At times decent value for a two goal lead and at other times collectively as a defence we weren't good enough (with the exception of Federici who played really well). Poor 1st half with the opposition having the best chance on the stroke of HT when they hit the bar from a close range shot.
2nd half we played to the standard we have done so in recent weeks and got our opening goal from a decent set piece which took a heafty deflection along the way.
Scunthorpe pushed men forward and we were able to exploit the gaps and McAnuff deservidly won a penalty, but am amazed the referee didn't deem it the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity and only booked their player Cliff Byrne, before booking McAnuff for dissent. Anyway, up steps Sigurdsson who's effort went under Murphy in the Scunthorpe goal to make it 2-0.
We had the possession and chances to finish them off but forced Murphy into an outstanding save from Sig again but they're opener came from a well worked move and I think it was Zurab who slipped in the process. From there they had the crowd going for them and got an equaliser courtesy of a heafty deflection. Hard to take but they had their fair share of chances so they've done well to get a point.
I thought the referee Mr Salisbury had a particularly bad game. The decision not to send off Byrne was a major talking point but we didn't get our fair share of decisions and any opportunity to book our players he was on to us.
The positives I thought were our 2nd half display in patches and Federici who had a good game in goal. Tabb was energetic and hardworking. Gylfi had a top game and ran the show in the 2nd half.
Dissapointing was our defending collectively as a back 4 at times, we never looked overly confident and Zurab & Pearce were probably 2nd best. Church worked hard for the team but isn't the kind of striker who can lead the front line the way that is needed, and is wasted in that role.
Dissapointing to surrender a 2 goal lead but we'll learn and hopefully bounce back on Saturday
Back from the game - Scunthorpe
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Rex
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That pretty much summed it up really. In the first half Scunthorpe on the whole were pretty woeful when going forward, with miss timed passes, bad first touches and getting pushed out wide, forcing them to lose any momentum. Griffin as usual was solid in this area, but maybe tired legs were out there tonight as on occasion the team seemed to lack focus and concentration. The first half was a frustrating affair, where we we seemed to also fudge our way into attacking positions and rushed any shots on goal, which were blazed wide or over the bar. I think we had a competition going on as to who could kick the ball out of the ground. The best chance for Scunthorpe came from a close range shot to the right of Fedders which somehow stayed out, hitting the crossbar, the upright and coming down and back out again. How that didn't go in despite the home support thinking otherwise was purely down to good fortune and luck. Fedders was stranded for that attempt.
We finally broke the deadlock when at last Pearce scored with a side footed shot on goal that to us looked like it was going out and was put into the net by one of the Scunthorpe players sat on the post. Even looking at Benreadings video of that goal it still looked an own goal. McAnuff getting hauled down in a goal scoring opportunity looked a certain red card, but as with the other strange decisions made throughout the match by Salisbury, he bottled that decision which on reflection could have changed the game in our favour!. Despite the antics of Murphy looning it in front of Siggurdson and being off his line, Murphy read the ball well but the pace of the shot when under him anyway. After Bryne was booked, McAnuff should have just walked away instead of following the ref and getting booked for dissent, but he had a fair point! Siggurdson getting booked for timewasting while taking the corner was a joke. something like five minutes till extra time! Strange.
Even clawing a goal back, it still looked like we'd edge the game for a win, but with the 1 point for safety meaning Scunthorpe would always come looking for the draw, fortune favoured them tonight. Mass celebrations from the tream and the support when they did. Silence from us, booing from certain Reading supporters at the end, and a pitch invasion from the home support.
We finally broke the deadlock when at last Pearce scored with a side footed shot on goal that to us looked like it was going out and was put into the net by one of the Scunthorpe players sat on the post. Even looking at Benreadings video of that goal it still looked an own goal. McAnuff getting hauled down in a goal scoring opportunity looked a certain red card, but as with the other strange decisions made throughout the match by Salisbury, he bottled that decision which on reflection could have changed the game in our favour!. Despite the antics of Murphy looning it in front of Siggurdson and being off his line, Murphy read the ball well but the pace of the shot when under him anyway. After Bryne was booked, McAnuff should have just walked away instead of following the ref and getting booked for dissent, but he had a fair point! Siggurdson getting booked for timewasting while taking the corner was a joke. something like five minutes till extra time! Strange.
