THE CPLFC Priory School’s ESFA U18s national cup run came to end at the semi- final stage in a tightly contested game against John Madejski Academy (JMA).

The two teams had met approximately seven weeks ago in league match which ended 1-1, so they both knew something about each others capabilities.

Two evenly matches teams went to battle and it was the Reading school who started with more urgency and took the lead after eight minutes.

The Priory had an attacking free kick but JMA won possession and counter attacked with pace and determination.

John Madejski Academy’s number 10 beat her marker and raced forward on goal.

A recovering Priory defender chased hard to catch up with her but unfortunately the lively striker nipped in front to poke a shot beneath the advancing keeper.

Abigail Ingram attempted to reply straight away for the visitors, but her goalbound effort was tipped around the post.

Each side fought hard in the first half to create opportunities but could not add to the scoring.

The best chance of the half fell to Jeanie Keable after she got on the end of a right wing cross, but the unbalanced midfielder put her effort over the bar.

As the second half began, it was difficult to call a winner but JMA had the advantage with the 1-0 lead and fought aggressively to keep it.

They had a header cleared off the line, forced a world class point blank saved from Katie Duffy and hit the post after another swift counter attack.

The Priory also had opportunities, as Dannielle Glancy miss hit a shot under pressure, Georgie Perkins’ 20 yard volley went narrowly wide and Ingram was again denied by the alert JMA keeper in the dying minutes.

CPLFC Priory School: K Duffy, A Merricks (C Billings), C Torry, J Thompson, A Odogun; L Feeney (B Jones), D King, G Perkins, A Ingram, J Keable; D Glancy