Reading Town 3-0 Shortwood United (FLC Final 1st Legg)

The Reading boys face Shortwood in the Floodlit Cup Final this evening for the first legg at Scours Lane. The Second Legg will be played on Tuesday 4th May at Shortwood United. Cya all down there tonight people!!!!

My thoughts to follow of the game later this afternoon.

Here is the report from Royals26 as posted on Tony Kempster's Forum.

A.M. Print & Copy Hellenic Floodlit Cup FINAL 1st leg

Scours Lane

Reading Town 3-0 Shortwood United

Attendance : Official 77 - (Barmy Army 5)

Admission: £6.00 including Programme - quite adequate considering this was 'only' a League Cup competition.

Facilities: My first revisit this season and in spite of several reports elsewhere stating RTFC are working hard to upgrade the ground in readiness for STEP04, I noticed little in the way of tangible improvement.
Can't honestly say I was aware of any Tannoy announcements and only spotted about 60 odd nice new black and red tip up seats down the Town End - uncomfortably close to the Barmy Army - so obviously unused tonight!
There were quite a few bits 'n pieces of Building paraphernalia about, so I can only assume they may well be pressing on in the close season.
I think they may have one more game @ Scours: the much maligned & deserted SCCC - Semi-Final vs Molesey date tba - if it ever gets played.
Looks as if they are getting ready to open up a new entrance down the western end of the Town terrace - behind the Dressing Rooms.
Must be doubtful now if they will be in position to reach the Southern League THIS season. It would take a combination of events preventing the 'Almonds' from stepping up (ground related) and Shortwood would have to fail badly in their last three league games (all at home).

Match: On the pitch - RTFC seemed in good shape particularly 1st half. They moved the ball around very well and were certainly up for this game vs their rivals for promotion.
The return of Graeme Lewis up front after a spell out injured has given the side a lift.
Not too sure that 'The Wood' took it quite so seriously. They were pretty sharp on the ball themselves going forward - particularly down the right - but wasted a few opportunities - especially chasing the game in the 2nd half. They looked terribly out of sorts at the back - all three RTFC goals came from set pieces where the Away defence simply fell apart/asleep and allowed free shots on goal.
Very late Red (2nd Yellow) card given to a Shortwood defender but it wasn't a particularly dirty game.

Unless 'Town' fall apart like they did in the B&B Final recently, I think they will at least have some more 'silverware' albeit not the one they craved. Could yet pick up the SCCC too - most likely by default bearing in mind how many sides have pulled out!

Ref played an inordinate amount of injury time - close to 8 mins - home by 21:50 Pub by 22:00.