What began as a cold and rainy afternoon turned into a day to remember for our Reserves, who put on a dominant performance away at Finchampstead to record a stunning 0-6 win in the Thames Valley Premier League.

After last week’s dramatic defeat, this felt like a must-win fixture and the Cityzens delivered in emphatic fashion.

There were a few changes to the line-up, with Graham suspended following last weekend’s red card. Jay Wiltshire stepped in at fullback, while Elliot Goode returned to the defence as Jake Keegan resumed his place on the touchline. Kenny Evans slotted back into the side, covering Wiltshire’s usual position, and Shane Clark made his long-awaited return in place of the unavailable Kai Stubbs. The bench featured Keegan, Taha Taha Menshawi, Wesley Dowe, and Nathaniel Davies.

From the first whistle, City looked sharp and determined to make a statement. Both sides traded possession early on, but City began to create the better chances. The breakthrough nearly came when Shane Clark unleashed a long-range strike that took a deflection, rattled the post, and went behind for a corner, a sign of what was to come.

City finally found the opener late in the first half. From a free kick about 40 yards out, Mo Davies delivered a high ball into the box, and Sam Waller rose to flick it beyond the keeper to make it 0-1 With momentum swinging in their favour, City pushed for a second as Reiss Baker forced a fine save after getting through on goal, and Louis Eade came close moments later after great wing play from Baker.

Half Time: Finchampstead 0–1 Reading City Reserves

The second half began just as the first had ended with City in full control. Elliot Goode found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and chipped cleverly over him. A mix-up in the Finchampstead defence saw the ball end up in the net to make it 0-2.

City were brimming with confidence now, and it wasn’t long before Louis Eade finally got the goal his performance deserved. After Kenny Evans fired a powerful effort that the keeper could only spill, Eade reacted quickest to tap home and make it 0-3.

City’s relentless wing play continued to cause havoc. Mo Davies delivered another dangerous cross that forced a corner, and soon after Shane Clark produced a moment of magic,  bursting past his defender, cutting inside, and curling a beautiful finish into the far corner for 0-4.

Manager Jake Keegan then made a double change, bringing himself and Wesley Dowe on for Eade and Evans, with Wiltshire pushing further forward. The decision paid off instantly. Wiltshire ran down the wing and struck a sensational curling effort into the top corner, a true “worldie” that had everyone applauding as City went 0-5 up.

But he wasn’t done yet. Wiltshire, now full of confidence, once again surged down the flank, beat his marker, and slotted home his second of the game to seal a remarkable 0-6 victory for the Cityzens.

Full Time: Finchampstead 0–6 Reading City Reserves

It was arguably the most dominant performance of the season, a complete display of attacking flair, teamwork and determination. The wide play was outstanding, the finishing clinical and the clean sheet the perfect reward for a disciplined defensive effort. In truth, the scoreline could have been even higher given the chances created.

After a frustrating week prior, this was the perfect response from the squad,  full of fight, focus, and quality from start to finish. The Cityzens now turn their attention to the cup, where they’ll face a tough trip to Old Windsor, hoping to carry this momentum into the next round.