by floyd__streete »
24 Jul 2009 00:59
You'd expect young professionals to be able to beat a Conference South side and Reading did this in decent style, moving the ball around with confidence. Apologies, I am not exactly au fait with our academy team and I couldn't get my hands on a team sheet so all I can really tell you is that the first goal was scored around ten minutes before half time by Mitchell Bryant at the end of a decent move and a clever final through ball and the second was scored by a Michael Mancienne lookalike playing up front who drilled the ball into the far corner, making amends for a poor first touch. Apart from a couple of clumsy defensive lapses, the young Reading team controlled the game. I managed to crane my neck from the Hayes Lane bar window to see from the team sheet sat on the lap of a media man below that the number 10 who impressed us all was Baggie - think Shaun Wright-Phillips playing centre-mid - whilst at right wing Michail Antonio flattered to deceive somewhat although he has plenty of pace and strength.
In attendance was Hammond, Frank Lampard Snr and Eamonn Dolan, the latter had a chat with us after the game. I asked whether there was any pressure from the board for the academy to finally produce and Dolan replied "it is what I was brought here for, it has taken a few years to come to fruition" before speaking glowingly and with clear pride about the likes of Robson-Kanu, Davies and Sigurdsson who have graduated to the first team tour of Sweden. Dolan's enthusiasm was infectious and he spoke very highly of Rodgers referring to him more than once as "a good man" with a real passion and feeling for the club. Let us hope that Dolan's faith in his young crop proves to be well founded because it seems we are almost totally reliant on these players being a success.