The autumn morning air at Edgbarrow was buzzing with anticipation, and by full-time, it was buzzing with disbelief — and a fair bit of jubilation — as the Pinewood Pumas put on a second-half masterclass to dismantle Reading FC Girls 7–1 in a match that had everything: drama, mistakes, redemption, and even a “karate-style” finish.

First Half – Scrappy, Spirited, and a Slice of Chaos

From the opening whistle, it was clear Reading Girls hadn’t come just to make up the numbers. Both sides looked eager but struggled to find rhythm in the early exchanges — passes went astray, tackles were flying in, and the midfield resembled more of a pinball machine than a football pitch.

Then, in the midst of the madness, Pinewood found their breakthrough. A scrappy attack ended with the ball loose in the Reading box, and Jaiden — channelling his inner Bruce Lee — acrobatically swung a boot and connected cleanly to fire Pinewood ahead, 1–0.

Reading Girls responded well, winning a corner that ultimately went harmlessly into the side netting. Moments later, Pinewood’s defence flirted with disaster — a misplaced clearance, a dangerous cross, and a desperate save from the keeper before Omar coolly swept up the chaos.

Miles whipped in a teasing corner soon after, but the finishing touch was missing. Then, in the 20th minute, came the moment every Sunday League manager dreads — the “what were you thinking?” moment. Pinewood’s Samuel, perhaps inspired by the Rugby World Cup, volleyed a clearance straight back toward his own goal. The grateful Reading striker pounced, slotting home to level the score at 1–1.

Second Half – From Nerves to Nitros

Whatever was said on the Pinewood bench at half time clearly worked. The Pumas emerged for the second half transformed — organized, confident, and hungry.

Barely minutes after the restart, Jaiden’s shot was parried by the Reading Girl's keeper, only for Isaac to calmly slot home the rebound. 2–1 Pinewood. And before Reading Girls could even reset, Miles played a perfect through-ball to Isaac again, who finished clinically into the bottom corner 3–1, and the floodgates were officially open.

Reading Girls deserve credit — they never dropped their heads and continued to push forward — but Pinewood were now purring. Jacob tore down the left wing, cut it across, and Jaiden was there again to punish the keeper’s fumble. 4–1.

Then came the fifth — Jacob turned provider once more, floating a lovely ball over the top for Tene, who made no mistake in burying it. 5–1 Pinewood, and the home crowd were loving every second.

Jaiden wasn’t done yet. Sniffing out a loose pass from the Reading Girls defence, he nicked the ball on the edge of the box and curled it perfectly into the bottom corner to complete his hat-trick. 6–1 Pinewood — the lad simply couldn’t miss.

Reading tried valiantly to counter, showing flashes of good movement, but Pinewood’s defence stood firm, marshalled confidently by Omar, who was everywhere — and fittingly, it was Omar who had the final say.

In the dying moments, Isaac swung in a corner that found Omar’s head, and he rose like a phoenix from the ashes to nod home goal number seven. 7–1 Pinewood. Cue cheers, laughter, and a well-deserved mic drop.

Final Whistle – Pride, Power, and Pumas

It was a game that had it all — early nerves, comical errors, moments of brilliance, and a whole lot of heart. Reading FC Girls can hold their heads high for their spirit and effort, but this was Pinewood’s Day. Ruthless, confident, and full of flair, the Pumas looked every bit the predators their name suggests.

Same again next week, lads? The fans will certainly be hoping so.