Brighton Escape With A Point

31 October 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

League leaders Brighton escaped from Madjeski Stadium with their unbeaten record still intact after hanging on for point following a stirring second half performance from the Royals which could easily have yielded all three points for the home side.

After an uneventful sparring match in the first half, Brighton took the lead on fifty one minutes through Murphy who arrived at the far post to finish a move of the highest quality. The goal sparked an impressive comeback from the Royals which produced a deserved equaliser from Vydra following up a venomous strike from the edge of the box by Blackman.

Brighton defended resolutely but a little more composure in front of goal would surely have given Reading a notable home win. If Brighton are considered a good bet for automatic promotion then so are Reading who matched them defensively and had the edge on creativity and attacking prowess. More...

• Match Report:Reading 1 Brighton and Hove Albion 1

Royals Suffer Second Half Collapse At Fulham

25 October 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading FC were cruising to another victory at a wet Craven Cottage before a crazy six minutes saw them decapitate in front of a large travelling army of fans.

Before the fans could catch their breath following Sa's solo effort put the Royals two up, the normally defensively solid Royals found themselves losing three two. It was a knife wound that punctured the Reading performance and they were unable to recover.

Fans and the team alike were confident before kick-off. There were two changes following the Rotherham draw, a returning Vdyra replaced McCleary and Obita started in place of Andrew Taylor. Nick Blackman was pushed out to the right and Piazon to the left.

The game started in typical fashion for this season as Reading dominated the ball. Fulham were chasing shadows as the Royals move the ball shiftily and cleanly. Vdyra effectively acting as the linkup between the midfield and the attack. Orlando continually making the Fulham defensive work. Reading were pressing Fulham well, winning the ball and using quick one touch football to exploit the spaces. Read Full Report...

• Match Report: Fulham 4 Reading 2

Blackman Scores Again But Points Shared

21 October 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading were forced to settle for a single point at Rotherham United, despite leading at half time thanks to a first class goal from the Championship's leading goalscorer Nick Blackman. The draw ended Reading's run of four straight wins and saw them move down one place to third in the table. At full time the draw was probably a fair reflection of the match as Reading dominated the first half but saw the home side improve dramatically in the second period to earn the draw. However, it may still be seen a two points dropped rather than one gained as Reading failed to finish off a side struggling at the foot of the table.

As expected Vydra made a return to the team - but had to settle for a place on the bench, making an appearance after an hour. However Jordan Obita and Aaron Tshibola were both missing through unexpected injury and joined Ferdinand, Quinn and Robson-Kanu on the sidelines. Speaking after the match Reading manager Steve Clarke confirmed that both Quinn and Robson-Kanu's injury were worse that had been previously reported with the players out for between two and three months. Taylor took the place of Obita at left back and Danny Williams was back in midfield. Both players were more than adequate replacements, however Rotherham enjoyed more chances than other teams have against the Royals recently, and the second half goal conceeded was a rare lapse in Reading's defending that has been so excellent this season to date.

Nick Blackman continued his goal a game strike rate, making it ten goals in ten games, in some style on 26 minutes. Oliver Norwood provided a long pass in front of Blackman who chested it down before letting fly with a powerful long range effort that flew into the top of the net. Reading were then content to string together pass after pass for most of the first half and went into the break looking very comfortable, and a Reading victory seemed by far the most likely outcome. Rotherham had other ideas and found themselves level three minutes after the break. Reading failed to deal with the home side's corner and Rotherham's Collins found himself unmarked in the middle of the box with all the time he wanted to send his shot past Ali Al Habsi in the Reading goal.

Rotherham gathered momentum and Al Habsi had more action than he's had in either of the past two fixtures. He made a couple of decent saves to keep Reading in the game as it looked like Rotherham could take all the points. Down the other end Vydra had opportunities to turn the game back Reading's way but looked rusty and failed to seriously trouble the Rotherham goalkeeper. In stoppage time it was that man Nick Blackman who again might have salvaged a victory, doing well to break into the area and getting a shot in - however it was blocked and spun away to safety leaving both sides sharing the points.

