Reading YMCA v Westwood Wanderers
Thames Valley Premier League Premier Division
Another sunny start to the day for a trip to The Cauldron and a welcome catch up with the fine people at Reading YMCA. My day started the way too many have this season, with a train delay due to signalling failure! Finally arriving at Aldermaston station and taking the ten minute walk, I finally arrived at the ground just 20 minutes before kick off.
The visitors for the match today were Westwood Wanderers, the recently crowned champions, and back-to-back Thames Valley Premier League titles for the Wanderers. They are on the verge of taking a stunning trio of trophies home this season. With the league title and a penalties win against Great Missenden in the Charles Twelftree Cup already in the cabinet, they successfully won through to the final of the BTC Senior Trophy just the night before this fixture, again winning a penalty shoot-out against Woodcote.
There was quite a wind blowing from left to right as the game kicked off with Wanderers taking the initiative early on. The first chance came after good work down the right by Callum Beasley, he pulled a ball back from the byline into the box where a nice drag back and shot from Sam Poulter was saved by the outstretched leg of Matthew Pearson in the YMCA goal.
The first goal wasn’t long in coming. Beasley chased down a loose ball down the right flank, whipped a great cross to the edge of the six yard box and was met by a Kujtim Avduli diving header which beat Pearson and lodged into the bottom left corner. 0-1
Reading battled to get a foothold in the game and made a good chance after 20 minutes. Andrej Homola shrugged off a challenge to find Mo Adam 25 yards out, and he threaded a fine pass through the defence to pick out Joel Burton in the area but his first time shot went wide of the post.
Minutes later the hosts had the ball in the net after Homola picked out Burton in the box, he finished well but the linesman’s flag was up and the goal ruled out for offside.
YMCA did finally get one that counted and it was a stunner! A move down the Westwood left fell to Burton just outside the corner of the box and he fired a looping effort on the volley over the Wanderers keeper and into the top left corner. 1-1
H-T: Reading YMCA 1 Westwood Wanderers 1
The second half began with the champions again on the front foot. A loose pass when the home side tried to play the ball out from the back was seized upon by Harrison Luffrum. He made himself some space only to see his effort hit the upright and bounce away to safety.
At the other end, after an attack was cleared by the Wanderers defence, it fell to Danny Nicholson 40 yards out who saw the keeper off his line and tried to lift it over the top but his effort bounced wide.
A contentious moment next, a good run down the left from Wanderers Rocco Sofroniou saw him travel into the box but a heavy last touch allowed Mark Froude to step in and clear the ball onto the forwards legs and bounce behind the goal. Strangely, the referee gave a corner, the latest in a series of “interesting” decisions on the day from the official!
The resulting corner was swung into the box, headed on towards the far post where Nathan Jones hooked the ball on the volley from behind him and into the opposite corner of the net. 1-2
The hosts tried to hit straight back and, after being caught offside a couple of times with the visitors playing a high line, the won a free kick 25 yards out. Burton got the ball up and over the wall but just too high as it skidded off the top of the crossbar and out.
The visitors thought they’d made the game safe when a shot from outside the box was fumbled by Pearson and an attacker slid in and appeared to knock the ball in. This led to a lengthy discussion between the referee and linesman before being ruled out, presumably for a foul on the keeper.
Wanderers kept looking for a third and a curling Jordan Cox free kick from the edge of the area beat the wall but finished in the side netting. Late in the game a fantastic 40 yard diagonal pass from Cox picked out the run of Poulter whose effort was parried away by Pearson. The loose ball falling to Luffrum but his shot was superbly blocked away by Froude.
F-T: Reading YMCA 1 Westwood Wanderers 2
An entertaining end of season match which the visitors just did enough to deserve the three points. Reading YMCA battled well throughout and, blooding a couple of younger players, look to have a bright future ahead. The visitors look a good side, they played some lovely passing football at times and always looked dangerous when going forward.
It’s always a pleasure to visit The Cauldron and catch up with some great people at the club. Thanks once again to all for the great hospitality on the day and good luck for next season (I’m already planning an early season visit!). YM are definitely a club doing things the right way and hopefully heading in the right direction on the pitch as well with several younger players stepping up.
Good luck too, to Westwood, for the BTC Senior Trophy Final and into next season where I’m sure our paths will cross again!