READING Irish have been crowned champions of the Reading & District Sunday League Senior Division following a 1-1 draw with runners-up Emmer Green, writes Richard Ashton.

It is a second success in three years for the club.

In the Premier Division, Woodley United jumped from ninth to sixth after beating Mortimer 5-3 in their final game, while rock bottom AFC Burghfield conceded their final two matches to 116 Exiles and Richfield Rovers Reserves respectively.

AFC Burghfield Reserves won Division One after The Bull forfeited their game, with runners-up Woodley Wanderers Reserves also being gifted three points by Pangbourne & Basildon Barbarians.

Reading United finished fourth after beating Spencers Wood 4-1 and losing 1-0 to Henley Town, while fifth-placed Burghfield finished the season well, overcoming Pangbourne & Basildon Barbarians 2-1 and WS Hobnob 3-2.

Henley Town, AFC Bradfield and Imaan FC conceded their games at Woolhampton CFC, Caversham AFC and S.C. United respectively.

Division Two champions Sportsman kept their hopes of an unbeaten season alive after drawing 2-2 at Arborfield.

Berkshire Rovers hammered Whitley Athletic 8-3, Maiden Place battered Wokingham & Emmbrook 8-1 and Arborfield edged out Brimpton Rangers 2-1.

The other eight games in the division were conceded by sides.

Twyford Comets secured the runners-up spot in Division Three after blasting Mortimer Reserves 6-1 in their last game of the season.

FC Showcase crushed Loddon Valley Rangers 6-0 and Delta Vigo stunned champions Englefield 6-1.

In Division Four, fourth-placed Six Bells lost 3-2 to Fox & Hounds before bouncing back to beat Caversham United 5-3.

New England lost 2-0 to Shinfield Park United and drew 2-2 with Burghfield Reserves.

Shinfield Rangers drew 3-3 at third-placed Tilehurst Club A, Fox & Hounds won 4-1 at Borussia Teeth, and Shinfield Park United eased past Sanctuary Strikers 3-0.

Woodley Wanderers edged out Tilehurst YM 4-2 on penalties in the final of the Ted Cambridge Cup at Rivermoor. The two sides had been locked together 2-2 prior to spot-kicks after Woodley had gone 2-0 up early on.

Danny Nicholson and Dave Gill got the goals for the Young Men.

Barton Rovers won the John Lusted Cup with a convincing 4-0 success against AFC Lowfield Green.

  • HIGHMOOR Ibis, who finished 17th in the Hellenic League Premier Division, face Division One East mid-table side Wokingham & Emmbrook in the Reading Senior Cup semi-finals at Rivermoor Stadium tonight (Thursday, 7.45pm).

The other semi between Wantage and Woodley United takes place at Alfredian Park next Tuesday.

Woodley, who like Highmoor are also facing relegation, received a bye into the last four following the withdrawal of scheduled quarter-final opponents Thames Valley Police.

The final will be held at Madejski Stadium on Friday, May 25.

  • IN the Thames Valley Counties Women’s League, Barton Royals played their last league game at Newbury Ladies Development.

Royals took the lead through Caitlin Levy but Newbury levelled thanks to Alice Hill’s 28th goal of the season and took all three points courtesy of a late Amie Barnard strike.

Alex Kovacsova and Nicky Isted were the joint player-of-the-match winners for Newbury, while Royals will hope to bounce back in their League Plate final against local rivals Tilehurst Panthers on Sunday.

  • TILEHURST Panthers completed a Berks and Bucks County Cup double as they claimed both the Under 14 and U16 competitions on finals day at Ascot United.

The U16s took on Berks County in a tense affair which was settled by a super finish midway through the second half by Celia Spanu.

Tilehurst looked more likely to score the second, and despite seven minutes of injury time where County could have levelled, they ended up 1-0 winners.

Goals in each half from Lydia Vettese and Lucy West proved to be enough for the Under 14s as they beat Harwell & Hendred Youth 2-0.

Panthers dominated the game and could have scored a lot more.

Manager Rob Page said: “This is another fantastic achievement by this group of girls. All the parents and coaches are enormously proud.

“It is another clear indication Tilehurst Panthers as a club is growing from strength to strength and solidifies it’s place as one of the key promoters of girls’ football in the local area.”