Coming into Saturday’s game, our first of five consecutive home games Simon Johnson’s side would’ve been looking to start March as they mean to go capitalising on that home advantage.

With the Rivermoor basking in sunshine and a large crowd gathering, including our special guests RG4 FC who are proudly one of our Community Partner Clubs it was set to be a fantastic matchday down at the moor and City didn’t disappoint.

Having started the game brightly, City had a great chance to take the lead in the fourth minute as a City corner went deep but it was cleared away from any danger by our visitors. It wasn’t long however until we were threatening again and with five minutes on the clock, Ellis Cowd scored the opening goal. A well-delivered free-kick from skipper Josh Baines was converted at the back post after Cowd threw a foot at the loose ball.

With eight minutes gone, City earned a free-kick in the same place as the last but this time Thomas Russell confidently collected it in the air.  City continued to cause problems for the hosts as with eleven minutes gone and we again narrowly missed out on goal after Ellis Cowd put the ball wide from inside the box after Luke Donville delivered the ball in from the touchline.

With quarter of an hour played, Ardley were struggling to get into the game with City’s sustained pressure but the visitors battled for a loose ball in the box, however Charlie York was able to easily collect the low shot which went straight to the keeper’s feet.

City had another corner with seventeen minutes played, but unfortunately it failed to meet a City head and was cleared from any danger.

City’s hard work saw them earn a second goal with twenty five minutes played, as Skipper Josh Baines got on the end of a long throw from Eddie Lazarczuk and calmly slotted it into the bottom right.

With the half hour mark approaching Ardley were awarded a corner and the lofty ball was swatted out of the air by Charlie York before being collected on the ground.

As half-time approached Ardley found an equaliser against the run of play. Jimmy Casbieri chased down a through ball and narrowly beat york to the ball, and a single touch was enough to find the net from the outside the box.

Having found a way back into the game Ardley appeared to have a spring in their step and with forty two minutes on the clock, were awarded a free-kick in a shooting position, a dangerous ball was delivered goalwards but was narrowly wide as it sailed over the crossbar.

After a few minutes of added time, the referee called time on the first half and City went in leading at the break.

 

HALF TIME: Reading City 1 v Ardley United 1

The referee got us back underway and City started the second half just as well as the first.

With fifty four minutes played, City saw a great-inswinging corner cleared by the visitors.  Ardley were then reduced to ten men as new-signing Jack Smith who was also making his full debut was sin-binned.

With fifty six minutes played, City restored their two goal cushion as Ellis Cowd bagged his brace. Once again Eddie Lazarczuk delivered a brilliant free-kick and Cowd got a head on it to send it goalwards.

Johnson introduced two fresh pair of legs as the hour mark approached, with Lucas Wynn & Joel Valentin being introduced in replace of Bobbi Emery and Harvey Collins.

With sixty three minutes on the clock, City saw another well-delivered corner cleared inside the six yard box.

Cowd was hungry for his hat-trick and with sixty six minutes gone, found himself first to the ball from an Eddie Lazarczuk throw-in, but Thomas Russell was able to collect the headed effort.

With sixty eight minutes on the clock, Ardley United’s management threw the kitchen sink at us making all five available substitutions at once as Tom Rowlinson, Ty Hamilton, Elliott Osborne-Ricketts, Tyrae Njogu & David Inyang replaced Andi Noka, Jimmy Casbeiri, Gavin James, Declan Benjamin and Finlay Beckett.

With seventy two minutes played, City were awarded a free-kick. The visitors cleared but only as far as Alfie Grant who brought it down outside the box and took a shot towards goal, only to see his effort go out for a goal-kick.

With fifteen minutes of regular time remaining, Ardley’s Tom Rowlinson almost made an immediate impact after being introduced. He broke down the right, and shoots across goal but his effort went wide.

With ten minutes remaining, Johnson once again turned to his bench replacing skipper Josh Baines with Lamin Sankoh. This would be followed by another swap with eight minutes remaining as Lucas Taplin was replaced with Pele Hagger.

With seven minutes on the clock city were awarded a corner kick, and Pele Hagger almost made an instant impact as he delivered a dangerous ball towards the back post only for Thomas Russell to punch it clear.

With five minutes remaining, City were awarded another corner. Despite initially being cleared within the six yard box, it was picked up by Holder, who put it into Sankoh. Unfortunately his uncontested header went wide.

With ninety minutes on the clock. Simon Johnson replaced Luke Donville with Archie Denton.

The referee then called time on proceedings and City were jubilant having secured their first win in thirteen games.

FULL TIME: Reading City 3 v Ardley United 1 

As we enter the business end of the season, the games are coming thick & fast and we’re back in action tomorrow night as we welcome promotion chasing, Harefield United to the Rivermoor in the second of five consecutive home games.