Even clawing a goal back, it still looked like we'd edge the game for a win, but with the 1 point for safety meaning Scunthorpe would always come looking for the draw, fortune favoured them tonight. Mass celebrations from the tream and the support when they did. Silence from us, booing from certain Reading supporters at the end, and a pitch invasion from the home support.
booing?
fair enough for turning up, but booing?
fair enough for turning up, but booing?
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loyalroyal4life
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who was at fault for the goals?
Main reason I am peed off at losing a 2-0 lead is I think it will have knock on effect for final 2 games in terms of way we play. Really was looking forward to a rampant performance on saturday that would help defy Watford's relegation
Main reason I am peed off at losing a 2-0 lead is I think it will have knock on effect for final 2 games in terms of way we play. Really was looking forward to a rampant performance on saturday that would help defy Watford's relegation
LUX booing?
fair enough for turning up, but booing?
Booing the ref, obviously.
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Rex
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I'm not sure if the booing was at the ref, the lost outside chance of the playoffs or some other unknown factor
As posted before:
Funny game tonight. After a pretty tepid first half with a big 'end of term' feel the game came to life in the 2nd. Both sides made chances and could have won it, but scunny would have been sunk without the generous help of a joke referee. I would love to hear his justification for showing only a yellow when mcanuff was tripped from behind six yards from goal. That should have been game over. The late handball shout fell into the 'seen them given' category, and there was no way we were going to be on the right side of one of those today. But it wasn't just the big decisions, it was the fact that he allowed scunthorpe to get away with their sly (and not so sly) shoves and pushes every time the ball was in the air. The home side played pretty rubbish football and were guilty of some very cynical fouling, but I they had hit the post and bar by the time pearce scored following a set-piece, and were perhaps unlucky to be behind at that point. The goal settled us and we started to pay a bit of football, and the penalty was the second time in quick succession that scunny had struggled with mcanuff breaking at pace. Sigurdsson' penalty was poor but it squeezed under the keeper. For some reason scunny payed their most effective football from that point on, and federici had to make a couple of smart saves. The first goal came when he could only parry a powerful shot to hooper who volleyed in from close range. We should have finished the game even after that, playing crisp football and dominating without finding the target. Then, two mins from time, a long shot that seemed heavily deflected found the net with federici stranded. We were robbed by the ref, we let a poor side back into the game when we should have been home and dry, and on the day we were probably out fought by a side that needed it much more than us. I guess that's partly to be expected. BM looked displeased at the final whistle though.
Fed - 6. Hard to apportion blame for the first without seeing it again, but my guess is he should have at least parried it away from the danger area. Beaten by two that hit the woodwork.
Griffin - 6. Not at his best with the ball, though usually safe. Came up short defensively a couple of times, but largely solidm
Khisanishvilli - 6. Largely dependable, but suffered with scunny running at him late on. Who let hooper go for the first?
Pearce - 7. Won almost everything in the air.
Bertrand - 7. Kept his flank quiet and good going forward in the second half
Kebe - 7. Looked most likely to create a chance for much of the game, and laid a great one on for Sigurdsson in the first half.
Tabb - 7. Tidy and clever as always.
Howard - 6. Often looking for the forward pass or opportunity to shoot, but had little success today and faded.
Sigurdsson - 7. In and out of the game, but many lovely touches. Really shone late on as scunny left space at the back.
Mcanuff - 7. Best when cutting in from the left and had defenders worried in the second half after a quiet first. Still unconvincing when when going for goal.
Church - 5. Marks for effort but was isolated and bullied by scunny defence. Never had a chance under the long balls fed to him in the first half, and his replacement by long was always on the cards.
Karacan came on without imposing himself, but long looked sharp and dangerous in his half hour. Drew a great save from the keeper but maybe should have scored from close in after good work from bertrand.
