A Sunday trip to Reading to catch up with AFC Reading and Wargrave at the Berkshire County Sports Ground was the choice for this week. I had planned to have a Reading v Wargrave weekend but unfortunately the Reading YMCA league game on the Saturday was replaced by a cup tie which in turn didn’t go ahead!

A train to Reading and a bus later I was on the walk to the ground in the late autumn sunshine via a brilliant little bakery on the way, where I just had to try a hot chicken tandoori baguette and a Belgian bun, it would have been rude not to!  

Going into the game, AFC had a perfect league record, four wins from four and scoring for fun with Ida Manneh already hitting eleven league goals plus a further seven in a 9-1 win in a Berks & Bucks Women’s Trophy match against today’s opposition.

The hosts kicked the game off and were soon on the front foot. Talia Clark hooking a ball forward into the path of Manneh who ran down the wing before trying to find the net from outside the box, with the shot just drifting wide of the far post.

The visitors’ high defensive line was being bypassed again and again by long balls over the top with the pace of Manneh and Loren Alsford causing them problems. In the 12th minute one such pass brought about the first goal. Alsford again broke clear, taking the ball into the box and calmly side footing past the advancing Louise Cockrell in the Wargrave goal. 1-0

Three minutes later it was two, with the goal coming from the same route. Alsford’s pace took her away from Katie Hawkes although she battled to stay with the forward, who, under pressure, slid the ball low past Cockrell. 2-0

In the 20th minute Manneh won the ball in midfield before heading off on a run down the right wing where she fired a shot from a wide position which flew goalwards. Cockrell managed to get her hands to it underneath the crossbar but couldn’t keep it out. 3-0

Minutes later Manneh again tried her luck from the right hand side of the box but this time Cockrell managed to get a firm hand to the ball and deflect it onto the post and the ball was cleared.

After the quickfire three goal salvo the game settled down with Wargrave beginning to get a foothold in the game. They had their first real sight of goal when Alison Richardson found space on the edge of the area but only to see her strike go the wrong side of the post.

A great run down the left by Millie Whitmee took her to the byline where she fired a dangerous ball across the six yard box but just too far in front of Charlie Kirk and cleared by the home defence. There was still time for another chance for the hosts with a lofted pass from Unity Clark picking out the run of Alsford who hit a crisp shot early from distance only to see it cannon back off the bar and away to safety.

H-T: AFC Reading 3 Wargrave 0

It was an even start to the second half but with the visitors having a lot more of the possession. On 51 minutes they won a free kick on the right edge of the area with Alison Richardson curling the set piece beautifully over the wall and over Izzie Hester in the home goal. 3-1

AFC Reading struck straight back, an Erin Whiting corner from the right was missed by everybody before dropping on the goalline where Katie Cook got the last touch for an unfortunate own goal although I’m pretty sure Whiting will be claiming it! 4-1

Maddie Underwood made a couple of good runs down the left for Reading while Kirk and Whitmee continued to put in some good attacking runs for Wargrave. Mannah made a great run down the left using her pace and ball skills to take her round three players and just when it looked like she’d opened up a shooting chance, Tilly Harrington covering made a superb tackle to clear the ball away.

On 80 minutes the visitors pulled another goal back. Whitmee picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and fired a low shot into the bottom corner while under pressure. 4-2

Another long ball over the visitors defence was chased by Alsford alongside Richardson. The experienced Wargrave midfielder managed to push Alsford wide and, when she pulled the trigger, managed to block it away for a corner.

Wargrave pushed in the last five to claw another goal back but the final chance of the game fell to Manneh. Her snapshot from just inside the box was just too high.

AFC Reading 4 Wargrave 2

The game was won by the three goals in eight minutes in the first half but you have to give the visitors credit for battling back into the game. AFC Reading looked a little off the pace in the second half and stopped looking for the ball over the top of the visitors defence for Manneh and Alsford to chase, which was so successful in the first half. Manneh and Alsford obviously impressing for the hosts with Ava Sherfield also having a good game.

Wargrave were outgunned for the early parts of the first half and were always up against it after conceding the three quick goals but were on top for large periods in the second. Millie Whitmee and Charlie Kirk impressed up front and Alison Richardson was solid in midfield but my player of the match had to be Tilly Harrington who was comfortable on the ball and looks to be able to read a game really well. She put in an impressive performance making several great stops covering the defence.

Good luck to both teams for the rest of the season and I’ll definitely be making a return journey to the Berkshire Sports Ground and that won’t be anything to do with the fantastic little bakery I discovered on the way. Honest guv!


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