another point for reading...

Birmingham City 1
Reading 1
Scorer:Forssell (4) Scorer:Hunt (50 pen.)
Attendance: 27,300 FT (16:53)

Stephen Hunt's second-half penalty halted a run of six successive away defeats for Reading.

Hunt scored from the spot after he had been brought down by Birmingham City goalkeeper Maik Taylor following a weak back-pass from defender Mat Sadler.

That cancelled out Mikael Forssell's first-half strike but City had enough chances to have collected points with Royals goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann producing some crucial saves and Ibrahima Sonko making a spectacular clearance off the goal-line with the help of the underside of the crossbar.

It was Reading's first away point in four months since they drew with Manchester United at Old Trafford on the opening day of the campaign.

They enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening 45 minutes and looked full of confidence after their 3-1 home success over Liverpool last weekend.

But Hahnemann was the busier of the two goalkeepers with Forssell looking sharp in his first start under Blues manager Alex McLeish and Damien Johnson adding some steel in the centre of the park.

Reading made a positive start but after four minutes the Blues went ahead through Forssell in their first meaningful attack.

Gary McSheffrey's corner was flicked across the face of goal by Fabrice Muamba and, although Nicky Shorey blocked the recalled Forssell's initial header, the Finn bundled the rebound over the line for his third goal of the campaign.

The goal seemed to lift the home side and the confident Forssell twisted and turned to create an opening before having his eventual shot blocked.

Reading were forced to make a change after 27 minutes when midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson suffered a knee injury and was replaced by Kalifa Cisse.

Fabrice Muamba made some good breaks forward and McSheffrey should have done better when he was found in space just inside the box as he sliced his shot across the face of goal.

Hahnemann came to Reading's rescue after 40 minutes when he blocked a low close-range effort from Forssell with his feet.

But it needed Taylor to ensure the Blues maintained their advantage at the interval when saving in similar fashion from James Harper.

After 50 minutes Hunt put the Royals level from the penalty spot after a mistake by City defender Sadler.

The left-back did not put enough power into his attempted back-pass towards Taylor, who brought down Hunt after he had seized on to the loose ball.

Up stepped Hunt to send the Northern Ireland number one the wrong way from the spot.

Birmingham tried to retaliate and a deep cross from Sebastian Larsson was met by Jerome but he sent his header over the crossbar.

Hahnemann produced a reflex save to keep out Jerome's close-range header from a McSheffrey centre and fisted away a curling Larsson free-kick.

Blues skipper Liam Ridgewell was yellow-carded for bringing down Bobby Convey and his fifth booking of the campaign will rule him out of next weekend's match at Bolton Wanderers through suspension.

McSheffrey was unfortunate when a 30-yard free-kick rattled against the Reading crossbar. The rebound fell to Larsson whose header was cleared off the line by Sonko, who directed the ball up on to the underside of the crossbar and out.

Reading substitute Shane Long could have snatched victory in the closing stages but he mis-hit his volley when completely unmarked as Steve Coppell's side finished in the ascendancy, with Hunt side-footing a late chance for a second goal wide.

source: premierleague.com

source: premierleague.com

Sunderland were hit by another late blow for the second week running after Stephen Hunt condemned them to a 2-1 defeat at Reading.

Roy Keane's side thought they had beaten Aston Villa at the death last week only to have the goal ruled out.

And they were dismayed when referee Steve Tanner consulted a linesman to award Hunt a goal that added to Ivar Ingimarsson's opener and made Michael Chopra's penalty equaliser redundant.

Reading dominated the first half against but were unable to find a goal.

Chances were rarer for the visitors but the best was theirs when Andy Cole was put clear by Dwight Yorke and it needed a smart double stop from home goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann to deny him.

With Royals skipper Graeme Murty having played him onside, the former England man saw his first shot blocked by goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, who was able to gather when Cole had another - more hurried effort from the rebound.

Hahnemann was hurt in the process but was soon able to continue.

Reading replied with a snapshot from Bobby Convey at the other end that went wide. The American was impeded by Paul McShane just outside the box from the next attack but referee Tanner allowed play to continue and Dave Kitson fired a 25-yarder which beat Gordon but just cleared the bar.

Gordon, playing his first match since letting in seven at Everton a month ago, was hurt when Convey, sliding in to try to meet Kevin Doyle's ball beyond the Sunderland backline, hit him in the head with his boot.

The Scot was not down for long and showed he was not too groggy by catching Kitson's attempt to lob him from distance with ease.

Hunt thought he had opened the scoring in the 29th minute when Kitson, having crossed from the left of the box despite the presence of three Sunderland men, picked him out at the back post. Hunt out-jumped Danny Collins to plant a header from point-blank range that Gordon blocked with an arm.

The Reading man claimed a goal but although Gordon's body partially was behind the line, the ball didn't seem to have crossed it.

Set-piece opportunities were arriving regularly for Reading and a Shorey free-kick just eluded Sonko and then Gunnarsson at the back post.

Sunderland were at least more adventurous in the second half and Chopra hit the top of the net from 25 yards.

Hunt again came close, hitting Gordon's right-hand post with a drive from just outside the box on the right, having cut inside to fool his challenger.

The Irishman won a corner from the next attack but Sunderland had little difficulty in clearing this time.

Sunderland made a double change with Murphy and Cole replaced by Etuhu and Wallace in the 63rd minute and switched to a 4-5-1 formation.

