Baptiste and Olaide’s first three points of 2025 came in January following a well-fought game away at the Polish Association Ground, with Jamie Barker, Andrew Tafeni and Reiss Baker all putting their names on the scoresheet.
This Saturday, the season comes to an end for our Under 23s, with one final match-up, as Kemp’s side travel to meet with our young Cityzens down at the Atrium.
We enter this game off the back of a 2-0 defeat against Tadley Calleva Reserves on Saturday, with Jordan Holmes netting two to nick the three points. Our opposition last met with Woodcote away at the Recreation Ground, with the hosts emerging as 5-1 winners through four goalscorers.
With only one place between the teams, this Saturday will be crucial in final placements, as a win would ensure a twelfth place finish for Baptiste’s team.
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION – With reference to FCHD.info
Slough Heating Laurencians, nicknamed the Lauries’ or ‘SHL’, initially formed as an amalgamation of the teams ‘Slough Heating’ and ‘Slough Laurencians’ during the 2015/16 season.
Initially founded as ‘St Helens FC’ in 1921, the side transferred over to the Berks and Bucks FA from the Lancashire FA two years after creation.
Participating in the East Berks League for four years, the ‘Heating made the switch to the Thames Valley Premier League at the start of the 2019/20 campaign, entering Division One. Their first season in this tier was cut short due to the pandemic, however across the next two seasons, the team were on an impressive run, with a fourth placed finish from eleven and a runner’s up placement from twelve. Sixteen wins from twenty-two and 52 from a possible 66 points in the 21/22 campaign rightfully saw the club earn promotion into the Premier Division.
Since then, a seventh place ranking at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season and an eleventh place finish enabled Slough to continue their fight in the top flight of the Thames Valley Premier League.
Currently sitting in thirteenth position out of fourteen, the club have five wins and have earned sixteen points.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Since their promotion into the Premier division, we’ve faced the Lauries three times, however two other fixtures were scheduled. Our last meeting ended with a comprehensive win for our young Cityzens, with three separate goalscorers netting. As well as this, we earned a point away at the Polish Association in October 2023, whilst a competitive match – also on the road – finished in a narrow defeat back in November 2022.
Two clashes with the opposition ended with a walkover, with one team unable to participate, perhaps as they could not field a squad, due to injury crisis or travel issues. A home walkover occurred in May 2023, which saw our Under 23s awarded the win, whilst in March 2024, an away walkover was awarded to Slough, earning them all three points.
LAST MEETINGS
3-0 Away Win – 18/01/25
Away Walkover – 30/3/24 (SHL Win)
2-2 Away Draw – 07/10/23
Home Walkover – 13/5/23 (U23s Win)
3-2 Away Loss – 12/11/22
ADDRESS: The Atrium Health Club, Scours Ln, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 6AY
KEY INFORMATION: There are no admission fees for this match – 2pm Kick-Off
GETTING HERE
By Car: Take the A4074 towards Reading.
Turn right onto Bridge Street/A4155 and continue to follow the A4155.
At Caversham Bridge Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Richfield Avenue and continue straight on.
Go through the roundabout with Kwik-Fit on your left-hand side and continue straight on to Cow Lane. When you get to the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Portman Road, before continuing to Wigmore Lane. There will be a Shell Petrol Station on your left hand-side.
At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Oxford Rd/A329 before turning right on to Scours Lane. Reading City Football Club will be signposted.
Once you’ve turned on to Scours Lane, continue straight on under the railway bridge and then take a right and keep going until you pass the Rivermoor. The Atrium will be signposted ahead, and the pitch will be across the road from the car park.
Parking: Parking is available on site here at The Atrium at no extra cost on a first come first served basis. In the event that the car park is full, then additional car parking is available at the Reading Retail Park, where you are permitted a maximum stay of 3 hours. There may also be additional space at the Rivermoor.
Postcode for Additional Parking: RG30 1PR
Leave the Atrium and drive back up Scours Lane until you reach the junction with the A329, then turn left. Continue straight on at the roundabout before turning right to enter Reading Retail Park.
It’s roughly a 5-10 minute walk back to the Atrium.
Nearest Railway Station: The nearest railway stations to The Atrium are Reading West & Tilehurst, both of which are served by regular services operated by Great Western Railway from the much larger Reading Station and are within walking distance from the Atrium.
Reading West is also served by services from destinations including Basingstoke & Newbury whilst Tilehurst is also served by services from destinations including Didcot & Oxford.
Bus: The nearest bus stop to the ground is Norcot Junction and is served by the 16 and 17 Reading Bus service which travel between Central Reading and Tilehurst every 10 minutes. More details on the bus route/s here.
