(Report by Simon Parker)

D 3-3

The M1s welcomed Reading to Trent Park for their latest Y1 Championship match and were disappointed to only come away with a 3-3 draw in an entertaining encounter. 

The M1s raced into a two goal lead in the first quarter; the first coming from John Sterlini who tapped home from a couple of metres after an initial save by Chris Wyver in the Reading goal. The lead was extended by a Brew Durkin penalty corner. The second quarter was much the same with the M1s on top, but they failed to add to the score line. Reading came back into the match in the third quarter getting two goals of their own despite the heroics of Sav Hadjigeorgiou in the Southgate goal. The M1s retook the lead in the fourth quarter thanks to a well worked goal with Sim Bird crossing from the right, finding a diving Charles Hamilton to deflect the ball home. But Reading refused to give up and were rewarded with a second equaliser after an intense spell of pressure.

The M1s travel to Wimbledon on Saturday for their last group match in the Y1 Championship, needing a win and for other matches to go their way to make the final. It’s some years since we last played Wimbledon who are currently top of the Championship, however they drew with Holcombe in their last match, who we of course defeated in an earlier game. We are definitely travelling to Wimbledon as underdogs, but confident we will at least give a good account of ourselves.