Old rivalry renewed as Blues hold their nerve to oust Reading on penalties

One of the oldest rivalries in football was renewed at Oak Tree Road on Tuesday evening, with Mark Bartley’s Marlow side knocking Reading's u21s academy team out of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup on penalties to reach the final.

The Blues and the Royals first met 150 years ago this week, on March 20, 1873, with the game at King's Meadow finishing in a goalless draw.

Tuesday evening’s semi-final tie was a little more exciting with the home side twice coming from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw in second half stoppage-time. The Blues then held their nerve in front of their own fans to win the shootout 54, with goalkeeper Aaron Watkins the hero, saving two of Reading’s penalty kicks.

The Blues will now play either MK Dons or Bracknell Town in the final at Ascot United’s Racecourse Ground on Tuesday, April 25.

Having been given a bye by Maidenhead United into the quarterfinals, Bartley’s men overcame Hungerford Town 3-2 away from home to set up Tuesday’s tie against the Royals at home.

It didn’t look like it would be their night when Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan was wiped out in the penalty area by Watkins in the third minute and dusted himself down to score from the spot. However, Marlow kept plugging away and were arguably the better side for the remainder of the half. They deservedly got themselves back on level terms on the half-hour when Dawid Rogalski hit the post from distance and Khalid Simmo nipped in to steer the rebound into the bottom corner. There was a flashpoint in the second half when Matty Carson of the Royals and

Marlow’s Tom Soares were both sent off following a melee involving several players in the 56th minute. The Royals seemed to respond better to the setback and Ehibhatiomhan grabbed his second of the night in the 74th minute when he finished astutely from Jay Senga’s low cross. The visitors seemed to have control in the closing minutes, forcing a corner in the 90th minute, however, Marlow managed one final break with captain Chris Ovenden scrambling the ball home from close range with almost the last kick.

With no extra-time the tie went straight to penalties and Reading got off to the worst possible start with Watkins saving from Holzman. Aaron

McLeish-White also missed for Marlow, but Louis Rogers,

Toby Raggett, Simmo and Ovenden were all on target to make it 4-4, and when Senga saw his sudden death spot kick pushed away by Watkins, Kouadio Ehui kept his cool to send Marlow through to the county cup final and sparked joyous scenes of celebration amongst players and fans in the stands and on the pitch.

Afterwards Bartley tweeted: “What a night! We made it hard for ourselves, but I think it would be hard to deny that we deserve our place in the final. We gifted our opponents two goals but showed resilience and determination to equalise in injury time and we held our nerve to win the shootout.”