we dug in and got the 3 points which is most pleasing’

YM RAPIDS: FROUD, LEACH, CASSIDY, ILSLEY, KENNY, ATKINSON, SIDWELL, CORNELL, WOOD, WOODROW, SUTTON. SUBS: D MORRISON (Replaced Sutton 60), EVANS, (Replaced Wood 70), R TIPPER (Replaced Sidwell 85)  

BOILERS MOM: ATKINSON