Reading YMCA marched into the quarter-finals of the BTC Senior Cup with a relatively comfortable 2-0 victory over Premier Division AFC Corinthians.
YM were forced to make 5 changes to the side that started the previous Saturday with the late withdrawals of Danny Fitzpatrick and Johnny Adey adding to a growing absentee list. But manager Mark Lemm was able to raid the club’s successful Rapids side to bring Nader Edmunds and Chris Lemm back into the fold as well as handing a debut to new signing Sam Cripps who has made the switch from Reading Town.
In difficult conditions YM started brightly with Darren Cornell, Andy Bullett and Nader Edmunds pulling the strings in midfield. Corinthians started with just 1 man up front but despite this it was YM who were dominating midfield possession and controlling the game.
YM’s Chris Lemm ands Nick Seymour were also prominent in the early stages as they teased Corinthians down the flanks. But despite YM’s dominance it was Corinthians who had the first chance when a defensive slip allowed striker Daniel Huggins clean through on goal but keeper Scott Mortimer did superbly to deny him the opener.
YM were playing some of their best football of the season but were finding it tough to break down a Corinthians side who were camped in their own half with men behind the ball. And, when the Young Men managed to exploit the gaps out wide, the quality of the crossing was frequently disappointing.
Corinthians had another breakaway chance but again Mortimer stood firm and then YM finally broke their opponents down to take the lead. Cripps picked up the ball on the left and crossed into the box where Cornell flicked the ball into the path of Seymour who scrambled home.
YM continued to force the game for the reminder of the half but were frustrated to keep in at the break with only a single goal advantage.
The second half was more of an even contest with Corinthians manager Matt Charters giving the impressive Huggins a partner to work with up front and YM not capturing the fluidity of the 1st period.
Set pieces were causing YM difficulties with Huggins the focal point for most of Corinthians’ forward play. But aside from the odd goalmouth scramble the YM defence were dealing well with the threat.
At the other end, the Corinthians keeper was on top form and on the rare occasions when his defence was breached he was there to thwart YM not least when saving from Edmunds at point blank range.
Slowly the belief seemed to flow out of the Corinthians side as they remained goaless and YM regained their authority in the final 15 minutes and made the game safe on 80 minutes when a Martin Abery cross sailed directly into net with the keeper distracted by the presence of sub Mark Lemm.
YM manager Lemm reflected “We played some really good football in the 1st half but Corinthians were organised and willing and we struggled to penetrate.
We stepped off the gas a bit in the 2nd half and Corinthians had a good 20 minute spell and if they had of scored it could have been interesting. But we’re not giving much away at the moment and I’m really pleased with the way the players rolled up their sleeves and worked for this win.”
READING YMCA: MORTIMER, GREEN, ALLEN, CASSIDY, C LEMM, CORNELL, BULLETT, EDMUNDS, SEYMOUR, CRIPPS (replaced by M LEMM 80mins), ABERY SUBS M LEMM, FITZPATRICK (not used).
LEMMY’S MOM – NICK SEYMOUR
Rapids hot shot Dave Morrison helped himself to 2 more goals as the Rapids eased to a 4-0 win over Hop Leaf in the league cup. A spirited Hop Leaf side turned up with mild expectations and a pretty one sided game seemed to go the way of the form book.
The Rapids came out of the blocks quickly and were soon dictating the play with wide men Lewis Evans and Dean Williams both causing problems down the flanks. Wet and windy conditions were not conducive to pretty football with passes going astray and players losing their footing whilst in full flow. The first decent chance of the game fell to Williams who was put through by a defence splitting pass, but could only shoot straight at the keeper with the goal at his mercy. Hop Leaf had certainly not come to be turned over lightly and had a couple of very good chances after a defensive mix up, but keeper Harvey and centre halves Mark Ilsley and Paul Towner stood strong and snuffed out the danger.
The YM break through came on 30 mins when some excellent work from all time apps legend Steve Woodrow down the right, meant his cross was fed home by Morrison. It was no more than YM deserved but the visitors has defended well until Woodrows magic opened their back line up. Rapids striker Dan Sutton was guilty of wasting a couple of chances and Sidwell then smashed one from 19 yards that looked goal bound until a Hop Leaf leg came from nowhere to deflect for a corner. As several near misses Sidwell found his range and whipped a vicious corner in to the 6 yard box where it cannoned off a few bodies and Morrison has quickest to pounce and netted his second to give YM a 2-0 half time lead.
The second period saw conditions worsen with both sides struggling to get a grip of the ball and dictate the play. YM once again laid seige to the visitors goal and found a lot of joy down both flanks, but could not kill the game off. Full backs Chris Leach and Tim Morrison were both getting forward at every opportunity and it only seemed a matter of time before the 3rd goal came. It was nearly an unlikely source in Paul Towner who grabbed after Sidwell had slotted him through on goal but he found the keeper in good form. YM made 2 changes with Steve Wood and Ryan Tipper coming on at full backs and carried on the attacking vein. Wood had only been on the pitch 5 minutes and found himself free in the box with the ball at his feet. The triggered was pulled and he made no mistake as the ball rifled in the back of the net off the underside of the crossbar.
YM then created further chances, Mark Ilsley going close and Dan Sutton finding the keeper in commanding form. However he was powerless to stop the 4th as Woodrow burst through the Hop Leaf defence and calmly slotted the ball under the keeper to finish the scoring. Rapids skipper Tipper then went.... close after cutting inside on to his left foot and firing a shot wildly across goal that look destined to make the corner flag rather than trouble the visitors goal.
YM Boss Paul O Boyle quipped 'we created a host of chances but didn't have the killer touch today. The unbeaten run goes on and its nice to be in mix on all fronts'
BOILERS MOM - CHRIS LEACH
Rapids: Harvey, T Morrison (replaced by R Tipper 55mins), Ilsley, Towner, Leach, Williams, Sidwell, Woodrow, Evans (replaced by Wood 55mins), Sutton, D Morrison SUBS R Tipper, Wood
