READING ROYALS FUTSAL CLUB fell at the final hurdle after they were edged out in the LNFS Champions Cup final.
Royals were the team to get the day started as they kicked off the early game against Brunel Futsal Club.
In a very fast flowing game Brunel took an early lead. Scott Hargreaves levelled the score for the Royals.
Brunel quickly reclaimed the lead with a tidy counter-attacking goal, but two quick-fire goals from Josh Gillespie and Brayden Lissington saw the Royals take the lead for the first time in the match.
A Brunel equaliser late in the half meant the teams went in level 3-3 at half-time.
The second half started just as the first had finished, with Brunel scoring to take the lead for the third time in the game.
The high intensity of this end-to-end game continued with the Royals responding with two quick goals, a strike from distance from Phil Lant and a strong Noah Joyner finish giving Reading the lead.
Brunel showed character and equalised with seconds on the clock remaining to make the full-time score a scintillating 5 -5 and to take the game into extra time and another 10 minutes of full on futsal action.
Reading looked to start the stronger and were quick out the blocks. A mazy Lant run caused chaos and Mitch Gomm took advantage to give Reading Royals a 6-5 lead.
Brunel had no choice but to chase the game, Reading defended resiliently and a counter-attack was completed with a clinical finish by Josh Gillespie making it 7-5 to Reading Royals and booking their place in the final.
In the final Royals played East Riding, from Hull, who had a more comfortable semi-final win without the need for extra-time.
In a very close first half Royals went in at half-time 2-1 down with Lant scoring the only goal for the Reading side with a typical rocket shot.
East Riding started the second-half strongly scoring two goals to take a 4-2 lead.
The Royals showed character with two goals from Pawel Skowron and Joyner to make it 4-3.
Just when it looked like the Royals were back in the game two quick goals from East Riding, with their on-form striker Danny Clarke completing a hat-trick, made it 6-3.
With about six minutes remaining, Reading threw caution to the wind and played ‘fly-keeper’, where an outfield player replaces the goal-keeper to try and gain an advantage with an extra outfield player.
This time this high risk approach did not pay off as East Riding continued their clinical finishing and scored another three goals to make the final score 9-3.
The Royals finished the day defeated, deflated and exhausted after two intense games of futsal, but as their captain, Phil Lant, reminded the players after the game every player gave 100% and that they can hold their heads high in how they played, the character they showed and in finishing Runners-Up in the LNFS Championship Cup.
The highlights of both games can be seen on LNFS England Youtube.
Report by Scott Hargreaves
Photos courtesy of Rob Smith
