Back under the lights for another Combined Counties Football League clash, as Johnson’s side hosted Ovens and Rapley’s Holyport for the reverse fixture, following a tie down at Summerleaze Park on Saturday.

City opted for two changes to the side fielded in Maidenhead, with Joe Pilling and Ousman Darboe starting out on the bench, exchanged for Riley Denny and Ben Holder. Jay Herbert made his return to the side, alongside Lucas Taplin and George Armstrong. Charlie York retained his place in between the sticks, and Stefan Brown led out the team once again.

Kick-Off: Reading City 0-0 Holyport

The visitors got us underway as the referee blew his whistle, and both sides began to press from the off. A header was nodded across the City box, with Denny gaining the last touch, flicking up a ball in the air, but visiting shot-stopper Will Cullum leapt to comfortably gather off his line.

A counter attack began from the resulting goal kick, and a deflection from the City backline led to a set piece. A dangerous inswinging corner from Holyport dipped in flight and hit the top of the net as the visitors matched the home team’s starting intensity.

After a frantic start, the teams began to settle into the game, with the sides battling for control. City continued to apply early pressure, and midfielder Tristan Campbell earned a free kick just outside the attacking half. It goes short, and forward Emil Mursalov attempted to tuck a ball past the goalkeeper, but he kneeled to claim.

Another half chance fell to City, as a sublime through ball met the feet of Denny, who slipped past his marker and fired, and a block from a Holyport defender sent it out of play.

Halfway through the first half, City struck. A switch in possession saw Joel Valentin charge down the channels, before the midfielder delivered to Ben Holder. The creative playmaker buried a shot in the bottom corner to break the deadlock and give Johnson’s side the lead.

Back-to-back quality saves from York defended threatening efforts, with a near strike at the back post, and a direct shot from outside the box, skimming the ground and calling the City defence into action.

The referee soon called time on an energetic first half, and a strike from Holder separated the teams going into the break.

Half Time: Reading City 1-0 Holyport

Two substitutions at the interval for City saw Jay Herbert and Joe Pilling enter the fray in place of Hamish Thomson and goalscorer Ben Holder.

Once again the architect, Mursalov went close to extending our lead with a quick effort from inside the box, but Cullum parried and gathered the loose ball. A long distribution was neatly intercepted, and the recycled ball fell to Oli Bourne, who crossed to the skipper. A follow-up charge from Brown was knocked out and a deflection on City saw Holyport earn a goal kick.

A set piece curved in by Valentin fell to Cowd, whose driven effort saw him evade his man before unleashing a tidy ball into the back of the net, finishing clinically to double City’s lead early on in the second half!

Ousman Darboe entered the pitch as Johnson turned to his bench, with Riley Denny exiting after looking lively all evening.

With their advantage still intact, City continued to pile on the pressure, and a series of shots came agonisingly close to hitting the back of the net. Valentin and Brown, involved once again, each had shots defended, but the ball sadly couldn’t be turned in. Mursalov found space and clattered an attempt off the corner of the crossbar, with Cullum claiming the rebounded ball, denying what could have been City’s third goal.

The home team continued to steam ahead, and it wasn’t long before City sealed their third of the evening. Mo Ceesay latched onto a miscommunicated ball between Holyport’s backline and goes to shoot, but his shot was blocked.

The recycled ball returned to the feet of the forward, who then crossed to Darboe, and the midfielder made no mistake and fired from outside the box with composure to add to the tally, earning his first goal for City.

A final change in personnel for the home team brought the remaining substitutes on, with George Armstrong and Lucas Taplin replacing Emil Mursalov and Tristan Campbell respectively.

Johnson’s side didn’t look to be slowing down any time soon, and Jay Herbert proved that, opening his scoring account in a brilliant fashion, sneaking a neat ball past Cullum to extend City’s lead even further with his maiden goal. The defender then sprinted to celebrate with Holder, Thomson and the City faithful stationed behind the goal.

As the match entered its final stages, a round of head tennis set up Taplin, who weaved into the area before laying off a sublime ball to Brown. The skipper curved in a strike, knocking in the fifth of the evening off the underside of the crossbar to mark City’s highest scoring match of the season so far.

The visitors pulled one back in added time after a scramble in the box and a misdirected shot from a City player, with Dzimba bundling a ball past York.

With seven additional minutes, the referee called time on an outstanding evening out, and City had much to be pleased with.

Full Time: Reading City 5-1 Holyport

A brilliant performance from Johnson’s side, with an exceptional end-to-end match finishing with six goals between the teams.

We would like to wish Holyport all the best with the rest of their campaign! Our Firsts will be back in action this Saturday as they host North Leigh on hallowed turf.