Match Report: 2011/2012 Season
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7 January 2012: FA CUP ROUND 3
READING 0 STEVENAGE 1
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goals
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Reading: -
Stevenage: Charles (21 mins). |
Half Time: 0-1. Attendance: 11,295
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teams
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Reading: A Federici, I Harte, K Gorkss, A Pearce, S Cummings (L D'Ath, 86), J McAnuff, M Leigertwood, J Tabb (M Antonio, 52), H Robson-Kanu, A Le Fondre (M Manset, 63), S Church.
Subs not used: M Andersen, J Mills, B Gunnarsson, S Morrison. Stevenage: C Day, M Roberts, J Ashton, S Laird, R Henry, M Bostwick, J Byrom, L Wilson, L Freeman (B Harrison, 71), C Beardsley (P Edwards, 88), D Charles (R Shroot, 80). Subs not used: A Julian, S Long, D Cowan, M Thalassitis. |
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bookings
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Reading: Le Fondre.
Stevenage: -. Ref: Nigel Miller. |
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report
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Just when you think things are going to get better, a performance and a result like this brings everyone back down to earth with a bump. Reading fielded the strongest side available and were outplayed and dumped out of the Cup by a fairly ordinary team from a lower league. Admittedly Stevenage are on a good run but so were Reading and there can be no excuses for this abject performance. It was not however completely out of the blue. A good result from an indifferent performance against Ipswich and then a poor performance against Cardiff indicated a loss of form which today's game confirmed. Karacan's absence was significant in a midfield which lacked commitment and if his omission was planned rather than enforced it proved to be a big mistake. The Stevenage defence underlined a fundamental weakness in Reading's game. There is simply not enough strength amongst the strikers available to Brian McDermott. Church and Le Fondre were unable win anything in the air, which is where the ball was most of the time, and when the ball was played in their feet they were too slow to react and nowhere near strong enough to hold the ball up.
Stevenage started brightly and had two good strikes on goal in the opening five minutes as the Reading back four back-pedalled while Stevenage swarmed though midfield unopposed. In between Church had a shot deflected wide. Borough took the lead on twenty-six minutes when McAnuff McAnuff tried to outsmart his marker when facing his own goal just inside the Reading half. Was there an option for him? Did he consider laying it off? Either way Stevenage won the ball and Charles wasted no time in getting his shot away (Reading please note!) and Federici who went on to be Reading's best player appeared to be wrong-footed and the ball deflected past him into the net. Still Reading did not respond and were generally second to the ball all over the pitch. Borough defenders and midfield were often allowed to head the ball unchallenged. Reading's passing was erratic to say the least and over the ninety minutes Borough enjoyed more possession and had more strikes on goal. Stevenage missed a good chance on the stroke of half time when Charles put the ball over from a couple of yards. The second half brought changes when Tabb was forced off through injury and Antonio injected a bit of urgency but a poor touch let him down when broke through on the right and then he fluffed the Reading's best chance of the game when Church's deft touch left him with only the 'keeper to beat. Manset came on and charged about but made little impact. Robson-Kanu worked hard to get behind the defence but Borough denied him any time and space. What was needed to break down their workmanlike opponents was some subtle passing and movement and to be honest the Royals did not appear to have the potential to achieve that at any point in the game. Reading had players with superior technique and ability but not in areas where it mattered. Good saves from Federici prevented further embarrassment. My son pointed out quite correctly that the highlight of the day was our pre-match trip to B&Q! John Wells |
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