Reading YMCA ended the season on a high after thrashing struggling Taplow Utd 4-0 at Scours Lane.

YM have seen their season tail off in the last couple of weeks but they ended the season on a high to finish in their highest league position for nearly 40 years.
 
Player manager Mark Lemm reflected "We've slowly built the club up over the past 15 years when we were struggling in Division 2 and we've improved or equalled the previous season's league position in every season bar one.
 
We've finished 4th, 4th and now 3rd in the last 3 seasons so the final hurdle is to actually win the league - we're close but we just need 2/3 players of genuine quality to bridge that gap.
 
It's our best league finish for a long time but that is no consolation to be honest - we got to the final stages of 2 cup competitions and were challenging for the league but have ended up with nothing.  I know what needs to be done and I'm already buzzing about next season."
 
YM cruised to victory in this match despite Taplow enjoying some decent spells of possession at times.  Taplow had the first opportunity when YM defender Adam Cassidy let the ball slip under his foot leaving a Taplow clean through on goal only to shoot tamely wide.  Another defensive slip, this time from Ben Green, again presented Taplow with an opportunity that was wasted.
 
At the other end Martin Abery shot into the side netting when well placed but YM improved and then blitzed Taplow with a devestating 10 minute spell during which they grabbed 3 goals.  First Sam Jennings showed good vision to play in Abery who finished well into the roof of the net with his left foot.  Abery then turned provider to play in Luke Kasonde who rolled the ball past onrushing keeper Josh Boggi.  And Abery was again the provider when his superb cross found Jennings at the back post where he headed home.
 
YM had numerous other chances to extend the lead with Abery having the best chance when one-on-one with Boggi only to take the ball wide and shoot into the side netting.
 
Taplow had good spells of possession and territory in the 2nd half but could not break down a determined YM rearguard and were largely restricted to shots from distance.  YM looked threatening on the counter attack and again created good chances at regular intervals.
 
The 4th goal came on 75 minutes when Drew Tipper played in Kasonde who drove forwards with the ball before calmly side footing past Boggi.  Abery then had another one-on-one opportunity but a combination of a covering defender and keeper ensured the scoreline remained unchanged.
 
READING YMCA: MORTIMER, GREEN, ALLEN, CASSIDY (replaced by M LEMM 70mins), ADEY, FITZPATRICK, D TIPPER, KASONDE, SEYMOUR, JENNINGS, ABERY SUBS M LEMM.
 
LEMMY'S MOM: LUKE KASONDE

The first of YM Rapid’s cup double ended in agony for YM’s second string as they went down 4-2 after extra time to a strong Newbury reserve side. In their first attempt at silverware in only their second season the rapids turned up at Henley Town’s Triangle with a strong squad looking to avenge the defeat suffered in the Berks and Bucks quarter final. Rapids boss Paul O Boyle made 2 enforced changes with Dan Sutton coming in for top scorer Dave Morrison who was away, and Darren Cornell coming in for Lewis Evans who had picked up a knock the previous week.

In a nervous start to proceedings it was Newbury who had the best chances with the game being played at a lively pace on a bobbly pitch. Dave Rolfe and Mark Ilsley both made last ditch tackles in the first 10 minutes to deny the tricky Newbury forward. Keeper Ian Harvey also made 2 great saves and had to rely on the woodwork as Newbury pressed for the opening goal. Darren Cornell was enjoying an excellent game on the left wing and Adam Cayzer was as lively as ever hustling the Newbury midfield and not allowing them to get going. Tim Sidwell was winning most ariel battles and trying to get the Rapids going playing in first Cornell and then Steve Woodrow but both were faced with tough chances and the Newbury keeper saved well. Cornell then raked at 40 yard pass in to Sidwell’s path who controlled well but could only fire over from 25 yards. The Rapids best chances of the half came from long Sidwell throw ins that were flicked on by Rolfe, but on 3 occasions the Rapids failed to connect with that all important touch. At the other end Newbury hammered the woodwork twice more but the teams went in level at half time with all to play for.

An inspired team talk by O Boyle saw the Rapids come flying out the blocks in the second period. Sidwell fired a ball over the top for Dan Sutton to chase and the YM youngster forced a corner. Steve Daly sent in a dangerous ball that was flicked on by Ilsley and found Sidwell in 5 yards of space and the YM club captain lashed the ball home on the volly to quieten the vocal Newbury crown and put the Rapids withing 45 minutes of the cup. YM were now dominant and were ploughing forward at every opportunity, when a second goal would have surely killed the game off. Steve Woodrow found himself with a golden chance through on goal but fired his shot inches wide under pressure from a Newbury defender. The back 4 of Leach, Rolfe, Ilsley and Wood were standing firm and it was Daly who then went through on goal but could only drag his shot tamely wide. It appeared as though the semi pro club were running out of ideas until they grabbed a huge slice of luck with 25 minutes left when a tame free kick was bundled in to his own net by the hapless Harvey. YM looked dejected and it was the yellows who now looked rampant with 3 more chances coming their way. The second goal inevitably came with 15 mins left on the clock when Harvey rushed out and allowed the Newbury striker to slot home to the delight of the crowd. YM knew they had to give it everything and with Sidwell pushed up it was his flick on that allowed Lewis Evans to steal in and shoot straight at the keeper, but YM had their own slice of luck when the ball cannoned up in the air for the nippy winger to head in to an empty net. The YM faithful went wild and it was now the young men that surged forward looking for the winner but time was up and the cup was no closer knowing its next home.

Extra time seemed to sap the energy out of the Rapids and it looked as though it would be set pieces that would bring their only hope of a goal as Newbury went in for the kill. A YM corner broke Newbury’s way and as they burst forward the young Rapids side struggled to get back, allowing the nippy winger to get his cross away where a Newbury player had a free header at the back post. Harvey did his best to smother the shot but it crept in to the net signally heartbreak for the Rapids. YM nearly gained a spectacular equaliser when Sidwell saw the Newbury keeper off his line and fizzed a shot from the half way line but the Newbury stopped scrambled back and tipped it on to the bar.

The second period saw the young men pile forward and revert to the long ball game. Evans, Maslen and Rolfe all had half chances but once more Newbury killed the game off with a sucker punch counter attack and held on to take the cup back to West Berks.

YM Boss said ‘I couldn’t have asked for any more of this young side today. It was a shame that we couldn’t hold on and made 2 silly mistakes but at this level they cost you matches. We will look to build on this Friday night when we aim to capitalize on an excellent season and grab some silverware against Woodley Town.’

YM RAPIPS: HARVEY, LEACH, ROLFE, ILSLEY, WOOD, DALY, SIDWELL, CAYZER, CORNELL, WOODROW, SUTTON. SUBS: Evans (Replaced Woodrow 60), Maslen (Replaced Sutton 75), Williams (Replaced Cornell 75)

BOILERS MOM: TIM SIDWELL