Report by John Matthews

Reading fans 4 Raging Fever 2

With Grays struggling to raise a team, Raging Fever made the short trip to renew their acquaintance with the fans team at Reading.

Both sides started in a cagey fashion but it was Fever that had the better of the opening exchanges. The first chance came when Stuart Burson (in an unfamiliar forward role) headed the ball through to John Matthews, who rounded the keeper but was defeated by the tight angle. Reading responded with good wing play and a number of dangerous crosses led to several headers flashing just wide.

Fever made the breakthrough when Thom Airs played a delightful through ball to Matthews, who struck home from 20 yards. Airs then almost doubled the lead with a thumping shot from 35 yards that rattled the bar, and James Longshaw was unlucky with a follow-up shot. The Fever defence of Andy Clyde, Nick Holloway, Geoff Carter, and Pat Wehmeier stood firm, despite good pressure from the home side, to leave the score 1-0 at half-time.

Immediately after the break, disaster struck when, following a clearance from a corner, a Reading striker struck a low firm shot through a sea of legs to give keeper Joel Harrison little chance. Buoyed by their equaliser, Reading continued to press and only stout defending from George Dugdale and Paul Lucas kept them out. It was Fever though that regained their lead when James Simpson turned neatly to fire home a low shot following a goalmouth scramble.

Once again though the home side replied, this time after a considerable series of mix-ups in the Fever defence. With the game stretched, chances came thick and fast for both sides, and both Matthews and Guillermo Lopez were unlucky to see their shots saved. With two minutes to go, the home side took the lead following another defensive error and Fever heads dropped. Fever pressed hard for an equaliser and pushed almost the whole team forward for a last-ditch attempt to score from a corner. This was cleared though, and Reading broke to score a fourth and seal the game.

Fever: Joel Harrison, George Dugdale, Pat Wehmeier, Geoff Carter, Andy Clyde, Nick Holloway, James Longshaw, James Simpson, Thom Airs, Paul Lucas, Guillermo Lopez, John Matthews, Stuart Burson

Goals: John Matthews, James Simpson