YMCA were reduced to the bare bones for their latest clash but fought out a hard earned draw against Unity in the Reading Senior Division. A draw seemed a fair result and YMCA are now unbeaten in 5 in the league and have notched up an aggregate score of 14-1 in the process. But this was their biggest test in recent weeks against a lively Unity side.

The game was fast from the outset with Unity using their fitness and energy in an attempt to pull YM all over the park but YM looked organised and held their shape well. In fact it was YM who were retaining the ball better and were able to exploit the lack of shape in Unity’s more fluid formation. Rob Lee was particularly effective down the YM right side frequently using his strength to power past challenges and supply lone striker Leon Mannion with much needed service. Adam Cayzer and Jason Wagner were also prominent. Cayzer was battling hard to win the ball
back for YM and Wagner’s fine range of passing was providing YM with their outlet.

Mannion was making the best of everything that came his way and his pace and trickery calved out YM’s first real chance of the half when he collected a long ball, outstripped the Unity defence before shooting narrowly wide.YM’s towering defence that has been astonishingly tight of late was able to soak up any Unity pressure with relative ease with only the uneven surface giving YM any cause for concern.

YM came in at half time with only a goal lacking from their performance.The second half was a different affair and the game was firmly in the YM
half with Unity taking the initiative and pressing YM back. YM didn’t lack drive or commitment but struggled to keep the ball for any sustained period. However Unity didn’t create a great deal of chances with only speculative efforts from range looking to test YM keeper Stephen Marshall. In fact it was one of Unity’s weakest efforts that came closest to breaking the deadlock. A mis-hit long range shot bounced up violently less than a yard from Marshall who made a brilliant reflex save to tip the ball around the post.

The game grew increasingly scrappy as the game wore on with neither side willing to surrender to a defeat or commit forward to try and win the game. However Unity had a good shout of a penalty as YM stalwart Mark Lemm tussled with striker Shane Gibson who subsequently tumbled to the floor. The decision could have gone either way but fortunately it went the way of the Young Men and a goal kick was awarded.

The titanic Cayzer picked up a nasty injury in the closing minutes forcing YM to finish with 10 men but the game drew to a close without further incident and the score line accurately reflected the balance of play.

LEMMY'S MOM - ADAM CAYZER

YM Rapids promotion hopes were effectively ended on Saturday as manager Tim Sidwell described it as 'one of those days'. The fixture, originally scheduled for Turnhams Farm, was switched to Prospect Park and with it ended both teams hope of playing any type of football. With no changing rooms available and a 10 minute walk to the pitch, the fixture was rapidly becoming a total farce. This was compounded with YM going 3-0 down in the opening 8 minutes after some poor defending allow the Barton forwards too much room. YM soon came back in to the game and probably shaded the rest of the half but created nothing of note, with only Mike Holloway and Mandeep Nangla showing anything like the YM way of the previous few weeks.

The second period was much better from YM with Leach and Nangla combining well down the right but the pitch would always come in to play and the Rapids could never really get anything going. A couple of half chances fell to Ilsley and Leach but the game was put to bed on 65 minutes when YM were caught looking for a way back in to the game and a Barton forward ran through to make it 4-0. The introduction of Dan Sutton and Paul Towner added a touch of guile to proceedings but it was left to the hapless Lewis Evans to sum up YM's day, when missing an open goal 10 yards out after doing all the hard work. Barton broke to make it 5 and sealed a day all at YM Rapids will want to forget.

Sidwell said 'This was a roll back to division 4/5 standards in terms of preparation and I almost suggested we called the game off as we had no time to get a decent warm up and the entire day was a farce. Some extremely poor refereeing decisions didnt help but im not taking anything away from Barton - they dealt with it and we didn't. I think that has put paid to our promotions hopes but we'll battle on and see what happens at the end of the season'

YM RAPIDS: PHILLIPS, LEACH, BROWN, M ILSEY, KENNY, NANGLA, SIDWELL, HOLLOWAY, EVANS, A ILSLEY, VAUGHAN. SUBS: D SUTTON(Replaced Vaughan 55), TOWNER (Replaced Sidwell 70)

SIDDERS MOM: MIKE HOLLOWAY