MATCHWATCH : Hull City (h) sponsored by the first half goal search goes on

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday 23rd September, 3pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161

Hi, it's Hull and they will be bouncing into town next and the wonderful thing about Tigers is that they're the only one.

The Tiger kit, remember that monstrosity appearing the Elm Park in the early 90s? Reading lost of course but it was apparently indicative of the route the ownership has been trying (and failing) to take ever since.

Now they are not quite so bouncy, in fact a bit like jumping on a space hopper with a puncture they are leaving an air of deflation about them. Now that may still be enough to inflict yet more misery on Stam's misfiring team but this really should be a game that Reading look to take maximum pointage from.

1 point only from their 4 games on the road has been amassed by the Boothferry Park exiles. In addition they were turned over 2-0 at Doncaster in the League Cup so let's all hope Reading don't do their usual trick of allowing opponents to turn around miserable records and runs

Managed now by a Russian gentleman, named Leonid Slutsky, the main issue appears to be a young and largely makeshift defence that can be a little leaky at times as one clean sheet in 9 games would appear to show - and that clean sheet was against bottom of the table Bolton.

That said they do have some useful talent in Frazier Campbell, Allan McGregor, Michael Dawson and Chelsea loanee Michael Hector so do need to be carefully watched and accorded due respect to stand any chance of avoiding another depressing day out supporting the lads.

For the record as well as Hector facing his old club the likes of McShane and Aluko will be returning the favour. I would add Stephen Quinn to that list but as he's injured (again). He will only be meeting up off the pitch.

The Hull squad seem to be fairly clear of injuries while Reading have the standard problems of no Quinn, Richards, Watson or Kermorgant and Harriott is still not up to match speed despite being over his injury. That still leaves quite a talented bunch and with Obita now back in things the defence as another option on the left side that may mean Blackett being left out.

Last league starting XIs :

Reading : Mannone, Gunter, McShane, Moore, Blackett, Berg, Edwards, McCleary, Kelly, Bodvarsson, Aluko

Subs : Jaakkola, Ilori, Beerens, Evans, Obita, Bacuna, Clement

Hull City : Allan McGregor, Michael Hector, Kamil Grosicki, Nouha Dicko, Sebastian Larsson, Jarrod Bowen, Michael Dawson, Markus Henriksen, Stephen Kingsley, Fikayo Tomori, Ola Aina.

Subs: David Marshall, Jackson Irvine, David Meyler, Jon Toral, Adama Diomande, Max Clark, Fraizer Campbell.

Referee

He enjoyed the Birmingham game so much that Staffordshire's Stephen Martin is already back for another go at Reading's fortunes



Previously...

26 Aug 2017 -> Birmingham City 0-2 Reading
24 Jan 2017 > Reading 1-0 Fulham
15 Oct 2016 > Queen's Park Rangers 1-1 Reading
15 Mar 2016 > Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Reading
23 Jan 2016 > Reading 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
19 Sep 2015 > Bristol City 0-2 Reading
25 Mar 2014 > Reading 1-3 Barnsley

Previously

08 Apr 17 > Norwich City 7-1 Reading
24 Sep 16 > Reading 1-0 Huddersfield Town
21 Nov 15 > Reading 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
02 May 15 > Derby County 0-3 Reading
28 Dec 14 > Reading 2-1 Norwich City
21 Nov 14 > Cardiff City 2-1 Reading
12 Aug 14 > Reading 3-1 Newport County (League Cup)
10 Sep 11 > Reading 0-2 Watford
30 Apr 11 > Coventry City 0-0 Reading
22 Jan 11 > Reading 1-1 Hull City
02 May 10 > Reading 4-0 Preston North End
30 Jan 10 > Reading 1-0 Barnsley

Historically

There have been 23 previous league games in Reading against Hull City and it's not an especially good record either with 9 Reading wins compared to Hull's 7. On top of that Reading's recent run at home to Hull is completely pathetic with just one win and three draws to show from the last 8 attempts. Defeats tend to be close affairs with just one goal deciding it (6 of Hull's wins have been by just 1 goal) while 8 of Reading's wins have been by at least a 2 goal margin. There has only been one 0-0 in those previous 23 games.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel to the Mad Stad
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use an iFollow subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Hound]

nice write up. Big game this for both sides. Looking forward to it

[Stockport Royal]

Only judging them from the one game I watched when they played Derby away, got absolutely battered. Hector was trying to do kick ups next to his own corner flag, passed it straight to their player on the edge of the box for a goal, standard.

Bowen looked like a good player.

Fairly easy prediction to make, but with these two teams as they are, whoever scores first wins it here 1-0.

[CountryRoyal]

Hector was trying to do kick ups next to his own corner flag, passed it straight to their player on the edge of the box for a goal, standard.

You can take the boy out of Reading but you can't take Reading out of the boy.

[genome]

A must win for both sides, really.

I'm going to go 1-0 to us.

[John Smith]

Only judging them from the one game I watched when they played Derby away, got absolutely battered. Hector was trying to do kick ups next to his own corner flag, passed it straight to their player on the edge of the box for a goal, standard.

I think that game could have been very different had Hull scored their pen at 1-0. They looked to pick up in recent weeks but seeing Fulham beat them makes us think we should beat them if we want to be challenging for promotion.

I'm going for 2-0 Reading

[JoeyJoeJoeJnrShabadoo]

thanks

[Snowflake Royal]

1-1 Aluko

[biff]

Mauled by the tigers, we're getting mauled by the tigers.

[Oilroyal]

This could be the game that our midfield and pacey wing play murder a team with a tally of goals, but I expect a 0-0

[Hound]

in terms of result, I think we'll get this one right. Score in the first half finally and add a couple in the second.

going for a 3-0 home win, with Aluko 2 and Bacuna

[CountryRoyal]

Don't see us scoring from open play anytime soon.

[bracksroyal10]

1-1 written all over it, we will start brightly but not take our chances once again.

[Nuremberg Royal]

We will at least score inside 45 minutes but sadly so will the oppo.
H.T. 1-1 (Beerens for us) F.T.1-2.
Another home loss and doom and gloom begins to fester.

[Muskrat]

we should beat them if we want to be challenging for promotion.

Actual LOL

[John Smith]

we should beat them if we want to be challenging for promotion.

Actual LOL

What's so amusing?

[Brum Royal]

Reading (1) 2 - 1 (0) Hull

Big Daddy
Kelly

[double d]

3-0 win to hull. The slide for us to league 1 continues, stam loses his job after this mauling

[Snowball]

This could be the game that our midfield and pacey wing play murder a team with a tally of goals, but I expect a 0-0

You didn't give a HTscore...

[Snowball]

3 1 0 3 0 Hound Aluko (2), Bacuna
2 x x 2 0 John Smith
1 x x 1 0 genome
1 1 0 2 1 Brum Royal Dadi, Kelly
0 x x 1 1 Snowflake Royal Aluko
0 x x 0 0 OilRoyal
0 x x 1 1 bracksroyal10
-1 1 1 1 2 Nuremberg Royal Beerens
-3 x x 0 3 double d