• Championship: Rotherham United 1 Reading 1

Reading Aim To Build Run At Rotherham

20 October 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading take their amazing run of six league victories out of seven matches to Rotherham United tonight, hoping to continue the form that has taken them to second place in the table. The Royals have made an early claim to be serious promotion contenders and Saturday's 1-0 home victory over Charlton Athletic at the Madejski Stadium underlined that. It was a long way from Reading's best performance of the season and it was a narrow victory against a side well in the bottom half of the table, who also finished the match with 10 men. However, Reading always looked comfortable and demonstrated the ability to grind out victories against sides looking to force a draw.

Rotherham are second to bottom after a poor start to the season and will be looking for only their third win of the season. The Millers have won just one game at home and one on the road. Their last two matches were defeats but the two matches before that saw them pick up their only league wins of the season.

Rotherham's Last Four Matches:

• 17 October: Brentford 2 Rotherham 1 (L)
• 2 October: Rotherham 1 Burnley 2 (L)
• 26 September: Birmingham 0 Rotherham 2 (W)
• 19 September: Rotherham 2 Cardiff 1 (W)

Steve Clarke is unlikely to make any major changes to his side after they continue to pick up excellent results both home and away. Matej Vydra was expected to be in the squad at the weekend but Clarke saw no needed to rush him back and rested him for some extra days ahead of tonight's match. Vydra will expect to play some part in the fixture although he could be on the bench rather than make an immediate return to the starting eleven. Other than Vydra, the injury list is unchanged from the weekend. That means that Ali Al Habsi will continue in goal with Jonathan Bond still missing. Anton Ferdinand, Stephen Quinn, and Hal Robson-Kanu also will have to wait before returning to action. The defence is almost certain to be unchanged after such a solid performance at the weekend.

Recent history with Rotherham has been mixed and was reflected in the scores last season. We won 3-0 at home in November with Simon Cox scoring twice and Mackie grabbing the other. On the road we lost 1-2 late in the season when Reading's form had taken a serious downturn. Back then the defeat came as no surprise - but things have turned around dramatically since then and Reading will be expecting to pick up some points this time around.

The Royals are big favourites for the win this evening at 17/10. The draw is 12/5, and Rotherham United are big outsiders with the home win giving odds of 17/5.

• Recent Meetings: Reading -v- Rotherham United

Another Blackman Goal Sees Off Charlton

17 October 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading clocked up their sixth league win in seven matches, to move into joint second in the Championship table, with a 1-0 home win over Charlton Athletic. The win was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested, but it took a late Nick Blackman goal to claim the points after Charlton had been reduced to ten men. The Royals were on top throughout the fixture but struggled to find the break through despite their superiority in all departments. Charlton offered very little, but this was still the kind of match that might have ended 0-0 last season. Not only did Reading secure a late victory but the winning goal once again came from Nick Blackman. Blackman's confidence is off the scale, as will be the confidence of his team mates as they continue to match the high level of expectancy at the club.

The Royals lined up with a positive side, as you might have expected at home against a side struggling in the bottom half of the table - and without an away league win all season. Al Habsi impressed in goal last week and continued with Bond forced to miss out through injury. Al Habsi again did nothing wrong after being called into action several times early in the first half. Although he had no shots to stop apart from a single effort midway through the first half he showed some confident kicking in what would have been one of the easiest clean sheets of his career. The save he did make saw him get down quickly and low to hit right and hold the ball well. It was a rare Charlton attack and the rest of the match saw Reading firmly on top. Really it was just a matter of when Reading would finally score, and after they did it was a question of if they could increase their lead. In the end Reading were forced to settle for the single goal but you couldn't help feel the Royals hadn't ever quite hit top gear.

The defence was solid throughout. McShane commanded the back four and won everything that Charlton hopefully pumped forward in the air. His ability to direct headers to a Reading target made sure Reading retained possession. There did seem to be a lack of urgency from the Royals in the first half. Up front we were failing to seriously trouble the Charlton goalkeeper. We did get some shots in but nearly all found their way well over the visitors' crossbar. Norwood and John both had opportunities that failed to find the target. Towards the end of the second half Charlton enjoyed a long spell of possession - enough to draw cheers from their supporters as Reading were content to let them play the ball around in the middle of the pitch. In the end Reading easily pushed them back and there was no end product, but it was clear Reading needed to up the tempo in the second half.