Also, if you're reading thanks very much to the guy who gave us a pair of left over comp. tickets for free! Made my evening!
Funny game tonight. After a pretty tepid first half with a big 'end of term' feel the game came to life in the 2nd. Both sides made chances and could have won it, but scunny would have been sunk without the generous help of a joke referee. I would love to hear his justification for showing only a yellow when mcanuff was tripped from behind six yards from goal. That should have been game over. The late handball shout fell into the 'seen them given' category, and there was no way we were going to be on the right side of one of those today. But it wasn't just the big decisions, it was the fact that he allowed scunthorpe to get away with their sly (and not so sly) shoves and pushes every time the ball was in the air. The home side played pretty rubbish football and were guilty of some very cynical fouling, but I they had hit the post and bar by the time pearce scored following a set-piece, and were perhaps unlucky to be behind at that point. The goal settled us and we started to pay a bit of football, and the penalty was the second time in quick succession that scunny had struggled with mcanuff breaking at pace. Sigurdsson' penalty was poor but it squeezed under the keeper. For some reason scunny payed their most effective football from that point on, and federici had to make a couple of smart saves. The first goal came when he could only parry a powerful shot to hooper who volleyed in from close range. We should have finished the game even after that, playing crisp football and dominating without finding the target. Then, two mins from time, a long shot that seemed heavily deflected found the net with federici stranded. We were robbed by the ref, we let a poor side back into the game when we should have been home and dry, and on the day we were probably out fought by a side that needed it much more than us. I guess that's partly to be expected. BM looked displeased at the final whistle though.
Fed - 6. Hard to apportion blame for the first without seeing it again, but my guess is he should have at least parried it away from the danger area. Beaten by two that hit the woodwork.
Griffin - 6. Not at his best with the ball, though usually safe. Came up short defensively a couple of times, but largely solidm
Khisanishvilli - 6. Largely dependable, but suffered with scunny running at him late on. Who let hooper go for the first?
Pearce - 7. Won almost everything in the air.
Bertrand - 7. Kept his flank quiet and good going forward in the second half
Kebe - 7. Looked most likely to create a chance for much of the game, and laid a great one on for Sigurdsson in the first half.
Tabb - 7. Tidy and clever as always.
Howard - 6. Often looking for the forward pass or opportunity to shoot, but had little success today and faded.
Sigurdsson - 7. In and out of the game, but many lovely touches. Really shone late on as scunny left space at the back.
Mcanuff - 7. Best when cutting in from the left and had defenders worried in the second half after a quiet first. Still unconvincing when when going for goal.
Church - 5. Marks for effort but was isolated and bullied by scunny defence. Never had a chance under the long balls fed to him in the first half, and his replacement by long was always on the cards.
Karacan came on without imposing himself, but long looked sharp and dangerous in his half hour. Drew a great save from the keeper but maybe should have scored from close in after good work from bertrand.
Also, if you're reading thanks very much to the guy who gave us a pair of left over comp. tickets for free! Made my evening!
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Plymouth_Royal
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Were robroyal and RG30 watching the different games? One says fedders was great the other gives him a 6!
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handbags_harris
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Well that was all very bizarre A meaningless game really to Reading and their fans, but a bit of needle in the air before the game where I was, not threatened exactly, but told to "not go hiding when we beat you" by a small group of Scunthorpe lads who picked me out by my cap. Err, sorry lads, if you want a fight, wait until Millwall or Leeds come to town next season. Anyway, it harked back to old times a little, Reading playing away on a Tuesday night against a side of no real note in a poky tiny stadium, the result being a poor quality and sometimes unentertaining game of football. In all fairness Scunthorpe deserved at least a point, but they should have walked away with zip after the second goal.
First half an almost non-event with both sides having only one chance, firstly Reading when Kebe's only meaningful action of the entire game saw him take on three players before pulling back to Sigurdsson who fired well over, and then a Zurab long ball misjudgement led to a far post cross where the dangerous looking Woolford cushioned ecxellently against the bar and only just the right side of the line.
