MATCH SUMMARY : South Reading Royal (03 September 2016)

<p>I was very keen that we found the boys the toughest possible<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />opposition over the last couple of games, particularly given we are<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />dipping our toes into the premier league this season. Slight change of<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />plan before the game as JF who was planning to be keeper today,<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />sadly couldn't play due to a recent injury.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />First goal was conceded from a corner. Too many cheap corners given<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />away and a lack of understanding of roles to defend the corner.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />Second goal conceded when Defending the ball over top, with our<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />defender appearing to be shoved in the back leading to a 1 v 1 vs<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />keeper.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />Third goal was a result of long high hopeful ball into the box that<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />we failed to deal with effectively.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />South reading have proven to be very capable with great pace and<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />intelligence up front as well as excellent defensive skills. Whilst we<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />lost today, the performance was really pleasing today and far superior<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />to our game a week ago. There was real thought and maturity to our<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />game and you could see the improvements as the game progressed.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />Conceding early didn't help us and gave Reading a confidence boost.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />South reading won because they are a little more clinical than us and<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />attack with more authority than the Phantoms. However once again the<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />attitude from all the boys is excellent. Focused, receptive and fully<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />committed.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />We'd recently discussed set piece defending and Jon relayed our agreed<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />roles/responsibilites for defending corners at half time. Nothing more<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />pleasing than when we saw the boys setup and apply that second half.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />We are picking up a few injuries. Some of them muscular, others<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />knocks. Need to remind all the boys to stretch properly before any<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />exercise and to stop as soon as there is a problem... We are wondering<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />whether to try and recruit one more player, given injuries, illness<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />and holidays etc. If anyone knows of a player that could play at this<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />level, let me now.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br />