| Competition | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
| Avon Combination League | Wednesday, 2nd May (2.00pm) | Brighton & Hove Albion | Home | Won 3-2 |
Reading goals: Hodges (3)
Attendance:
Reading line-up: Ashdown,
Gurney, Shorey, N Smith, Casper, A Williams, Leacock (Campion),
Caskey, Forster, Alcott (S Williams), Hodges
Subs not used: O'Hara, Maxwell
Trialist Jamie Leacock played in this game.
Report from The Scribe:
Reading started quite poorly in this game - it looked as though our players were just not together. During the first 30 minutes or so, we were often caught on the break and conceded two goals, even though we probably had more of the attacking play during that period. The first Brighton goal came from a simple break, ending with a dinky little cross and a strong header from their centre-forward. The second happened when a Brighton player on the edge of the area got room to shoot, and fired the ball into the corner of the net.
At this point, Martin Allen came down to the touchline and started shouting extremely loud instructions to our back four, particularly the full-backs. He was telling them to push up more so that the Brighton players did not have the space to play the ball around when they got it. This worked incredibly effectively, and from then on Brighton had very few chances. Allen had to remind the players of his instructions from time to time during the game.
Just before half-time we took a corner and played it low into the box. Adie Williams dummied and the ball came out to Lee Hodges on the edge of the area who shot home to reduce the deficit. We did have other chances, but Joey Alcott and Nicky Forster failed to take them, some ending with decent saves from the Brighton keeper.
Scott Williams came on for Alcott early in the second half, with Hodges moving up-front alongside Forster. Alcott had played quite well, but lacked a finishing edge. We got the equaliser from a free-kick on the left, which was taken fairly quickly. The ball was aimed at the near post, where Hodges was there to glance it into the far side of the goal. Later Hodges completed his hat-trick and gave Reading yet another reserve win when he was able to pounce on the rebound after the goalkeeper had parried a Nicky Forster shot.
Overall, Reading were the better side and we really should not have gone two goals behind. However, Brighton also looked fairly useful. Adie Williams played the full 90 minutes - he looked fit and had a fairly solid game. Jamie Leacock had a few good touches but was not that involved in the game. He was also on the receiving end of a very heavy challenge by a Brighton player which earnt a yellow card when it might even have been worth a red.
You might think that with three goals, Hodges would take the man of the match award, but the person who made the real difference between the sides, and who should get such an award, was Martin Allen!
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