The game needed a goal and early in the second half it got it, not before Scunthorpe had hit the bar again however with a fizz-buckling free kick from the right side of the area. A soft free-kick on the hopelessly overpowered Church led to a Brian Howard near post in-swinger which led to panic in the Scunthorpe defence, the ball falling at the far post to Pearce who's effort was going wide before the rather timely intervention from Scunthorpe's number two, Andrew Wright, put it in. Cue pressure from Scunthorpe, and their number nine, Paul Hayes, scuffing wide in front of an open goal, before the most controversial decision of the game. McAnuff fed through by Sigurdsson, outpacing the Scunthorpe captain Cliff Byrne, about to pull the trigger, brought down. Definate penalty, given, clear goalscoring opportunity, yellow card. A quite astonishing decision and one that summed the referee up as it took him an age to decide what to do and, quite frankly, he bottled it in the somewhat less than intimidating atmosphere of the Glanford Park arena. Sigurdsson tucked the penalty away (just - his kick was reminiscent of his failure at Bramall Lane) to give Reading a cushion. And that's the way it should have stayed until 9 minutes from time the ever-willing Paul Hayes picked the ball up 30 yards out, Zurab slipped leaving him eventually a clear shot on goal which Federici could only get strong arms to without any chance of knowing where it would go, and unfortunately it dropped nicely for Gary Hooper who volleyed in with no problems to give Scunthorpe a lifeline. A minute later Shane Long contrived to miss from three yards (not before a fizzing 20 yarder at 2-0 that Joe Murphy saved brilliantly), and then the sucker punch. A Scunthorpe player picked the ball up, ran at the Reading backline, a bit of pinball and a speculative effort from Matt Sparrow flies off Zurab (I think) to leave Federici wrongfooted. 2-2, and no more than Scunthorpe deserved but they shouldn't have had a path back into it at 2-0. From then on, a back defensive line of ten players as one team sought to win the game - Reading.
A pitch invasion at the end to celebrate survival with the usual amount of oiks and twats goading the sterile away support to no avail.
A meaningless game really to Reading and their fans, but a bit of needle in the air before the game where I was, not threatened exactly, but told to "not go hiding when we beat you" by a small group of Scunthorpe lads who picked me out by my cap. Err, sorry lads, if you want a fight, wait until Millwall or Leeds come to town next season. Anyway, it harked back to old times a little, Reading playing away on a Tuesday night against a side of no real note in a poky tiny stadium, the result being a poor quality and sometimes unentertaining game of football. In all fairness Scunthorpe deserved at least a point, but they should have walked away with zip after the second goal.First half an almost non-event with both sides having only one chance, firstly Reading when Kebe's only meaningful action of the entire game saw him take on three players before pulling back to Sigurdsson who fired well over, and then a Zurab long ball misjudgement led to a far post cross where the dangerous looking Woolford cushioned ecxellently against the bar and only just the right side of the line.
The game needed a goal and early in the second half it got it, not before Scunthorpe had hit the bar again however with a fizz-buckling free kick from the right side of the area. A soft free-kick on the hopelessly overpowered Church led to a Brian Howard near post in-swinger which led to panic in the Scunthorpe defence, the ball falling at the far post to Pearce who's effort was going wide before the rather timely intervention from Scunthorpe's number two, Andrew Wright, put it in. Cue pressure from Scunthorpe, and their number nine, Paul Hayes, scuffing wide in front of an open goal, before the most controversial decision of the game. McAnuff fed through by Sigurdsson, outpacing the Scunthorpe captain Cliff Byrne, about to pull the trigger, brought down. Definate penalty, given, clear goalscoring opportunity, yellow card. A quite astonishing decision and one that summed the referee up as it took him an age to decide what to do and, quite frankly, he bottled it in the somewhat less than intimidating atmosphere of the Glanford Park arena. Sigurdsson tucked the penalty away (just - his kick was reminiscent of his failure at Bramall Lane) to give Reading a cushion. And that's the way it should have stayed until 9 minutes from time the ever-willing Paul Hayes picked the ball up 30 yards out, Zurab slipped leaving him eventually a clear shot on goal which Federici could only get strong arms to without any chance of knowing where it would go, and unfortunately it dropped nicely for Gary Hooper who volleyed in with no problems to give Scunthorpe a lifeline. A minute later Shane Long contrived to miss from three yards (not before a fizzing 20 yarder at 2-0 that Joe Murphy saved brilliantly), and then the sucker punch. A Scunthorpe player picked the ball up, ran at the Reading backline, a bit of pinball and a speculative effort from Matt Sparrow flies off Zurab (I think) to leave Federici wrongfooted. 2-2, and no more than Scunthorpe deserved but they shouldn't have had a path back into it at 2-0. From then on, a back defensive line of ten players as one team sought to win the game - Reading.
