Magpies suffer heavy defeat upon exit of Berks & Bucks Senior Cup

 

Maidenhead United were royally eliminated from the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup following a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Reading Academy on Tuesday night. 

 

A youthful, yet experienced, Reading side came to York Road and showed their class while securing a spot in the semi-finals.  

 

It was one-way traffic from the off as Reading broke the deadlock just five minutes into proceedings, Sean Patton was on hand to turn in Ashqar Ahmed's cutback from just six yards out.  

 

The Royals made it two just ten minutes later, this time it was Patton's strike partner on the night, Reece Evans. A summer recruit from Queen's Park, Evans broke through the United defence before slotting coolly past Harvey Collins. 

 

Just under halfway through the half it was three-nil Reading. A well crafted move down the right saw the ball played to the edge of the area where Shay Spencer was perfectly positioned to slide the ball into the bottom right corner and put the game near enough out of United's sight. 

 

As the evening began to go from bad to worse, Will de Havilland was unfortunately forced off with injury - leaving United with just one recognised centre half on the field. However, following the third goal, Maidenhead began to apply a bit more pressure to the Reading defence - something which they hadn't managed in the early exchanges. In the midst of such glimpses of positivity, Corie Andrews forced a good save out of Harrison Rhone before crashing his follow up effort against the post.  

 

The Magpies would pull one back on the stroke of half-time as Sam Barratt looped a corner over Rhone and into the far corner, scoring what I believe is known as an 'Olimpico'. 

 

 

Jordon Ragguette and Josh Popoola came on at the break to provide more threat to what was a pretty blunt sword in the first 45. Popoola came on in his usual fashion, causing trouble down the left flank. While, Ragguette also shored up the defensive line as he slotted in to an uncharateristic centre back position.  

 

Although, like on many occasions on the night, Reading were quick and efficient on the counter and as United pushed for a route back into the game they came undone. Sean Patton drifted wide before delivering low across the area for substitute Basil Tuma to finish in rather unorthodox fashion.  

 

As numbers were committed forward by The Magpies, the ever-dangerous Jeremiah Okine-Peters made it five. He smashed Ahmed's square pass into the top corner leaving both Harvey Collins and United's covering defenders no chance. 

 

 

Magpies: Collins, de Havilland (Cochrane, 25'), Headman, Harriott (Popoola, 45'), Yearwood, Andrews, Pritchard (Ragguette, 45'), Barratt, Dundas, Stewart, Pashley. 

 

Reading Academy: Rhone, Ahmed (Duah), Ryan, Spencer, Stickland, Sackey (Osho), Okine-Peters, Rushesha (Hicks), Evans (Tuma), Camara, Patton