Piazon had an average first half with a few misplaced paces and was too easy pushed off the ball. However he grew in confidence in the second half and started to look like a player with bags of potential. His hard work nearly produced a Reading goal when Sa did well to cut the ball back, Piazon played the ball to Tshibola who might have done better but shot across goal and well wide. Piazon showed a few nice touches that so nearly came off, such as a clever back heel in the area that just missed his man. Blackman had had limited impact in the first half but was lively in the second. A couple of good runs towards the box ended with at least one shot off target. With twenty minutes to play the game swung in Reading's favour when Charlton's Bauer failed to deal with Blackman and instead hacked him down on the edge of the area when Blackman was perhaps set to score. It was Bauer's second yellow card giving Charlton too long for them to hang on with ten men. Piazon's free-kick got well over the wall, but continued to rise and ended up high in the North Stand rather the net.

Danny Williams then replaced Tshibola and Ola John was swapped for Gareth McCleary. The two substitutes had an immediate impact as Reading got down to the job of finishing off a weakened Charlton. McCleary went steaming down the right and played the ball into Williams and nearly produced an instant goal. Moments later Williams had another chance just on the edge of the box but he struggled to get power into the shot. Players from the starting eleven then combined to produce the vital goal with 14 minutes left to play. Piazon crossed from the left and Blackman stormed into the area to head home from the right side to make it 1-0.

With plenty of time still to play we felt Reading would double their lead but they seemed content to play it safe, not make any mistakes, and secure the win that would take them level with Middlesbrough in second place. Charlton never looked likely to get anything from the match and really it was a case of job done for the Royals. This was just the kind of performance against stubborn opposition that's important if Reading are to maintain a promotion push this season.

• Match Report: Reading 1 Charlton 0

Royals Hope To Continue Form As Charlton Visit

16 October 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

As Charlton visit the Madejski Stadium, Reading will be hoping to continue their excellent early season league form that has taken them to third place in the Championship after ten games. In the league the in-form Royals have won five out of the last six matches. The most recent of those wins was the impressive 2-0 home victory over second placed Middlesbrough immediately before the International break.

The International break saw Chris Gunter and Hal Robson-Kanu help Wales to their first major tournament qualification in recent history - but came at a cost as Robson-Kanu limped off in the first half of Wales 2-0 win over Andorra. Robson-Kanu's misfortune will probably see a recall for striker Matej Vydra who should make a return from his recent injury. Robson-Kanu is unlikely to be missing from action for long but it comes at a bad time when he'd made a promising return to the starting eleven. With such a wealth of talent available to manager Steve Clarke he'll have no problem filling the gap and Vydra will be looking to stake his claim in the side.

Vydra's selection is not a certainty as he has only just made a return to full training. Meanwhile, Anton Ferdinand could well be still missing. He had a superb start to the season before picking up yet another injury. Ferdinand is joined by midfielder Stephen Quinn, and goalkeeper Jonathan Bond on the injury list, but thankfully none of the squad are expected to have long-term problems.

Ali Al Habsi had only featured in goal for Reading in their League Cup campaign but stepped in for Bond against Middlesbrough. Al Habsi's clean sheet against one of the Championship's better side was a fair reflection of his excellent all round performance. After plenty of discussion about goalkeeping errors his performance was as solid and confident as you would like.

So, Reading have already shown they can cope with injuries thanks to the depth of the squad and will be expecting to pick up three more points against 17th placed Charlton. Charlton have more extensive injury worries than the Royals and haven't yet won a game away from home in the league this season - a record Reading will be hoping to help them maintain.

