Sunday Intermediate 2004 2005

Sunday, 17 July 2005.

2004 2005 Season Final result: Busbys 2-1 Reading Irish

Missed chances cost Reading Irish dear as they crashed to defeat in the final of the Berks & Bucks Sunday Intermediate Cup. Reading Irish never really got going against a well-organised Busbys side, with Lee Didcock's late goal proving a mere consolation. However, it could have been a different story had Michael Hancock and Stuart White converted gilt-edged opportunities either side of half-time.Reading Irish started the more positively of the two sides, although had to wait until 15 minutes for their first real effort on goal, when Didcock flashed a volley wide after latching onto a poor defensive header.Busbys should have taken the lead on 20 minutes when man-of-the-match Jermaine Roche burst down the left before whipping a cross to the back post, which came off the chest of Nick Gibson and straight to keeper Michael Pratley. Play switched almost immediately to the other end with White runningonto a ball over the top. However, he didn't catch it right and keeper John Harding slid out to save.White flashed a cross-shot across the face of goal with Bobby Wilkinson firing wide from outside the box for Irish on 29 minutes. Despite those chances, though, Irish were looking tired and giving the ball away too easily on occasions to their High Wycombe Sunday Combination League opponents.John Caesar saw a shot deflected away for a corner for Busbys on the half hour after Gibson pounced on Jamie Ferguson's weak clearance.Mattie Potter's persistence on the left won a corner for Irish on 34 minutes, and he whipped in a great ball which Hancock headed just over. Hancock should have opened the scoring on 39 minutes when Tommy Boylan's deflected shot fell at his feet, but he snatched his effort wide when well placed.Busbys made Irish pay soon afterwards when Gibson got away down the right, and when Pratley was unable to claim his low cross, Roche was left with an easy finish. The same two players linked up again on the stroke of half-time, with Gibson beating two men before picking out Roche, who somehow missed with the last kick of the first half.Irish started the second half positively with White blazing over the top from six yards out soon after the restart, and then Didcock putting a first-time shot wide from out on the left when he had time to control the ball.Busbys doubled their lead on 55 minutes when Roche skipped past three tackles on the left before picking out the onrushing Joe DaSilva, who netted from close range. Irish hit back again with Hancock sending a downward header from Potter's cross straight at Harding and Boylan putting a header over the bar from Wilkinson's curling free-kick from the left.Reading Irish made three substitutions in a bid to pull a goal back and maybe force extra-time. And although that goal did arrive, with just two minutes plus time added on to play, it proved too little too late. Hancock was denied by a terrific save from Harding after he met a corner with a powerful, close-range effort, only for Didcock to force in the rebound.But no more goals were forthcoming, Reading Irish were left to face up to their third defeat in the final of the competition in the last four seasons.
Report with thanks to the Reading Evening Post

SEMI FINALS
Results of games played on Sunday 6th March 2005.
Busbys 5-0 Dayla Athletic
Reading Irish 4-0 Prince Of Wales (Iver Heath)