A pitch invasion at the end to celebrate survival with the usual amount of oiks and twats goading the sterile away support to no avail.
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bottom left hand corner
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Well a game that was pretty poor for huge parts of it. For the reading penalty i will never no how the ref did not see it as a sending off. If he did send him off it would have been all over and Reading would be going in to saturdays game with it all to play for. There goals where both made easy for them. Not sure who was at fault for them as it was at the other end.
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Barry the bird boggler
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Another trip to Scunny another 2-2 draw, that's 4 draws in a row v them now 1-1s at home and 2-2s away.
Plymouth_Royal Were robroyal and RG30 watching the different games? One says fedders was great the other gives him a 6!
Or maybe just different opinions? I'll happily upgrade him a point if he wasn't at fault for the first goal, but I think he could have done better. Otherwise he was sound and dealt with everything tidily (except he spilled one before we had condeded that almost fell to an onrushing striker).
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Plymouth_Royal
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RobRoyalPlymouth_Royal Were robroyal and RG30 watching the different games? One says fedders was great the other gives him a 6!
Or maybe just different opinions? I'll happily upgrade him a point if he wasn't at fault for the first goal, but I think he could have done better. Otherwise he was sound and dealt with everything tidily (except he spilled one before we had condeded that almost fell to an onrushing striker).
FAir enough. Can't wait to see the highlights though!
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Man Friday
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royalexile I'm not sure if the booing was at the ref, the lost outside chance of the playoffs or some other unknown factor
...or simply because we threw away a 2-goal lead with only 8 mins to go?
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Rex
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Man Fridayroyalexile I'm not sure if the booing was at the ref, the lost outside chance of the playoffs or some other unknown factor
...or simply because we threw away a 2-goal lead with only 8 mins to go?
Covered that.
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Man Friday
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royalexileMan Fridayroyalexile I'm not sure if the booing was at the ref, the lost outside chance of the playoffs or some other unknown factor
...or simply because we threw away a 2-goal lead with only 8 mins to go?
Covered that.
Where? The "lost outside chance of the playoffs" doesn't necessarily equate to "throwing away a 2-goal lead with only 8 mins to go". The two are not mutually inclusive.
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Rex
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No but three points are.
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BenReadingFC
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I got both of our goals on my camera. I'll post a link when I get home from work.
Man Fridayroyalexile I'm not sure if the booing was at the ref, the lost outside chance of the playoffs or some other unknown factor
...or simply because we threw away a 2-goal lead with only 8 mins to go?
I can't speak for all but I'd be amazed if the booing was for anything other than a shocking refereeing performance. Throwing away a 2-goal lead had much to do with a cruelly deflected late equaliser when we looked far more likely to score. Booing the team would have been a weird decision to say the least.
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Man Friday
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RobRoyalMan Fridayroyalexile I'm not sure if the booing was at the ref, the lost outside chance of the playoffs or some other unknown factor
...or simply because we threw away a 2-goal lead with only 8 mins to go?
I can't speak for all but I'd be amazed if the booing was for anything other than a shocking refereeing performance. Throwing away a 2-goal lead had much to do with a cruelly deflected late equaliser when we looked far more likely to score. Booing the team would have been a weird decision to say the least.
I agree - I'm not condoning it.
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