Our young Cityzens travelled down to RG26 last time out to meet with Tadley Calleva Reserves, under the lights at Barlows Park, as their league campaign begins to come to an end. For their penultimate fixture of 2025, the Under 23s management staff implemented five changes to the side who overcame a tough Reading YMCA side to come away 4-1 winners.

Eddie Lazarczuk, Liam Baker, Andrew Tafeni, Will Longmatey and Alfie Ward exited the Starting XI in exchange for Declan Joyce, Harrison Bayley, Rjunior Palmer, Jahson Downes and McKoy Palmer. Reiss Baker and Finley Meikle, who were both part of our Under 18s outfit’s ACFYL title winning squad, joined Bless-Him Kimpiats, Javan Wright-Keizer and Krishnit Timsena on the bench, who retained their places from our previous fixture.

Alex Collie, Taha Menshawi, Mael Le Paih, Mickael Vaisset, Matthew Ramirez and Luke Donville started once again for Baptiste’s team.

Kick-Off: Tadley Calleva Reserves 0-0 City U23s

City started the first half strong, with flurries of chances sourced from set pieces bouncing out or taking deflections at the near post. A lofted corner from Downes narrowly missed Le Paih, who jumped to head the effort home, but the strike was claimed by the Tadley ‘keeper off his line.

A counter attack for the Romans was prevented early by City shot-stopper Collie at his left post, with skipper Vaisset stationed nearby for support. A curving effort from Le Paih was dragged just wide, swung in from outside the area.

The visitors were forced into an early switch, with Captain Mickael Vaisset exiting the fray after taking a knock and receiving treatment, and a straight positional swap saw Bless-Him Kimpiats replace the fullback. Alex Collie took the armband following this change, and City began to build-up an attack in the midfield. A corner for the boys in blue after a well-worked effort from Palmer and Donville led to a deflected strike, but the consecutive set play bounced and was comfortably saved by the goalkeeper.

Another attempt from City was well-defended, with the powerful ball ricocheting out of play for a goal kick. A shot unleashed by the hosts was stopped by Downes, who controlled the ball with his chest to clear the effort away. McKoy Palmer was in on goal, cutting inside and taking a touch with his left foot in the eighteen-yard-box, but unfortunately hit the ball with too much power and sent the chance over the bar.

Tadley began to use set plays to their advantage, with a team effort from the hosts dribbled into the box, flashing across the face of goal and out for a set piece after taking a deflection. Back-to-back corners and a throw saw the ball dashed away, leaving the scores level.

Downes was the first player to be cautioned, with his name going into the book for a high tackle in the centre circle.

The Romans took the lead as the clock ticked over into the thirty-fifth minute, with a shot at the far post slotted home. In an almost immediate response, mere moments later, forward Matthew Ramirez found the equaliser. An initial attempt from Le Paih, with a through ball crossed and fed through by McKoy Palmer, was pushed away, with Menshawi as support, and Ramirez whipped in a shot from distance. Despite goalkeeper Darren Gary’s best efforts when going to ground, the chance bounced off of his gloves and crashed into the top corner of the net!

Heading into the interval, a fairly even contest ended with a goal apiece, with positives to take from both sides’ performances.

Half Time: Tadley Calleva Reserves 1-1 City U23s

Back to it, and each team began vigorously searching for a second. Pressure from Le Paih, McKoy Palmer and Rjunior Palmer ended in an agonizingly close effort as a direct ball hit off of the post from six yards out. 

The Tadley outfit had the advantage once again after a ball from ten yards out was unleashed, poked home just past Collie and the City backline. Almost two in two minutes for the home team, with the hosts’ number seven’s unpredictable strike soaring over the crossbar from distance. Le Paih picked up the loose ball, supported by Menshawi, and the former’s half-volleyed attempt bounced out and behind the net.

Midfielder Jahson Downes was awarded a second yellow, and subsequently shown a red card, following a confrontation and City were down to ten men for the final twenty-five. Baptiste rang in his first change of the evening as a result of this, with Declan Joyce replaced by Finley Meikle.

A third from Tadley came minutes later, through a shot at the back post, with Collie diving for the initial save, but an extra pass which the City defence narrowly missed, was tapped in on the line. 

A double change in personnel for the visitors with Reiss Baker and Javan Wright-Keizer entering play for Taha Menshawi and Rjunior Palmer.

Tadley continued to apply pressure, determined to find a fourth, but a brilliant block from Collie, who used his frame to defend a powerful chance at his left post, saw the ball recycled and then whipped over the bar. A follow-up shot through an impressive flick into a powerful ball ricocheted off the crossbar from mere yards away in a moment of relief for City.

A sublime effort from recently-introduced Baker weaved through the air, but curled out of play as City persisted to try and half the deficit, and the referee soon called time on what was an unfortunate yet frustrating evening out. 

Full Time: Tadley Calleva Reserves 3-1 City U23s

A somewhat scrappy first half and a second-half comeback from the hosts saw our young side lose out on the three points, however the effort and team togetherness from the lads cannot be doubted.

With only one game to go, with the side’s clash with Slough Heating Laurencians yet to be re-arranged, Baptiste and Olaide’s squad face Tadley once again, but on home turf this Bank Holiday Monday.

Thank you to everyone who came down to support the teams at Barlows Park yesterday, and we look forward to meeting with the Tadley Reserves outfit down at the Atrium in a few days time.