Battle of the Towns see Reading come out on top

In the first ever competitive meeting between Woodley Town and Reading Town a crowd of 182 witnessed a thrilling game where Reading Town ran out 6 - 3 victors. Goals from Jim Nightingale, Jamie Fairchild and Sam Cripps were not enough as the Hellenic Premier side ran out worthy winners.

Woodley had the first chances of the game. Nightingale was afforded a free header from an Adam Jeffrey corner ten yards out but his effort cleared the bar. Nick Edwards put Luke Williams clear but his lob was too high of the target.

Reading Town then took advantage racing to a two goal lead as Jamie Pierce on eighteen minutes and ex Woodley player Lyle Smith on the half hour reacted quickest, as Woodley were punished for their sloppy defending of the second ball. The away side were well on top and when Imran Cooke-Chowdhary misplaced a goal kick, Piercey had the simple task of knocking the ball straight back into the unguarded net two minutes before the break.

The good sized crowd then enjoyed a youth team friendly between the respective team's younger age groups wondering if the score would turn into a mauling or if Woodley could muster a comeback.

In the early stages Jamie Fairchild somehow missed the target six yards out when picked out by Williams but the home side got a glimmer of hope as Williams chipped past the Reading Town defence and Nightingale steered a deft lob into the net over the advancing Chris Rackley with thirty five minutes remaining.

Woodley's tails were up but Reading Town were awarded a soft looking penalty five minutes later on a rare attack. Smith appeared to fall and smother the ball with his body and as Dan Jewell tried to secure possession with him on top of the ball he was adjudged to have fouled the forward. Luke Farrugia smashed home the penalty to make it 4 - 1 but there was to be plenty more action to come.

Rackley then received his marching orders when Danny Isaiew was clean through and when he went to round Rackley, the young keeper handled outside his area and he was shown the red card.

Farrugia picked up the gloves and was immediately in action as he pulled off a fantastic save from a Nightingale header to tip the ball over the bar. Woodley looked threatening and substitute Billy Gordon, Sam Cripps and Williams started to ask questions of the Reading Town defence. The away side put big Mike Hancock up front and he won a header to set up Piercey to restore the three goal advantage, despite what looked like a foul in the build up.

Pushing players forward Fairchild reduced the arrears when he pressured Alex Salmon and poked the ball past Farrugia with eight minutes remaining.

Woodley kept pressing and Cripps stabbed home a cross with around three minutes remaining to make the score 5 - 3 and when the powerful forward broke free in the area a minute later, his shot beat Farrugia and smashed against the post and somehow rebounded to safety with three Woodley players closing in. Farrugia nearly dropped a clanger when he lost the ball between his legs and he just about recovered to stop the ball on the line.

Williams continued to terrorise Salmon and balls were flashing across goal but just evading the final touch needed to set up a dramatic finale. Instead Reading Town killed the game in stoppage time as the holes left by the attacking home side were exposed by substitute Danny Lingwood, who cut in and shot past Cooke-Chowdhary. The first half damage was too severe to reverse in the end, but Woodley can take positives from their excellent second half showing into the next two home cup games.

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

Attendance: 182