A place in the East Berkshire League Cup Final this season would mean everything to Southcote

PICTURE: South Reading have stormed into the Berks & Bucks F.A. David Grange Junior Trophy Final this season after a 5-0 win against Marsh Gibbon in the Semi Finals on Saturday.

A place in the East Berkshire League Cup competition Final would mean everything to Southcote F.C. this season, according to caretaker manager, Teresa Sunderland.

Southcote has one of the most inexperienced side in the E.B.F.L and that has been proven with some inconsistent form in the Premier Division so far in the campaign. The team is currently in mid-table with seven wins and seven losses from 14 league matches.

Despite this, Southcote has reached a major Cup competition Final in each of the previous two seasons and Sunderland has explained the desire to put their name on some silverware.

She said: “Our season has been inconsistent as the league table will show. There has been some strange results for us. To be honest, we try not to set targets, rather take each game as it comes. We are currently sat in mid-table and if we can achieve a top-half finish it would be a great achievement considering how young our squad is.

“The Cup competitions are the most important for us this season as we were never going to win the league especially as teams around us have a lot more experience. Our best chance of a trophy this year would come in the Cup competitions.

“To reach the League Cup Final would mean everything to Southcote. This could possibly be our third season in a row making a major Cup Final and we want our names on that trophy.”

Southcote breezed past lower-league Reading Tigers in the First Round of the competition but, were facing the exit door in a tough Last 16 tie against a strong Old Windsor Reserves team. Southcote came from behind late on to win that game and reach the Quarter Finals where an even more impressive result saw them win at Virginia Water Reserves, the same side that had beaten them convincingly in the league just two weeks earlier.

PICTURE: League Cup Semi Finals Day takes place at Eton Wick F.C. & Social Club this Saturday where Southcote take on Frontline for a place in the Final. Entry is free to Haywards Mead and there will be a BBQ for spectators.

Sunderland commented: “It has definitely not been smooth sailing for us. We beat Reading Tigers 3-0 but they gave us plenty of problems.

“Old Windsor Reserves fielded a side of majority first team players and it was a tough match. We found ourselves 2-1 behind with 15 minutes to go and down to nine players but, we came away winning.

“Virginia Waters played us off the park in a eague game two weeks earlier so it was another tough fixture for us but, we changed it up a little bit and won the match 2-0.

“This Cup competition run has been a journey and we could have gone out in the Second Round but, we dug deep and now find ourselves in the Semi Finals.”

The League Cup Semi Finals Day takes place at Eton Wick F.C. and Social Club this Saturday and, in the first of two mouthwatering ties, Southcote will take on current Premier Division leaders, Frontline (12.30pm kick off).

Southcote met Frontline for the first team this season in a Premier Division match earlier this month and thrashed them 5-0 at Burnham Grammar School thanks to a brace from Eric Macharia plus further goals from Tyron Mensah, Kyle Smithhurst and substitute Joe Partridge.

Sunderland commented: “Frontline are at the top of the league for a reason. If you look at the results, their team is full of goals so, we will have to be at our best to beat them and get to the Final.”

Southcote will arrive at League Cup Semi Finals Day in decent form having won in three of their previous six matches in all competitions since the Winter Break, scoring 11 goals in that time and conceding only six.

Rocco Sofroniou could provide the main threat for Southcote in the Semi Finals match against Frontline. He has scored 13 goals in 17 appearances for the Club this season.

To enter the East Berkshire Football League ahead of the 2024/25 season, or for further information about the league, or an entry form for the upcoming season, please email the team at contactebfl@gmail.com