Photo: Courtesy of Glenn Riegel/Reading United AC

Reading United return to the friendly confines of Albright’s Shirk Stadium for their Premier Development League clash with the Long Island Rough Riders on Sunday, June 24th from 4pm. Sunday’s match is also Reading’s Kicks Against Cancer Night in which United raise money for the fight against the insidious disease which took team founder and local soccer legend, Archie Moylan, in 2000.

2012 records

Reading United:  6–2–1  (3rd place in the PDL Mid Atlantic Division)

Long Island Rough Riders :  5–3–1  (4th place in the PDL Mid Atlantic Division)

Game Notes

Reading United enter the match having lost two consecutive league matches for the first time since 2007. Wednesday night, Reading lost to PDL new kids, the Baltimore Bohemians, 1–0 in a match in which United had much of the advantage. Baltimore struck in the 25th minute when former Reading United midfielder, University of Penn product and member of the Sons of Ben, Christian Barreiro provided the assist on Kyle McCord’s match winner. Reading now find themselves in third place in the Mid-Atlantic Division and in desperate need of three points at Shirk to stay in one of the playoff positions.

Long Island roll into to town having also lost on Wednesday evening, falling victim to the Jersey Express in Newark by a 1-0 scoreline. Joseph Ovenseri tallied again for Jersey in the 46th minute and the Rough Riders were unable to muster any offense having failed to record a single shot in the second half of the match. Currently trailing United in the division table by three points, Long Island are led offensively by forward Keith Detelj and midfielder Ben Arikian, who each have three goals and two assists. Keeper Alexander Naples has kept one clean sheet in seven matches for the Rough Riders.

 2011 Season head-to-head results

June 10th:  Reading 0–2 Long Island (at Reading’s Don Thomas Stadium)

July 20th:  Long Island 0–0 Reading (at Dowling College)

Reading entered their first match-up with Long Island sporting a perfect record in league play. The Rough Riders signaled their league intentions a shock 2–0 result that derailed United’s early season momentum. Goals from Keith Detelj and Dom Sarle secured maximum points for the Rough Riders.

The return match had major PDL Mid-Atlantic Playoff ramifications as a United win would lock up first place in the division. United heaped huge amounts of pressure on Long Island in search of a break through tally. It was not meant to be as United drew with the Rough Riders, 0–0. Reading keeper Brian Holt pitched in with six saves to record the clean sheet.

Long Island would go on and win the 2011 Mid-Atlantic division title and reach the PDL National Semifinals as champions of the Eastern Conference.