Shrivenham 0-0 Reading Town (24th Jan)

Reading Town take on 13th placed Shrivenham away from home this weekend. Reading Town are currently unbeaten in their last 8 league games which has seen then climb up the table to 4th in the league. The last time these two met was on the 28th Oct. When the Town beat Shrivenham 4-2 in the Berk & Berks at Scours Lane when it was absolute freezing and it was even snowing what made things worse.

My computer should hopefully be fixed today so I can upload the videos. I might be going to the game tomorrow. I will let you all know if I am going to the game by posting in the forum!!!!

Sticky Shrivy pitch means a 0-0 Draw (24th Jan)

Reading Town had a good opportunity to score in the 6th minute, but Graham Lewis shot went wide of the mark. The Town followed up with another decent chance to score when Will Bratt toe poked it, in which the keeper palmed away for a corner kick in the 11th minute. Just three minutes later the Shrivenham goalkeeper fumbled the ball from a cross but the follow up was put wide. Soon after Shrivy had a shot but it was straight at Chris Grace to make it a comfortable save. Reading Town then had another great chance to go ahead when Aaron Parfitt crossed it in from the right to Brookys who fired the ball wide in 17th minute. Just one minute later James Clark had a chance to open the scoring but he didn't get enough on the header and the ball was cleared away. Shrivenham then had a chance in the 37th minute but the ball looped over the bar. Ian Brooks then received treatment after going for a 50/50 ball in the 39th minute. Shrivenham then had the chance open the scoring but the diving header was put wide.

Opening few minutes of the 2nd half saw both sides have half chances. Shrivenham then had a shot in the 53rd minute which was well tipped over by Chris Grace. In the 65th minute were the Town awarded a free-kick in a good position in which the effort by Suarez went wide. Just a few minutes later Chris Grace was receiving treatment. Reading Town were still trying to find the opening goal which saw Suarez effort go wide. Graham Lewis had a good opportunity to score in the 69th minute but the keeper kept it out to keep the scores level. Suarez was then involved in a tackle which saw him slowly limp off in the 74th minute. Reading Town were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position but Sam Fleggs effort could only find the keepers hand and not the back of the net. Just a few minutes later saw Ivan Fernades go on a run down the right wing into the penalty box in which he pulled it back for Graham who fired high into the trees. Shrivy then had a chance late on to seal the game off but the header went over.

Summary: 1st half and Reading Town were found guilty of missing 3 or 4 good chances to go ahead. Shrivenham also had some decent chance to score but didn’t put them into the back of the net. The pitch was very sticky, slippery and it also bobbled so it was hard to string any kind of pass together on the deck. 2nd half not as many chances as the 1st but there were still a few decent chances which didn’t find the back of the net.

Enjoyable afternoon out with the Reading Town players creating the bulk of the chances.
Not at all easy to play any kind of flowing football on a pudding of a pitch.
Already looking forward to Bicester next Saturday.
Thanks to both Rob Hopkins and Robb Forty for recognising the Barmy Army and your kind words and hospitality.
Hope that you bring some singing fans to Scours Lane in March - very quiet yesterday, were they shy?

Dont worry we will be turning up at your place, Is it easy to get to from the train station?

Shrivy Lad wrote:Dont worry we will be turning up at your place, Is it easy to get to from the train station?

It is fairly easy to get to Scours Lane by train that's if it's not snowing Will you lot be bringing your massive flag and also a singing set of fans to our place?

By Train

When making the journey to Scours Lane you can go to Reading Station in which you have to catch the No 17 bus to the bottom of Norcot Road and then walk over the zebra crossings, under the railway bridge, then turn right and follow the signs to Reading Town Football Club. Or you can go to Reading West station, head east on Ormsby St toward Argyle then turn left at Argyle St. You will now be on the Oxford Road and keep going for about 1.4 miles, past Norcot Road and it will be the first right opposite Bramswhaw Road then carry down Scours Lane and follow the signs to Reading Town Football Club.

Bus is probably easiest way if you're coming in on the train. The number 17 is fairly frequent, every seven minutes something like that. Takes about 10 minutes to get from town to Norcot Junction. It's about a five minute walk to a 17 bus stop from the station and a five minute walk from Norcot Junction to the ground. £3.20 for a return ticket (Reading Buses don't give change either). There's also a number 16 service which stops at Norcot Junction as well. The 16 you can get from right outside the station, but it's less frequent than the 17. There's a couple of links to timetables for those two buses below.

16 bus timetable
17 bus timetable (Cheapside would probably be the best stop in town to get the 17 from.)

I take it you'd be getting the train from Swindon as well? Don't think Swindon to Reading trains stop at Tilehurst (pretty sure they don't actually), but if they do then I think it's about a 15-20 minute walk from there to the ground, the 16 probably also stops somewhere near the station. Could also change and Didcot and then get a Oxford-Reading train which stops at Tilehurst. Also might be worth buying two tickets for the journey, one from Swindon to Didcot, the other from Didcot to Swindon, as it's often cheaper that way. Reading West is fairly useless imo unless you're coming up on the Reading-Basingstoke line. Going into the main Reading Station it'd be a lot quicker just to get a bus than it would be to wait for a train to Reading West.