Noel Hunt’s side take silverware in Slough
County champions! Reading’s Under-23 side were 4-0 winners on Saturday afternoon against Ascot United, defeating the Yellamen in Slough to win the Berks & Bucks FA Senior Cup.
Goals before the break by Ajani Giscombe, Nahum Melvin-Lambert and Imari Samuels had the Royals youngsters well in command; the game-sealing fourth came in second-half stoppage-time as Melvin-Lambert secured his brace.
Midfielder Kian Leavy, full-back Ethan Bristow and goalkeeper Jokull Andresson were the only 20-year-olds in the Royals’ 16-man squad; the remainder were teenagers.
Leavy, who had been in Luton earlier in the afternoon as spare man in our Championship clash, captained the side… Nelson Abbey and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhanm, who had been unused subs at Kenilworth Road were also named on the bench in Slough, while Rashawn Scott – who made his first-team debut live on Sky Sports earlier in the day, was introduced in the second half at Arbour Park.
It was the youngest player on the pitch who opened the scoring, with just quarter of an hour played. Giscombe, less than a fortnight after turning 17, saw space open up outside the area and opted to shoot – beating Ascot goalkeeper Sam Gray to break the deadlock.
And just before the half-hour mark, Melvin-Lambert doubled the score as he applied the finishing touch on a flowing team move, heading in with power from close range.
Melvin-Lambert was denied a second by a brave block by the goalkeeper… but the third goal came in spectacular fashion before the break as Samuels rocketed an effort across goal, nestling in via the angle of the post and crossbar.
The Yellaman showed intent after the interval; Louis Bouwers twice squandered presentable chances as he met corner kicks from close range. But the mountain became higher for Ascot when Sean McCormack was dismissed with quarter of an hour remaining after picking up a second yellow.
Rory Merrick struck the bar with a spectacular overhead effort in the closing stages, as the Yellaman pushed to get a consolatory goal. Instead it was Melvin-Lambert that would prod in the game’s fourth, midway through the seven added minutes, to complete the scoring.
Commiserations to Ascot in defeat, and congratulations to our Under-23s for their cup victory!
Full-time: Reading U23 4-0 Ascot United
Reading U23: Andresson, Sackey, Samuels, Craig, Holzman, Ashcroft, Giscombe, Leavy, Camara, Bristow, Melvin-Lambert.
Subs; Norcott, Abbey, Scott, Okine-Peters, Ehibhatiomhan.
Ascot United: Gray, Lock, Masters, Merrick, Bouwers, Bailey, McCormack, Scott, Morgan, Surpanu, Ellis.
Subs: Sykes, Care, August, Nortey, Davies.
