The weather wasn’t great it was bitterly cold and the wind was blowing hard but at least it wasn’t raining, game on.
Bobby was today’s Capt in the absence of Katie.

Team News:  4-3-2-1  (Gk) Sophie G, (RB) Nicole R, (LB) Georgia C, (RCB) Bobby L, (LCB) Bianca R, (CM) Charlie B, (CM) Nadine R, (CM) Becky K,  (CFL) Louise C, (CFR) Chloe M,  (CF) Nicole S.  
SUBS: Lisa S & Georgia G.

Players missing from today’s Line up were Harriet R, Katie W & Leanne G.

First Half

The girls went into this game optimistic after having not played a competitive game in the last 6 weeks. Reading was trying a variation of their normal formation keeping a solid spine and getting width from the fullbacks.
The game almost started with disaster, in the first few minutes the Guildford striker burst into the penalty area only to be fouled by Nicole R, a blatant penalty in my opinion but only the Guildford manager was appealing, the ref claimed he saw nothing wrong the challenge (right result).
This let off was just the tonic the girls needed to shake off the rust from their 6 week layoff and then they started to play attractive attacking football.
The movement of the front three was a joy to watch 3 weeks of training was paying off. The midfield 3 were dominating and the game was exciting to watch, the girls played with a flair that I haven’t seen before this season and for better finishing the game would have been in double figures at half time.
Louise opened the scoring with a rare but superb headed goal after some great work down the right from Nic S and a pin point cross to Louise who powered her header home 1-0 to Reading.
The second goal followed shortly afterwards,  Charlie won the ball and played a quick 1-2 with Becky and then played the ball wide for Chloe, Chloe played a great ball infield for Nic S, she turned one player and dummied another before cooling placing her shot bottom right 2-0 to Reading.
Reading were playing keep ball and Guildford were chasing shadows it was a amazing to watch the best session of possession football played this season.
Shortly before halftime Reading made it 3-0 and Nic S scored the goal of the game hell it should be voted goal of the month, Bobby played the ball wide to Georgia who played the ball down the line to Louise she knocked back for Nadine who played it first time into Nic S feet, Nic was 30 yards from goal she turned beat 2 players and from 22 yards drilled her shot in off the left hand post. 3-0 at Halftime and the game was as good as over, the football had been slick and Guildford ran ragged.

Second Half

After a good team talk the girls were pumped up for the 2nd half and went straight on the attack and Chloe quickly added to the score with a well placed shot after being put through by one on one by Nic S, she buried her shot bottom left hand corner 4-0.
Nadine went on a mazy run down the left after beating 2 players she crossed the ball into the area everyone missed it except Louise as she calmly side footed home her 2nd goal 5-0.
Possession was good and the range of passing was exceptional, the girls were playing intelligent High Tempo football the victory was never in doubt it was just a case of how many was it going to be.
65mins gone and Littlefoot came on to replace Central midfielder Charlie.
20mins to go and Nic S secured her 4th Hattrick of the season with a simple but well taken side foot volley, Louise floated over a great corner and Nic applied the finish 6-0. Guildford looked a bit dejected but there striker kept causing us problems she was quick and had a great shot, Sophie was tested a few times but had it all under control.
Louise grabbed her hattrick with a great solo run, after some neat build up play involving  most of the team and consisting of roughly 18 passes the ball fell to Louise on the edge of the area she burst into it taking the ball past 2 defenders holding off the third and powerfully beat the keeper at her near post making the score 7-0.
78mins gone and Lisa came on to replace the tireless right back Nicole R.
Littlefoot played the ball wide to Georgia, she played it back to Bobby who in turn played it to Bianca, B looked up and played the ball into Becky’s feet, she played it first time to Chloe who knocked it back to Lisa, Lisa strode forward shimmed around one player and shot from 20 yards out the keeper misjudged the flight of the ball and it bounced into the back of the net with the keeper scrambling to try and keep it out, 8-0 and Lisa’s first every goal for Reading Girls.
Fulltime and a great 8-0 victory for Reading Girls.  
 

Summary

Take into account that hadn’t played for near on 6 weeks this was an amazing performance. The girls played a possession game kept the ball for large periods of the game, the opposition were resorted to playing long ball but Sophie was quick off her line and dealt with the threat very well. In the first half the Midfield 3 Charlie, Becky, Nadine controlled everything and this meant we dominated possession and played with some style. The movement of my front 3 was awesome every time we attacked they looked dangerous and created chance after chance the Guildford backline just couldn’t handle them. I was also very pleased with the way we played out from the back with controlled passing even under pressure, this was a great performance and I am full of pride. 

Next week’s fixture is yet to be organised.

Thanks

Craig Gareppo
Reading Under 18’s