On a cold December afternoon, the City faithful gathered at the Rivermoor as the Cityzens returned home, their first game in RG30 for a month due to the recent bad weather wreaking havoc with our fixture schedule.

With this also being our first game of December due the recent storms, Johnson would be hoping to begin the festivities with a win as we move into a crucial part of the season.

The game got underway with City in their beloved Blue and our visitors in Red. It was British Airways who soared into action and forced an early save out of Johnathan O’Sullivan in the City goal, the Irishman put the ball wide for a corner. The subsequent corner kick failed to threaten City as it fails to enter the field of play and O’Sullivan got things moving again with a goal kick.

British Airways continued to put pressure on City’s back line and their perseverance paid off as with four minutes on the clock, our visitors picked up the ball from a short goal kick leaving Charles John to fire it home, well out of the reach of O’Sullivan.

City fought back straightaway and having earnt a corner in the seventh minute and we had our equaliser. A delightful inswinging corner courtesy of Pele Hagger went in unaided at the back post.

In a high-tempo battle between the two teams with end-to-action as we approached the quarter of an hour mark, British Airways were awarded a free kick on the right wing. An outswinging ball failed to threaten City as it was cleared and put out for a goal kick having come off a man in Red.

With seventeen minutes played there was a stoppage in play as a player in Red required treatment in their box after picking up a knock on their thigh.

Play resumed with the injured player being given the all clear to continue. With nineteen minutes played City were awarded another corner. Pele Hagger sent another dangerous ball towards the box, but this one was cleared off the line.

Josh Baines then hit it first time out side of the D and our skipper won us another corner. The second corner once again threatened as it caused a scramble on the goal line, but it was cleared from any real danger.

City had a great chance to take the lead with twenty one minutes on the clock, Ewan Lynch was played in over the top but British Airways keeper Charlie Ross rushed out from between the sticks and won the 50/50.

City had another chance with twenty three minutes played as our throw-in specialist, Eddie Lazarczuk played a quick throw to Ewan Lynch. Lynch got to the ball but couldn’t beat the keeper.

With half hour played, British Airways were awarded a corner. The subsequent corner kick was well placed and met the head of a player in Red, however the ball was hit up and over the bar and O’Sullivan got us back underway with a goal kick.

With thirty five minutes played, play had to be stopped due to a horrible challenge on a Cityzen, which caused uproar. The referee stepped in and issued cards on both sides following the melee. Mark Webb was cautioned for the tackle as were Eddie Lazarczuk and Lamin Sankoh for their reaction.

As a result of the stoppages, the referee indicated there would be added time at the end of the first half. With two minutes of additional time played, the Cityzens took the lead for the first time as Ewan Lynch finished Lucas Wynn’s low cross inside the 6-yard box.

The referee called time on the first half and City went in leading at the break.

HALF TIME: Reading City 2 v British Airways 1

Back underway and the Cityzens flew out of the traps.

With forty eight minutes played, Ewan Lynch continued to cause problems for our visitors beating his man down the left wing before carrying the ball into the box and then firing it towards goal, only for Charlie Ross to stop the shot.

With fifty minutes played, British Airways broke down the left hand side and played a low cross into the box, however the cross failed to find anyone and instead goes out for a throw on the far side.

With fifty two minutes played British Airways had their first shot of the half, but rather than troubling us it flew over the bar.

With the hour mark approaching Lucas Wynn made it 3-1. Pele Hagger delivered a fantastic cross out on the left wing which Lucas met with his head and nodded it goalwards.

On the hour, British Airways looked to their bench and introduced fresh legs with Mark Webb and Dylan Hearn being replaced with Shaun Aram and Calum Coen.

With sixty one minutes played, Simon Johnson would also make a change to personnel, with Rob Gerrard replacing Luke Donville.

City had another brilliant chance to extend their lead with seventy eight minutes played after a long throw from Eddie Lazarczuk fell to Lucas Wynn on the back post, unfortunately however a missed timed effort sees the ball put out for a throw in on the other side of the box.

With thirty minutes of regular time left on the clock, Simon Johnson made his second swap of the afternoon as Declan Joyce replaced Lamin Sankoh.

With seventy two minutes played, a great ball is played to Lynch from skipper Baines. Lynch gets a free header but his effort narrowly goes over the bar.

Simon Johnson made his third change of the afternoon with twelve minutes of regular time left as Mckoy Palmer replaced Lucas Wynn.

With ten minutes of regular time left there was action at either end, Mckoy Palmer made an instant impact having only been brought on minutes earlier by driving play into the British Airways box, our visitors however were able to clear and immediately launched a counter-attack down the right wing. Ellis Cowd tracked his man and cleared to close down the counter attack.

With five minutes of regular time remaining, Pele Hagger beat his man down the left wing and played a short ball to Lynch who then flicked it on to Baines who was running in. The skipper hits it first time, but rocketed it into the Rivermoor car park.

With just three minutes of regular time remaining, Johnson made his fourth substitution of the afternoon as Bobbi Emery replaced Joel Valentin.

With two minutes of regular time remaining, Johnson would make his fifth and final substition of the afternoon as Phil Veal replaced Ewan Lynch.

In the final minute of regular time, City were awarded a free kick in a shooting position but it came to nothing as we headed into added time.

With five additional minutes played, O’Sullivan pulled off a superb save to keep the visitors at bay, clearing his top right corner.

The referee called time on proceedings and the Cityzens would be happy to start the festive period with a big three points.

FULL TIME: Reading City 3 v British Airways 1

City are back in action on Tuesday night, when they make the short journey to Ascot where they’ll face Berks County in an all-Berkshire Combined Counties Football League Premier Division North clash.