“Reading City let go of ’emergency’ Dave Tarpey”.

Having a Dave Tarpey emergency isn’t a bad situation.

The former Maidenhead United striker, scorer of 44 Magpies goals and National League South winners, is the Cityzens Assistant Manager who hung up his boots in the summer.

That was until manager Simon Johnson smashed the glass at Tarpey’s emergency alarm when Reading were short a bench for their 4-0 FA Vase home win over Baffins Milton Rovers.

Despite at the time saying Tarpey’s appearance off the bench for the final five minutes was a “one-off,” the striker has now played three times for his side and scored Reading’s third goal in a 3-0 win at Holyport on Saturday.