Reading Invitation Cup Competition

In the Senior Cup Marlow have a history of success, winning the cup in 2008 and twice being losing finalists, 2007 and 2013, being semi finalists on numerous occasions including losing to runners up Reading City, then Highmore, last year.
This season see’s eighteen clubs entering the Senior Cup, nine from the Hellenic League and nine TVPL sides.
Of the Hellenic sides four, Wantage, current holders, Reading City, last season’s runners up, Ardley United and Virginia Water are playing at step five.
The other five all play at step six, Woodley United, Holyport, Wallingford Town, AFC Aldermaston and Wokingham & Embrook.
With two of those step five sides setting the pace in the Hellenic Premier it will take some giant killing from the TVPL teams to reach the Madjeski let alone lift the trophy but then that’s what makes cup competitions so intriguing.
The draw is as follows.
1st round
Westwood United v Holyport
Woodley United v Ardley United
First round Byes
Reading YMCA
Woodcote & Stoke Row
Wright choice & Unity
Wantage
Marlow United
Burghfield
Virinia Water
Reading City
Cookham Dean
Wallingford Town
AFC Aldermaston
Berks County
Mortimer
Wokingham & Embrook
2nd Round
Wallingford v Virginia Water
Burghfield v Wokingham Embrook
Woodcote v Reading YMCA
Aldermaston v Cookham Dean
Wright choice Unity v Westwood/Holyport
Berks County v Reading City
Wantage Town v Woodley Utd/Ardley Utd
Mortimer v Marlow United.
With two all TVPL ties the league are guaranteed two quarter finalists with Cookham in with a decent chance at Aldermaston and the much improved Wright choice probably fancying their chance of joining them.
Berks County and Burghfield have it all to do.
If Ardley can overcome a struggling Woodley they will set up the tie of the round at Wantage whilst both Woodcote v YMCA and Mortimer v Marlow United are both juicy ties.

Junior Cup
With twenty three entrants including three TVPL Premier Div sides entered United’s reserves will have a tough time if they are to emulate sides from 2008, winners and 2009 runners up.
That plus a difficult draw at Finchampstead away in round one with a daunting tie away to the winners of Newbury or YMCA Rapids too follow leaves them with a mountain to climb.
Giant killers to the fore!

Updated 12:30 - 30 Aug 2019 by Alan Turner