Reading YMCA stretched their unbeaten league run to 12 games with a hard fought 3-1 over 4th place Cookham Dean.
The Young Men went into the game missing top scorer Martin Abery and Nader Edmunds as well as long term injury victims Chris Lemm and Sam Cripps.  But YM boss Mark Lemm handed Lukonde Kasonde his first start for the club and the reshuffled team made their intentions clear by taking the game to Cookham from the opening whistle.

On a difficult surface, midfielders Drew Tipper and Andy Bullett were dictating proceedings whilst Cookham were struggling to get into any sort of rhythm.  YM looked sharper all round the pitch but despite being neat and tidy they struggled to make any headway against a Cookham defence that looked unusually hesitant. The first chance came on 20 mins when Johnny Adey flashed over the bar from close range whilst Cookham's Dave Shaw hit a post although his effort was ruled out for offside.  YM were looking comfortable in defence with only a succession of long throws and corners causing them any discomfort.

YM continued to prompt and probe and finally got their reward on 25 mins when Adey tucked the ball home after a goalmouth scramble.  The home side continued to press and doubled their lead when a weak clearance was picked up by Tipper who beat his man before chipping the ball back into the box where Sam Jennings was on hand to head into the net from 6 yards.
Kasonde then had a good opportunity to make the game safe when he raced on to a through ball only to delay his shot and see the covering defence thwart his attempt.
Cookham seemed to be a little dispirited at this point but they got a lifeline just before half-time when a vicious inswinging corner was headed into his own by ex-Cookham player Scott Allen although the ball was heading in anyway.
The goal changed the complexion of the match and the momentum was now with Cookham as the 2nd half started.  YM found themselves pinned back into their own half as Cookham sensed they could get something from the game.  A great run from Cookham's James Gisbourne saw him hit a thunderbolt from a tight angle but YM keeper Scott Mortimer made an unbelievable save to tip the ball over the bar.

Cookham's Jon Schaaf and Nathan Lishman also went close before Gisbourne was once again denied by another Mortimer stop.
YM were restricted to break aways and they forged the best chance of the half when Kasonde outsprinted the Cookham defence to go one-on-one with the keeper but the striker could only stab his shot wide of the post.
Cookham were growing frustrated as a combination of poor finishing and excellent defending kept them at bay and then with barely 5 mins left on the clock the game was over when Kasonde beat the Cookham offside trap to home in on goal and committed the keeper before squaring the ball to the outstanding Adey who slotted into the empty net for his 2nd of the game.

YM boss Lemm concluded "I thought we played some nice stuff in the 1st half and were worth our lead but we gave away a poor goal just before the break and that gave Cookham a huge lift for the 2nd half which they dominated.  But we showed the other side of our game during that period which is our defensive strength and ability to close out tight games.
We played Cookham at the start of the season and they beat us 3-1 and that was the best anyone's played against us this season - they were superb.  They weren't quite at that level today but it was a great effort by us especially with the players we had out.  We haven't played much recently but we're off and running again now and will be playing regularly until the end of the season and this result has given us alot of momentum."

YM Rapids came through another tough test against a resolute Goring side and stayed on course for the Div 3 title. With the games now coming thick and fast YM’s second string will need to be at their best tonight (mon) against a Wargrave side that find themselves in the top 2 and looking for promotion.

On a perfect day and excellent playing surface the game started as a scrappy affair with neither side finding much rhythm and a midfield battle ensued with Adam Cayzer and Jamie Froud battling with their opponents on more than one occasion. Dave Rolfe was in commanding form at the back for YM and he had to be alert to deal with a pacy Goring front man when one on one. At the other end makeshift striker Tim Sidwell had a header blovked at the far post from an outstanding Steve Woodrow cross. Woodrow then had an effort well saved just before Jamie Froud flashed a shot inches wide after beating 2 men. The game turned on 25 minutes when Sidwell dropped deep and clipped an inch perfect pass in to Woodrow’s path who beat the offside trap and cooly slotted under the onrushing Goring keeper. YM could sense the relief and began to play the much better football with manager Paul O Boyle switching Sidwell back in to midfield and Cayzer up top. Rolfe then went close from a set piece before keeper Ian Harvey had to be alert when a Paul Towner clearance was screwed back over his head towards the YM goal and expertly saved by the YM stopper on the stroke of half time.

Goring came out fighting in the second period and could sense an upset whilst YM were searching for the all important second goal. Chris Leach was enjoying a solid game at right back and his pace saved YM from a Goring forward bearing in down on goal when the right back made an outstanding challenge to deny the home side. Dan Sutton and Steve Wood both squandered great chances when put through by Sidwell but it was the marauding Jamie Froud that sealed the 3 points for the young men. Woodrow fed Sutton down the right and his shot cannoned off the crossbar where Froud was on hand to slam the ball home from 8 yards. Goring had a couple of half chances after the restart and YM could have found more goals but for some inept passing in the final 3rd but came away with a clean sheet and maximum points.

READING YMCA RAPIDS: HARVEY, LEACH, ROLFE, TOWNER, ILSLEY, SUTTON (replaced by MASLEN 70mins), FROUDE (replaced by WILLIAMS 60mins), CAYZER, WOOD, WOODROW (replaced by O'BOYLE 83mins), SIDWELL SUBS MASLEN, WILLIAMS, O'BOYLE.

BOILER'S MOM - DAVID ROLFE