Match Report
Reading
L Wing (pen 8)
J Marriott (52)
K Ehibhatiomhan (78)
Luton
J Clark (59)
N Lonwijk (76)
This was a vastly improved Reading home performance compared to their dismal failure
against lowly Peterborough last week. There is still work to be done in terms of passing and
movement, but from start finish Reading played with an intensity, energy, and resilience
which brought the deserved reward of three points.
Reading took an early lead from the penalty spot. A swift counter-attack was ended by Keeley racing off his line to clear a through ball. Kyerewaa reached the ball a fraction of a second before the Luton 'keeper clattered into him. Referee Duckworth allowed all kinds of time-wasting antics before Wing stepped up and smacked the ball confidently into the bottom corner.
Luton proceeded to dominate possession and Reading pressed well but generally struggled to find space or pick out the best passing option. Luton's young manager, Jack Wilshire, served his apprenticeship under Arsene Wenger and it was evident in the way his team passed their way through midfield. Luton enjoyed 65.6% possession (to Reading's 34.4%.) and 82.9% passing accuracy (to Reading's 65.6%). Possession created pressure and Pereira saved well from a deflected cross by Wing and a powerful strike through a crowded box by Brammal from the edge of the box. As the half wore on, and with some lengthy stoppages for injuries, Luton gradually lost momentum.
Jack Marriot, returning to the starting line-up, had been poorly served by long speculative balls for most of the first half, but on fifty-two minutes he demonstrated his prowess as a striker. A rare slick exchange of passes ended with Marriott's perfect first touch and superbly struck shot low into the bottom corner from just outside the box giving Keeley absolutely no chance. His technique was perfect.
The two-goal lead lasted only seven minutes. Wing intercepted a cross and the ball fell fortuitously to Clark in the six-yard box who prodded the ball past Pereira. The quick response re-ignited Luton's assault on the Reading defence and there was an inevitability about Lonwijk's equaliser drilled in from well outside the box, beating Pereira for pace, which is no mean feat. Leam Richardson had seen the way was going, but kept to his game plan which required fresh legs, making five changes.
On came Abrefa, Ehibhatiomhan, Burns, O'Mahoney and Frazer replacing Dorsett, Marriott, Doyle, Yiadom, and Kyerewaa. The 'transfusion' had the desired effect of stemming the flow of Luton attacks, but the icing in the cake came two minutes after the equaliser of outstanding creativity from an unexpected source. Pereira launched a long ball from deep inside the Reading half. Four touches later Keeley was picking ball out of the back of the net. Derrick Williams making a rare foray into the Town half, controlled the long ball on his chest on the half turn and dinked a delicate ball over the Luton defence. Ehibhatiomhan ran onto the pass and took a touch before hitting an early strike past the onrushing Keeley. It was also finishing of the highest quality.
Energised by regaining the lead, Reading played out the remaining twelve minutes, plus seven minutes stoppage time fairly comfortably in front of an appreciative, if somewhat small, home crowd. What a difference a week can make.
John Wells
Reading took an early lead from the penalty spot. A swift counter-attack was ended by Keeley racing off his line to clear a through ball. Kyerewaa reached the ball a fraction of a second before the Luton 'keeper clattered into him. Referee Duckworth allowed all kinds of time-wasting antics before Wing stepped up and smacked the ball confidently into the bottom corner.
Luton proceeded to dominate possession and Reading pressed well but generally struggled to find space or pick out the best passing option. Luton's young manager, Jack Wilshire, served his apprenticeship under Arsene Wenger and it was evident in the way his team passed their way through midfield. Luton enjoyed 65.6% possession (to Reading's 34.4%.) and 82.9% passing accuracy (to Reading's 65.6%). Possession created pressure and Pereira saved well from a deflected cross by Wing and a powerful strike through a crowded box by Brammal from the edge of the box. As the half wore on, and with some lengthy stoppages for injuries, Luton gradually lost momentum.
Jack Marriot, returning to the starting line-up, had been poorly served by long speculative balls for most of the first half, but on fifty-two minutes he demonstrated his prowess as a striker. A rare slick exchange of passes ended with Marriott's perfect first touch and superbly struck shot low into the bottom corner from just outside the box giving Keeley absolutely no chance. His technique was perfect.
The two-goal lead lasted only seven minutes. Wing intercepted a cross and the ball fell fortuitously to Clark in the six-yard box who prodded the ball past Pereira. The quick response re-ignited Luton's assault on the Reading defence and there was an inevitability about Lonwijk's equaliser drilled in from well outside the box, beating Pereira for pace, which is no mean feat. Leam Richardson had seen the way was going, but kept to his game plan which required fresh legs, making five changes.
On came Abrefa, Ehibhatiomhan, Burns, O'Mahoney and Frazer replacing Dorsett, Marriott, Doyle, Yiadom, and Kyerewaa. The 'transfusion' had the desired effect of stemming the flow of Luton attacks, but the icing in the cake came two minutes after the equaliser of outstanding creativity from an unexpected source. Pereira launched a long ball from deep inside the Reading half. Four touches later Keeley was picking ball out of the back of the net. Derrick Williams making a rare foray into the Town half, controlled the long ball on his chest on the half turn and dinked a delicate ball over the Luton defence. Ehibhatiomhan ran onto the pass and took a touch before hitting an early strike past the onrushing Keeley. It was also finishing of the highest quality.
Energised by regaining the lead, Reading played out the remaining twelve minutes, plus seven minutes stoppage time fairly comfortably in front of an appreciative, if somewhat small, home crowd. What a difference a week can make.
John Wells