• Previous Meetings: Reading -v- Charlton

Cox Joins Bristol City On Three Month Loan

09 October 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Striker Simon Cox has joined Championship side Bristol City on a three month loan. Cox has found himself struggling to get consistent starting appearances since the arrival of Steve Clarke at Reading. Cox had already fallen out of favour before the arrival of Reading's new set of players. His chances have been further limited after Nick Blackman hit such good form this season.

The number of players in front of him in the queue for a starting position has seen Cox make just a single start for the Royals this season. He started in the 2-1 win at Portsmouth in August - but that turned out to be his last Reading appearance before completing his loan move. That game typified his postition at Reading as Nick Blackman scored the equaliser and Cox was shortly substituted after failing to find the net. Cox has also played another four games from the bench - all in August.

Last season Cox made a decent start to the season before the goals dried up for Cox and the entire side. Despite Reading's lack of success Cox still managed to score 8 goals in 43 appearances. He will be hoping to revive a career which saw West Brom pay 1.5 million for him in 2009 and Nottingham Forest to pay 2 million for his services three years later.

Middlesbrough Beaten As Royals Close On Leaders

03 October 2015
By Alex Bower

"That was two good teams playing against each other today. We got the key moments in the afternoon and to get in front early changed the whole dynamic of the game."
- Reading Manager Steve Clarke

"The main thing we had to do was not concede a goal in the first minute, but we did- within twenty seconds."
- Middlesbrough Manager Aitor Karanka

Many will have been expecting a tight game when Reading took on Middlesbrough at the Madejski on Saturday afternoon- and at times it was exactly that- but goals from Danny Williams and Nick Blackman rewarded an enthusiastic Royals side with all three points. Middlesbrough had previously won seven games in a row so it was a special performance from the home side to not only take the victory but also keep a clean sheet in the process.

Reading manager Steve Clarke made a few changes prior to the game, with Ali Al-Habsi coming in for the injured Jonathan Bond and Orlando Sa making his return to the team following his suspension.

Despite expecting a close game, it took only fifteen seconds for Reading to take the lead. Straight from the kick-off, Hal Robson-Kanu was found out wide. The Welsh International has come under a fair amount of criticism over the last couple of seasons but his powerful drive down the wing was impressive. Even better was his pinpoint cross to find Danny Williams at the far post who then dispatched the ball into the back of Konstantopoulos' net. Middlesbrough were stunned and Reading had the early lead.

Middlesbrough gradually came into the game and began to put some pressure on the Reading defence. Large periods for the home side were spent without the ball but Middlesbrough failed to create many chances. Chris Gunter in particular came to Reading's rescue when Diego Fabbrini came close to creating an opportunity for himself. Reading came closest to scoring again in the first-half when a Nick Blackman cross was parried back into the area where Orlando Sa was awaiting. His subsequent effort was cleared off the line by Daniel Ayala whose headed clearance kept his side in the game.

Reading chances kept coming with a Paul McShane header ultimately ending up over the bar, but it was Stewart Downing who came closest for Middlesbrough with a free kick. The Middlesbrough midfielder's low effort was turned away by Al-Habsi in the Reading goal- something that would have boosted his confidence following some poor saves in recent games.

The home side continued to create opportunities into the second half and looked comfortable. Robson-Kanu was once again the creator as his cross found the head of Sa in the middle. His headed attempt failed to find the target but the Royals were continuing to knock on the door.

Middlesbrough are a strong side, however, and created opportunities of their own. The best of these fell to Grant Leadbitter but his low drive ultimately missed the post. It was clear that desperation levels were gradually increasing amongst the away side as they appealed for hand ball in the penalty area on every given opportunity. They did have a great opportunity to level the score, however, when substitute Carlos De Pena headed just wide having been found by Emilio Nsue. It was a nervy period for the home fans but Reading were to come away unscathed.

While Middlesbrough were doing their best to even the score, it was the home side that was to score late in the second half and seal the victory. Reading's top scorer Blackman was brought down in the box when he was about to pull the trigger and the referee subsequently awarded the penalty. The man of the moment stepped up and calmly slotted the penalty into the net. It took Blackman to nine goals for the season and the victory took Reading back to third in the table.

