Game day at the Rivermoor for Baptiste and Olaide’s squad, as our Under 23s hosted fifth-placed Burghfield in RG30 as they head into the business end of the season, with five games to go.

Ahead of Saturday’s match-up, the management team opted to make six changes in personnel, with Declan Joyce, Eddie Lazarczuk, Liam Baker, Harrison Bayley, Tafari Downes and Bilal Malik exiting the squad in place of Finley Meikle, Charlie Gmiterek, Daniel Watkiss, Jahson Downes, Andrew Tafeni and Mickael Vaisset, with the latter named as captain once again.

Matei Corbu and Matthew Ramirez both returned to the matchday squad, joined on the bench by Mael Le Paih, Taha Menshawi and Josh Baines. Alex Collie, Luke Donville, Alfie Ward, McKoy Palmer and Bless-Him Kimpiats all retained their places in the starting lineup.

Our Cityzens donned their yellow away kit for this fixture, with Burghfield sporting their blue home kit.

Kick-Off: City U23s 0-0 Burghfield

The skipper got us underway, and the first glimpse of an attack came from the home team. A decent run from Meikle laid off a chance to Tafeni, but a deflection darted the ball out for a set piece. A punch from Burghfield ‘keeper Jamie Froude and a headed clearance from Simmons ended the attack.

The first clear cut chance for the visiting team came in the form of a free kick, with the effort crashing into the four-man City wall at the corner of the box, with the recycled ball cleared by Kimpiats and Vaisset.

The boys in blue broke the deadlock shortly after, with a close-range effort from defender Luke Donville, who poked home a ball at the near post, crashing up and into the top of the net to give us the lead!

The Fielders attempted to respond instantly, with a dangerous ball pushed down the channels, but City shot-stopper Alex Collie punched away the risky ball, with forward McKoy Palmer heading it clear. Called into action once again, the Reading goalkeeper defended a cross from the left, distributing it back upfield. Gmiterek beat his marker and controlled the ball in the midfield before passing into the path of forward Tafeni, but he was dispossessed in the Burghfield box.

A sublime build-up from the City strike force saw Ward unleash an effort from distance, dipping just over the bar as the Cityzens continued to pile on the pressure and search for a second. 

Shouts for a penalty rang from the away dugout as Burghfield’s Harry Harper was fouled at the edge of the area, but the visitors were awarded a free kick instead. A low block from Collie at his left post prevented the Fielders from levelling.

Just before the break, a tidy save from Collie and some fancy footwork from midfielder Downes to allow City to have a final moment of attack. An interception from Burghfield’s Ryan Farmer switched the direction of play, and in the search for an equaliser, Palmer crucially cleared a strike, and the whistle blew to signal the end of a good first 45 for Baptiste’s side.

Half Time: City U23s 1-0 Burghfield

The visitors got us underway and the first chance of the half fell to Simmons, who crossed to Ollie Brown. The Fielders’ forward cut inside and equalised with a strike at the near post, whipping a ball in from six yards out.

All square at fifty minutes, with the latest chance sourced from the visiting Harry Harper, who sent in a dangerous attempt from around twenty yards out, but dragged it just wide in a moment of relief for City. Shortly after, a chance at the back post for Palmer took a deflection, with the recycled ball ricocheting between players in the box. Burghfield’s Harrison Armitage started a counter attack, pressing forward, calling Collie into action once again. Supported by Gmiterek, he calmly parried away the chance.

Harper continued to pose questions for Baptiste’s team, beginning an attack down the left, with defenders Vaisset and Watkiss standing strong to stop the striker at the edge of the eighteen yard box, before the linesman raised his flag to end the momentum.

Baptiste turned to his bench for inspiration and Mickael Vaisset exited the fray in place of Taha Menshawi, handing his armband over to Jahson Downes.

A volleyed strike from Tafeni from around fifteen yards out, whipped in from the middle, was unfortunately hit with slightly too much power, flying over the net and out of play. A follow-up effort was started by Ward, with the forward feeding a great through ball to Palmer, who attempts to dash it home from the left, but his chance flashes across the face of the goal and out for a goal kick.

Soon after, City took the lead once again – through another defender! An inswinging effort dipped in flight into the area, with a scramble in the box, before ‘keeper Froude pushed away an initial strike. Meikle picked up the second ball at the right post and slotted it home to make it two for the home team.

A second change for the home side arrived shortly after, with centre midfielder Charlie Gmiterek making way for Mael Le Paih. 

It wasn’t long until the scores were tied yet again, with forward Ollie Brown netting his second of the afternoon with a top corner strike to claim his brace. 

With twenty to go, a brilliant ball from Menshawi was palmed away by Froude, but the recycled ball took a deflection and rolled out for a corner. The resulting set play was claimed by the Fielders’ shot-stopper, and Baptiste made a third switch in personnel as Matei Corbu was introduced in place of goalscorer Finley Meikle.

Harry Peters became the fourth player to score a goal in this fixture, putting the visitors ahead through a lofted ball after a one-v-one in the six yard box. A final substitution for City saw Baptiste exchange defender Bless-Him Kimpiats for Matthew Ramirez. Burghfield used their momentum and doubled their lead after Harry Harper smashed home an effort from close range.

Recently-introduced Ramirez halved the deficit in the final minute of regular time with a low ball which skimmed the ground, bringing City a goal closer to sharing the points.

Added time saw the pressure increase for the home team, with Collie getting fingertips to a dangerous long-ranged strike. In the final moments of the match, Palmer was played into the area and half-volleyed an effort, but he hit the ball with just too much power and his strike was unfortunately skied. 

The referee called time on an eventful game down at the Rivermoor, with Burghfield leaving with all three points.

Full Time: City U23s 3-4 Burghfield

A positive afternoon out despite the scoreline, but a brilliant second half for Burghfield saw a comeback which our Under 23s side sadly couldn’t return from. A great game for the neutrals with seven goals and six goalscorers, but it just wasn’t meant to be for Baptiste and Olaide’s side.

We wish Burghfield FC all the best for their final game of the season! Thank you to everyone who came down to support the teams this weekend.

Tonight was our Under 23s’ penultimate game on the road, and it was Reading v Reading, as our young side travelled to face Reading YMCA down at The Cauldron. An impressive 4-1 victory, with Andrew Tafeni, Bless-Him Kimpiats, Mael Le Paih and Alfie Ward each netting to bag the three points. A big win for the lads!

We hope you can join our young side as they are set to face Tadley Calleva Reserves away down at Barlows Park on Wednesday – all support would be appreciated!