Sunday October 11th Home to Wimbledon Town

Reading Girls v Wimbledon Town 1-2

This was the U18’s first home game off the season and we were determined to start well.

Team News:  4-2-3-1  (Gk) Sophie G, (RB) Nicole R, (LB) Georgia C, (RCB) Bobby L, (LCB) Harriett R, (DM) Bianca R, (DM) Charlie B, (AMR) Chloe M, (AML) Louise C, (AMC) Katie W,  (CF) Becky Knox.  
SUBS: Nicole S, Georgia G, Lisa S

Players missing from today’s Line up were Katy M, Rachel K, Gurneet C, Charlotte R & Sophie L.

First Half

This was a top of the table clash and the opening 15mins were very cagey with both teams holding back waiting for the other to start attacking first.
Reading created the first meaningful chance of the game after some great work from Becky holding up the ball she played Chloe in on goal her shot was close skimming the post. The defences were defiantly on top and an interesting game was unfolding before crowd.
The game was becoming a very feisty affair with neither team backing down in particular Bianca and Bobby put in a few tasty looking challenges but this didn’t faze either team.
After some great work from Katie in the middle of the park she freed Louise down the left, she cut inside the fullback delivering a dangerous ball into the box with Becky and Chloe both inches away from putting Reading into the lead.
Georgia C swung in a dangerous looking corner that the Wimbledon keeper just managed to claw back from underneath the bar, the resulting clearance fell to Bianca on the edge of the box and her first time shot went close although off target.
Half-time the score was 0-0.

Second Half

Wimbledon started the 2nd half at a blistering pace and caught Reading by surprise, from a direct free kick 25 yards out there striker scored a powerful effort hitting the bar on its way leaving Sophie no chance in the Reading goal, 1-0 to Wimbledon.
Reading looked shell shocked and straight from Kick off Wimbledon scored again, they broke down the right a simple cross into the box the UN marked striker had the whole goal to aim for and scored 2-0 Wimbledon.
Readings Management duo had a few hard decisions to make 2-0 down 35mins left and a team in shock. 2 substitutions were made and a change in formation we went to a basic 4-4-2 with Becky & Charlie making way for Nicole S & Littlefoot.
The impact was instantaneous with Reading finally starting to pile on the pressure but with Wimbledon relying on the long ball to counter attack they looked dangerous. Reading had Harriett to thank for keeping the score 2-0 as she matched the Wimbledon stride for stride before putting in a great challenge to deny the striker a goal scoring opportunity.
Chloe & Louise were looking dangerous and they wanted the ball, Littlefoot looked calm and assured in possession and Katie & Nicole S looked lively with their link up play. 
Finally with 10mins to go we pulled a goal back and it was the goal of the game, Littlefoot won the ball on the left and played the perfect through ball for Nicole Sandhu to take in her stride, she entered the penalty box wide right and buried her shot low and hard across the keeper 2-1.
Louise broke down the left after a powerful drop kick from Sophie but the Wimbledon defence crowed her out, Wimbledon were on the back foot and Reading were driving forward, this was the football we had prayed for from the start of the 2nd half.
Bianca won the ball on the half way line and played the ball through for Nicole S to run on to she was through 1 on 1 but at the last moment the ball bobbled (damn pitch) and she shot wide. Reading were to get one last chance in the dying moments Littlefoot went through on a great run, she tried to take it around the keeper but the Wimbledon keeper got a strong hand to the ball and knocked it clear.
It was very good physical game which suited Readings defender Bobby, she put in a few of the best challenges I’ve seen from a centre half today.
The Final score was 2-1 to Wimbledon Town.

Summary

Reading were given a lesson on finishing today as Wimbledon Town didn’t get many chances but they took them well. It was a close game and both teams played well, a draw would have been the right result but that’s football.
The girls have bonded very well as a team but still seem to lack a little bit of self belief and I feel a little bit of complacency has started to drift into some of the girls, this is a tough league that they are in and each game must be 100% start to finish.

Next week we are at Away to Abbey Rangers

Thanks

Craig Gareppo
Reading Under 18’s