RFL Mortimer no match for Town

A third successive home cup match saw Town face Reading Senior Division members Mortimer, who are not enjoying the best of seasons and sit in the wooden spoon position.

From the outset Town were the superior side with their passing and ball retention making it very difficult for the visitors to mount and serious challenge in the first half with their best opportunity coming from a shout for a penalty on eleven minutes when referee Michael Rowley deemed Dan Jewell’s challenge to be legitimate

Earlier Adam Jeffrey had an excellent chance to open the scoring when Nick Edwards found him unmarked in the penalty area. However, the winger chose to run with the ball rather than shoot immediately before firing over the cross bar. Edwards also saw his shot from a Jewell pass smothered by the ever green John Bates in the Mortimer goal before Jamie Fairchild opened the scoring on twelve minutes when his close range shot from a Luke Williams pass was deflected past Bates.

Town remained in the ascendancy and doubled the lead after twenty five minutes with Eliot Whitehouse scoring his first for the club from distance when his dipping shot evaded the diving Bates into his top left hand corner. Such a strike would normally be contender for goal of the match but Danny Isaiew’s technique to control and turn in scoring eight minutes later was of good quality.

The second half saw Town apply pressure with Luke Williams and Richard Thomas tormenting the right back and constantly getting crosses into the penalty area. However, the defending of veteran Terry Long and goal keeping of Bates denied Town until the closing minutes of the match.

Edwards shot wide from a strong position while Jeffrey saw one shot hit the post and another from close range parried by Bates.

Mortimer continued to show much pressure for the possession they did mange and the best effort of the second half was a long range shot from Mark Edwards on fifty minutes.

Having seen one penalty claim turn downed and the referee play advantage following a second foul on him, Williams would be forgiven for thinking it was not going to be his day, but he got his reward two minutes from time with a close range tap in for Town’s fourth.

The win gives the team a quarter final tie at Flackwell Heath in February.

Next up for Town is the visit of leaders Henley Town to East Park Farm as league action is resumed.

Cooke - Chowdhary, Jewell, Thomas, Edwards (Cripps), Nightingale, Baxter, Jeffrey, Whitehouse (Holloway), Fairchild, Isaiew (Witt), Williams, Sub Not Used: Varndell

Attendance: 36