Promotion–chasing league leaders Reading faced their toughest test of the season so far as the league’s top goalscorers met its meanest defence.
Second-placed Sevenoaks, who set out to frustrate the home team’s attacking threat throughout the game.
This approach meant that, while there was much for the knowledgeable spectators to appreciate in the technical skills on display, there was rather less goalmouth action to get them excited.
The visitors’ intent was epitomised as early as the fifth minute of the encounter by a cynical foul to break down play in midfield, leading to an early five minute spell in the sin bin for Sevenoaks’ James Thomas as the umpires sought to impose boundaries on what the players could get away with.
The first three quarters were goalless and, despite Reading having the overwhelming majority of possession, it was the visitors who came closest to scoring in open play during their rare counter attacks, which allowed Reading goalkeeper Chris Wyver to remind everyone what a fine shot stopper he is, something that has been largely hidden while Reading have dominated their previous matches.
Reading’s more frequent attacks were repelled with some comfort due to the sheer weight of numbers deployed at the back by the visitors, and the only penalty corner that they won was fluffed by the usually reliable specialists, a mistake that they were to rectify with some aplomb later in the game.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Reading won their second penalty corner of the game and the multi-talented Connor Beauchamp stepped up to flick the ball low and hard out of the reach of the visitors’ goalkeeper Richard Potton, a goal that was greeted with jubilation and not a small measure of relief as the players had finally broken the deadlock.
Immediately, Sevenoaks abandoned their defensive approach and summoned up all their reserves of energy to mount more intense attacks on the Reading goal.
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But the home team’s technical superiority in defence kept them at bay until they themselves took advantage of holes left by the Sevenoaks midfield with five minutes to go by racing up the pitch in numbers, leading to a fine cross from the right that was met spectacularly by the diving Daniel Cox to deflect the ball high into the roof of the net.
Right at the death Reading were awarded another penalty corner, but this was well defended and the game ended with Reading the victors still on maximum points, now 8 points above the visitors who dropped to third place in the league.
Next for Reading come two away fixtures, first against lowly Southgate and then against free scoring Canterbury who are now in second place and their closest challengers for promotion.
