Reading FC Match Report: 2024/2025 Season - League One


READING 1 STOCKPORT 3

Reading: S Smith (61)
Stockport: I Olaofe (5), C Connolly (13), J Diamond (68)

The outcome of a football matches is, to a greater or lesser extent, determined by overall team performances or, more often than not, by specific lapses in concentration and basic errors. This result was a perfect example of all those elements coming together to produce a resounding defeat for a buoyant Reading team against a team in the middle of a poor run of results. Reading dominated possession, mainly due to playing football in their own half, while County dictated the play recording eight shots on target to Reading's one. Too often Reading resorted to the long ball, playing into the hands of County with their significant height advantage at the back.

There was an optimistic buzz around the Select Car Leasing Stadium at kick-off, but the mood changed dramatically in the opening twelve minutes during which the visitors accelerated into a two goal lead. I had a nagging doubt about how this young Reading side would cope with a team with considerable a physical presence in all departments, which had battered them four goals to one in the corresponding away fixture earlier in the season.

County controlled the game from the start. From early pressure Wootton fired wide and then they took the lead, Southam-Hales reacting first to Norwood's near post corner to send a glancing header inside the far post with Pereira rooted to the spot. Gone are the days of putting a defender on the line which might have prevented the goal.

Even minutes later, I watched in disbelief as Norwood prepared to take a free kick on the right, with three County players lined up unmarked on the edge of the box on the left. When the cross arrived Connolly was waiting totally unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box to beat Pereira with ease. It was an appalling and unforgivable defensive lapse, but evidence of a season long recurring weakness in defending crosses to the back post. Someone must eventually recognise the problem of defenders allowing attackers to operate out of their field of vision because they have their back to them! Good old fashioned ‘ball-watching' is the issue to be resolved on the training ground. A bit more urgency in full-backs closing down to reduce the number crosses arriving in the box would also improve our goal difference.

It was bound to be a struggle to come back after such a poor start, but although Reading dominated possession without threatening to score, and with aid of a goal line clearance, managed to reach half time without conceding a third goal.

Having chance to take stock of the situation Reading brought themselves back into contention. County were lucky not to pick up a couple of yellow cards as the fouls count started to mount (16 in total), but the referee was yet another example of the particularly poor standard of refereeing at this level. However, justice was achieved following a foul on the returning Ehibhatiomhan. Savage whipped in a near post cross from the free kick, which Smith volleyed superbly past Hinchcliffe to reduce the deficit. With half an hour remaining and Reading in the ascendency, the mood changed as they pressed for equaliser.

That optimism lasted a mere seven minutes until poor passing, and a missed tackle on the halfway line allowed County to counter-attack. Craig, just on at right back, was stranded upfield, and Dean was not sufficiently mobile to prevent a square pass to the unmarked Diamond who delivered the killer blow. Periera made an unusually poor attempt to keep it out. In short, it was a catalogue of errors at a crucial point in the game. Five minute later Ehibhatiomhan's pace took him past the full back and he found Campbell with a cross. It was a sharp chance and had he managed to hit the target it would have revived Reading's hopes of an equaliser again, but sadly the ball dribbled wide of the post.

With over fifteen minutes remaining there was still time to respond, but the body language of the players indicated it was game over and the Reading fans drifted way to the sound of celebrating County fans as their team replaced Reading in the top six. Reading will need to learn to cope with playing against this kind of opposition to continue their recent credible push for the play-offs.

John Wells

This League One game took place 29 days ago in the 2024/2025 season.