Report by The Enforcer

Fever 1-2 Reading

Fever were edged out of this one by fierce local rivals Reading in a match that could easily have gone either way. With player-manager John Matthews sitting this one out through injury, an opportunity was presented to Rob Milne, who partnered Nick Wehmeier in attack. The Fuller-Sweeney partnership was in place in central midfield, and it was Fever who drew first blood in the early exchanges when Milne cut the ball back from the byline to find Fuller arriving on the edge of the box. His drive dipped and swerved into the corner of the net. Fuller almost repeated the feat with a similar effort that, if anything, was struck too well and flew over the bar.

Reading started to cause problems of their own with a direct approach, testing in particular the pace of Geoff Carter. Eventually, this strategy brought dividends after a Reading striker was felled on the edge of the box. The resulting free-kick was expertly curled beyond the despairing grasp of keeper Danny Wells.

In the second half the pattern was largely dictated by a succession of Fever chances that involved Milne being thwarted by last-ditch tackles, reflex saves, or a combination of both. After a period of possession, Fever eventually were forced backwards, played themselves into trouble, and a slip by the otherwise immaculate Nick Holloway allowed a Reading forward to break through and slot the ball calmly past the advancing Wells.

Fever pressed for an equaliser, but were unable to break the visitors' stalwart defending.

Fever: Danny Wells; Andy Clyde, Andy Hill, Nick Holloway, Geoff Carter; Steve Fuller, Russell McSweeney, Paul Lucas, James Longshaw, Steve Gilbert; Nick Wehmeier, Rob Milne