Despite having to deal with a Middlesbrough side capable of maintaining large periods of possession, Reading were not overly threatened by the away side. It was a great performance once again from the team as a whole with strong performances throughout. The early goal certainly helped, giving the home side something to protect, and this meant the team had to sit back and counter when given the chance. Players like Blackman subsequently had few opportunities to make an impact offensively but stepped up at the crucial moment.

Defensively, Michael Hector and Paul McShane were outstanding once again while Oliver Norwood and Danny Williams did not stop working in the centre of midfield. One person that also deserves a mention is Hal Robson-Kanu. As previously mentioned he has come under much criticism but his performance against Middlesbrough was amongst his best. Fans will always like it when a player works hard and Robson-Kanu continuously chased down the ball. Maybe he has realised that he will have to work in order to stay in the team, but either way he is beginning to perform in the manner he does for his country.

If there was a weakness for Reading it would have been Lucas Piazon. Following his strong performance against Burnley I would not have expected to be saying such things but he was a fair way off his best. The Chelsea youngster struggled to hold onto the ball and was eased aside on numerous occasions. Right up until the moment he was taken off, he struggled to get into the game and he was the clear weakness amongst a strong Reading side.

Overall, however, it was a great day at the office for Reading despite the continued inconsistency of decisions made by referee Keith Stroud. The Royals have narrowed the gap to the Championship leaders Brighton to only four points and go into the International break as one of the early candidates for promotion. It is still early days but you can safely say that optimism is high amongst everyone associated with the club. With Charlton and Rotherham up next, you feel that their run can also go on for a little while yet.

• Match Report: Reading 2 Middlesbrough 0

Top Of The Table Clash As Middlesbrough Visit

02 October 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

As if from nowhere, Reading suddenly find themselves involved in a top of the table Championship clash as Middlesbrough visit the Madejski Stadium tomorrow. Reading find themselves in third place - our highest position since relegation from the Premier League - ahead of what should prove to be an interesting match against opposition that expect to be serious promotion contenders this season. The Royals top of a group of six teams with 15 points and are five points behind the visitors. Middlesbrough are the form team in the Championship and come to Reading after a run of five straight wins. They've scored thirteen goals in those five fixtures and conceded just three, and will be expecting to collect at least a point in Reading.

Reading have put together two away victories in the league but will be looking to improve from our last home league performance - the 0-1 defeat to Derby County. Reading looked well set for victory in that game with Derby - until Orlando Sa received his marching orders just before the break. Reading failed to build on being the better side once they were down to ten men and the single goal was enough for Reading's only league defeat since the opening day of the season. The Royals have won two league matches either side of that Derby defeat and will be looking to build on that form. Orlando Sa will be back in the squad, after completing his three match suspension, but a recall to the starting eleven is certainly not guaranteed. Before his red card against Derby Sa hit a hat-trick against Ipswich, but since then Reading haven't suffered too much without him.

Orlando Sa grabbed the headlines for his hat-trick one match and his sending off the next, but since then Nick Blackman continues to win everyone over. It will be Blackman's name that is first on Steve Clarke's team sheet. Blackman has scored seven goals in seven matches in all competitions. It is only the Derby defeat in which he has failed to score in the last seven games. Last week Blackman put Reading on their way to victory at Burnley with an early goal before Piazon made it 2-0 to effectively seal the win, despite a late Burnley goal. Clarke remains spoilt for choice, with effective players waiting for their chance on the bench.

The depth of the squad will allow Clarke to rest Stephen Quinn and Matej Vydra who are both returning from injury. Clarke is unlikely to risk an early starting return for either of those players when his side continues to look so convincing without them. Anton Ferdinand is also expected to miss out again - but that won't give Clarke any real headache as he can continue with the centre back pairing of McShane and Hector.

The pre-match odds show that anything could happen between these two teams that both have big expectations for the season. Reading are very narrow favourites for victory at 6/4. The draw is 9/4, while a Middlesbrough win is 7/4. However, the best bet has to be Nick Blackman for first goalscorer at 11/2.

• Match Report Archive: Reading -v- Middlesbrough