19th Sep Sat Downton 3-2 Reading Town (FA Vase)

Ok the lads are in FA Vase action this weekend. I won't be attending this game as I am very busy with school work and despretaly been looking for working, waiting to hear back from two companys on wheather or not they will employ me.

Good Luck lads and sorry for not posting it earlier.

I will have a look to see if any groundhoppers went to this game and if so I will post their match report on here and also the website.

Just spoke to brother to get the result. Apparently Reading Town 3-0 at half time, pitch very poor. RT keeper made two saves from penalties and RT got back into in the 2nd half but couldn't get the equaliser. Rt were playing without either first choice centre back - Mark is suffering from an ankle injury and it being rested ahead of the Shortwood game.

At least with the cups out of the way it leaves the path clear for the league!

hughesj13 wrote:Just spoke to brother to get the result. Apparently Reading Town 3-0 at half time, pitch very poor. RT keeper made two saves from penalties and RT got back into in the 2nd half but couldn't get the equaliser. Rt were playing without either first choice centre back - Mark is suffering from an ankle injury and it being rested ahead of the Shortwood game.

At least with the cups out of the way it leaves the path clear for the league!

Spot on mate just what i was thinking.

http://www.nlpl.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?post=195279;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

Posted by Dr Love

Downton 3-2 Reading Town
FA Vase

Admission: £5
Programme: 50p
Tea: 70p (not the best tasting)
Attendance: 61 (official)

The ground is behind the leisure centre, and more than reasonable for this level. Stand with plenty of bench seating offers the only cover. Large social club with tea bar in the same block. Plenty of building work going on next door and plenty of tree gives this a very enclosed feel. A couple of hoppers from Kent (?) in attendance too.

Game itself not great and I have to declare myself disappointed with the Reading performance. Not convinced by the referee (the assistants much better) and he kept Reading in this tie.

Downton dominated the first half and scored after only a minute. Ten minutes later the visiting keeper brought down a Downton player who was almost certain to score. Penalty (fair enough) and a yellow card (could have been red). He then saved the penalty. Several good Downton chances and nothing at the other end. The Reading captain could also have gone for a studs up challenge (again only yellow). Five minutes from the break another penalty and another save. The resulting corner did lead to a 2-0 scoreline and it was soon 3-0.

Two subs at half time, including the captain going off and a rested Leis coming on. More even for about 20 minutes and not really exciting. Another Reading sub and then a incident which should have killed the game off. The Reading #2 was ordered off because of a cast on his arm. Cue protests that he'd been allowed in the previous two games and if the ref had a problem he should have done something earlier on.

After a penalty appeal turned down for diving two goals in a minute opened the game up. A free kick with two minutes of the 90 to play hit the bar. A couple of half chances and a home player sent off later a recovery wasn't to be.

I do think Downton were underestimated, but with only about 4/5 first team players not starting Reading really don't look like they have enough strength in depth to maintain a Helleinc title challenge.

The trouble with Reading Town in the past from my perspective is their inconsistency, especially early season which so far they seemed to have ironed out. They tend to smash a top six team 6-0 one week then lose/draw to a lowly team the next. So far i can't really see an exceptional stand out team in this league like it was with Hungerford and Shortwood last season, and RT have already at this early stage opened a gap from teams mid table down. It will be a big test on Saturday when they visit Shortwood United who look one of the main rivals to the title, so if RT can get atleast a draw from that game it will be a good result imo. By being knocked out of the cups will lesson the chances of injuries to players who can give it a real go to reach the promised land of the Southern League next season.