News and Views
Royals Deliver Halloween Treat
31 October 2017
By Hob Nob Anyone?
The gloom which surrounded the Madejski Stadium following a poor performance and a defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough on Saturday was dispelled with an emphatic victory over a Forest side in the middle of a run of good results which has seen them climb in to the top half of the table. The Royals, in control of the game from the kick off, took an early lead with a well taken goal from Swift. Although Forest enjoyed the majority of the possession, Reading always looked in command and added two further goals in the second half before Osborn tucked away a consolation goal for Forest four minutes from full time.
Jaap Stam, needing to shake things up a bit after dire performance on Saturday, replaced Kelly, Beerens and Ilori with Bacuna, Edwards and Barrow and it worked a treat. Bacuna imposed himself on the game from the start. Playing at right back he had time and space to make forward runs and pick out passes through the Forest midfield to keep the visitors on the back foot. Collectively everyone was pressing and looking to get forward. Smith epitomised the determination in the side chasing back fifty yards into his own half to win back the ball and set up an attack. He was not alone in his desire to win possession and get at the Forest defence.
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