Match Report by Duncan Trathen
The Titans awoke to blue skies, the promise of an epic journey across London, and a debate about socks. Would Reading live up to their name of Redsox or was it just a smokescreen to obscure the captain’s pre-match tactical briefing?
Either way, Southgate Whitesox roared out of the blocks only to be scuppered by a glorious sweep from a Reading stick removing all in its path. Biffi’s gentle suggestion that all was not what it seemed was rebuffed by an invitation to ponder things for 2 minutes. The resulting Reading Stickblox short corner was effectively dispatched and the smell of injustice drifted across the Berkshire countryside.
Back came Titans, only to be undone again, this time by a back stick deflection into the roof of the net. With green memories still fresh, there was much biting of lips but the required response was too muted, even when Reading Goalshox were briefly reduced to 9.
Half time arrived and Greg launched into a harsh-but-fair hairdryer. Titans emerged scolded but rejuvenated.
Quicker than a Brentford opening however, disaster struck again with some footballing prowess of Reading’s making. A sharp Reading Sly-As-A-Fox right-foot brought a reflex defensive kick away. The umpires graciously let the first one go but two kicks was too much. Another short produced a sharp stop from the Cat, but the rebound was slotted.
The bear was now well and truly poked.
Finally the Titans came to the party, with wave after wave of attack and a mobility belying the amount of KT-tape on display. Reading Chatterbox were increasingly falling foul of the umpires and a short corner from Howie to Greg, a smash in and Ben’s tidy deflection over the keeper got the Gate up and running.
Attack versus defence was the story for the remainder of the match but Wednesday Corner Training will be on the menu this week as 7 more chances came and went. As the final whistle blew, there was a sense of unfinished business that even a pint or 2 and one of the finest frozen burgers this side of the channel couldn’t dispell, but a simmering desire to end a poor start to the season burns inside this team, and Reading Botox will need more than an injection to survive their visit to Trent Park next February.“