Reading FC Match Preview - Colchester (Home), 01/02

When	Saturday 26 January 2002, 3.00pm kick-off
Who and Where	COLCHESTER UNITED (Home, Madejski Stadium, League Division Two)
Ticket Info	Pay in advance or on the day, normal home match prices apply. Upper West Stand: Adults: Ł18 in advance, Ł20 on the day. Concessions: Ł12 in advance, Ł14 on the day. The Upper West Stand is RESERVED seating Lower West, East, North and South Stands: Adults: Ł13 in advance, Ł15 on the day. Concessions: Ł8 in advance, Ł9 on the day. The East and West Stands are RESERVED seating. The North Stand is UNRESERVED seating. A big crowd is expected with Reading currently top of the table. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the ticket office on 0118 968 1000.
Travel, Food and Beer.	Home match - See away fans guide for travel, food and beer guide.
Team news	Reading - from: Roberts, Murty, Williams, Mackie, Shorey, Igoe, Hughes, Parkinson, Gamble, Salako, Rougier, Henderson, Forster, Cureton, Ashdown, Jones, A.Smith. Colchester - from: Brown, Duguid, Halls, Keith, White, Fitzgerald, Stockwell, Morgan, Izzet, Pinault, McGleish, Coote, Barrett, Williamson, Johnson, Canham.
Form Guide	View Latest Second Division Table And Form Table
Previous Meetings	Reading wins: 26 Draws: 13 Colchester wins: 23 Figures include League, FA Cup and League Cup only. 2001/2002 Season: Colchester United have already beaten the Royals once this season - doing us 0-2 in the League at the start of October. However, we managed to dispose of them at home in the LDV trophy: 30 October 2001: Reading 2 Colchester United 1 (LDV Vans) 5 October 2001: Colchester United 2 Reading 0 (Division Two) 2000/2001 Season: Colchester United were one of the few teams to beat Reading at the Madejski Stadium last season - a first half goal was enough to give them all three points in November of last year. The visit to Layer Road saw Reading needing a victory to have a chance of automatic promotion. A decent away following packed into the away allocation only to watch Reading lose 1-2 and lose out on second place to Rotherham United. A bad day for Reading fans. 28 April 2001: Colchester United 2 Reading 1 11 November 2000: Reading 0 Colchester United 1 1999/2000 Season: Reading won on aggregate over the two league matches during the 1999/2000 season with each team managing a home victory to share the points: 29 January 2000: Reading 2 Colchester United 0 28 August 1999: Colchester United 3 Reading 2 Click on match results for match reports.
Match Odds	Odds offered at on-line book maker William Hill: Reading are favourites for home victory.
Predictions	Home win. What do you think? Enter your Prediction now!
Opposition Site

Pre-Match Opinions

My prediction that Reading could beat Wigan was fulfilled and Reading within a very short period from before Christmas find themselves as the bookies favourites in division 2. The fact that we have learned to deal with the big occasion match like Tuesday night shows that Reading have come along way since the departure of Martin Allen and I will let you draw your own conclusion from that. But credit must go to both the management staff and players for the transformation the fans have witnessed over the past few months. Saturdays fixture against Colchester though should not be taken likely, as although we beat them at home with an assured 2-0 victory in the LDV (Tom I thought Gamble was excellent in this game), they are not completely out of the running yet. My feeling is that Reading have grown in confidence so much that we will either completely out gun and out class them, or we could get complacent and rest on our laurels only to be frustrated by inferior opponents. The players must make sure they are mentally up for tomorrow and this is where Pardew and Dillon come in. This is new territory for them and keeping the players in touch with reality could be difficult especially for the less experienced members of the squad like Shorey and Hughes. Pardew will be looking to his experienced pros to make sure we do a professional job and increase the gap at the top of the table even more. Last of all a mention to JM who must be a happy man and finally has been rewarded for his patents with the management. Lets hope Reading have a big crowd, for the club and the players deserve it for the recent run of form. Be professional lads the championship is still a long way off!
-- Paul Finch

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