Murty had to slide in to stop Jones's flick setting up Wallace in front of goal as Sunderland continued to look dangerous occasionally.

But Reading broke the deadlock in the 70th minute through Ingimarsson after Hunt had been fouled on the right touchline by Collins.

Harper fired in the free-kick, Sonko headed it goalwards and when Gordon could only parry his fellow centre-back made no mistake from two yards.

Doyle fired across goal and wide again as a second goal beckoned.

Jones was on target from more than 20 yards out at the other end but fired straight at Hahnemann.

But from his next attack he went down under a Sonko challenge and referee Tanner pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Chopra to beat Hahnemann from the spot to record his first goal since the second match of the season.

Chopra almost won it with a drive that Hahnemann had to tip over and the American was required once more to deny Jones after the Reading back-line were caught cold.

But Hunt had the final say in stoppage time when he was on the end of a cross from substitute Shane Long, who had replaced Convey. Again Gordon blocked - but this time the ball was judged to be over the line

current table position (source: www.royals.org)


This post has been edited by razlan: Dec 23 2007, 05:59 PM

Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Berbatov - 6, 62, 72, 82, Malbranque - 75, Defoe - 78)

Reading 4 (Cisse - 16, Ingimarsson - 52, Kitson - 69, 74)

Attendance: 36,178 FT (16:53)


Dimitar Berbatov scored four times in a thrilling Barclays Premier League match at White Hart Lane where Tottenham Hotspur edged Reading to the points in a 10-goal thriller.

The visitors held the lead three times in the second half after goals from Kalifa Cisse, Ivar Ingimarsson and a double from Dave Kitson.

But Berbatov's strikes, with goals from Steed Malbranque and Jermain Defoe, meant the points stayed at the Lane.

Both sides went into the match with a reputation for thrilling matches - and this was up there with Reading's 7-4 against Portsmouth.

Reading's team bus was held up in traffic and their squad had to be phoned through - but there was no delay in the action when play got under way.

The opener came in the seventh minute from a move started by Malbranque playing through Robbie Keane down the right flank.

Keane instinctively crossed first time and Berbatov squeezed between defenders and tapped in.

The equaliser came nine minutes later after Berbatov fouled Kevin Doyle on the halfway line.

Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson called to claim Nicky Shorey's free-kick and tried to punch as Younes Kaboul looked to clear. The ball fell to Cisse and the midfielder stabbed in the rebound from the edge of the area.

Robinson had to stay alert as Stephen Hunt's cross almost deceived him shortly after and he had to tip over the bar.

Bobby Convey was almost given a sight of goal when Pascal Chimbonda lost the ball but Kaboul got back to clear the danger.

Kitson had a shot early in the second half and despite being awarded a corner, his effort had struck team-mate Doyle before spinning to safety.

Keane turned Ibrahima Sonko at the other end and claimed he was hauled to the floor in the area - but play was waved on.

Reading went ahead in the 53rd minute after Kaboul was forced to slide in to block a shot from Kitson. Shorey's corner found Ingimarsson, who was unmarked and thumped his header past Robinson for 2-1.

They could have extended the lead in their next move, Cisse's shot finding its way to Kitson through on goal - but the striker checked onto his favoured foot and Robinson cleared.

Spurs head coach Juande Ramos responded by taking off skipper Ledley King, who is still working himself back to full fitness, for Defoe.

The hosts looked exposed with a centre-back short and Robinson had to save from Hunt at full-stretch when Reading broke, then Kitson blazed wide.

But they were level in the 63rd minute when Defoe scampered down the right - his cross was weak but Graeme Murty failed to clear and Berbatov lashed into the roof of the net.

Inevitably it was from a set-piece that Reading took the lead again to go 3-2 up. Kitson stole in at the near post and headed in Shorey's corner.

Berbatov levelled in the 72nd minute when he hooked in his hat-trick after Chimbonda headed down Jenas' corner from the right.

There was no sign of the pace stopping. Kitson raced through and chipped Robinson to make it 4-3, but Malbranque curled into the top corner to restore parity.

And Spurs were ahead again with 12 minutes remaining when Sonko brought down Keane in the area. Marcus Hahnemann saved Keane's spot-kick but Defoe slid in with a diving header to tuck away the rebound.

Berbatov scored his fourth in the 83rd minute, chasing a hopeful long ball and crashing in a volley from the edge of the area.

For all the effort, Spurs move up one place in the table, replacing Reading in 12th.

source: premierleague.com

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Added on January 3, 2008, 9:07 pmsecond lost in a row... they lost 0-2 to portsmouth

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Added on March 6, 2011, 9:44 pmwow, have not visited this thread for 3 years.

Reading, relegated back to championship for 2008/09 season, has been in form lately by beating Everton 1-0 in the FA Cup 5th Round and qualified for the 6th Round to play against Man City.

Then they beat Middlesbrough 5-2 at Madejski Stadium to chase for 3rd-6th position in the league for a promotion play-off. Hope they make it.

This post has been edited by razlan: Mar 6 2011, 09:44 PM

reading beat Portsmouth 2-0 courtesy of shane long's two goals. they are now sixth in the league and battling for promotion.



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Added on April 24, 2012, 9:02 pmWelcome back to premier league!

This post has been edited by razlan: Apr 24 2012, 09:02 PM