Setting aside the continued uncertainty of ownership hanging over Reading Football Club, and the recent and sudden departure of an undoubtedly successful manager, this was a very worrying and disappointing result and performance. There were so many factors contributing to the outcome of this fixture it is hard to know where to begin.

Some of the shock and disappointment of Ruben Selles' departure had subsided following last week's fine away result at league leaders Wycombe, giving way to a degree of optimism with the prompt appointment of Noel Hunt. Despite a relatively small contingent of travelling fans, a crowd of over fourteen thousand (second highest of the season) turned up in anticipation of a continuation of the recent run of strong performances from the home side. Sadly, that was not how it turned out.

Reading made a bright start, looking to play their way through the Blackpool defence, although the visitors were snapping at the heels of Wing and Elliot in particular, in midfield. Blackpool manager Steve Bruce had done his homework and arrived prepared with a clear game plan. Unusually, Bruce opted to leave three forwards on the halfway line at an early Reading corner leaving only seven outfield players to defend the set piece. His intention clearly was to hit Reading on the break, and it almost came off in the thirteenth minute. With Garcia pushing forward, Apter picked up a short pass inside his own half and outpaced the Reading defence before testing Pereira who produced a good save to push the ball away for a corner.

The first turning point in the game followed a short corner routine ending with Wing sweeping a low cross behind the defence. Knibbs arrived a fraction too early, but nevertheless should not have missed the target from a couple of yards out. Remarkably, the ball flew over the bar. Having missed that opportunity to take the lead, Reading found themselves a goal behind a minute later. A long punt up field from 'Pool 'keeper Tyrer dropped to Joseph just outside the Reading box. The absence of a challenge to win a ball in the air launched from that distance is unforgiveable and was punished accordingly. Joseph controlled the ball and rolled it into the path of an unmarked Morgan who struck it sweetly past Pereira into the bottom corner.

Minutes later Pereira needed to pull off a great save from a Fletcher header even though Reading defenders outnumbered Blackpool forwards by three to two in the box. Blackpool continued to stifle Reading's attempts to open up their defence and hit them on the break, and that was exactly how they increased their lead after thirty-seven minutes. Craig found himself surrounded on the halfway line and lost possession. Joseph, released by a quick pass, was able to run beyond the Reading defence. His shot was parried by Pereira, and Apter rifled in the rebound. An agitated Pereira berated his defence for failing to react to the loose ball.

Chasing a two-goal deficit against a team set up to counter-attack is never a good situation to face, but Reading had a go after the interval. Reading's efforts to get back into the game were significantly hampered by some extremely poor refereeing. Several minor infringements went unpunished such as a blatant two- handed shove in the back on Knibbs as he shaped to head the ball. Worse still, when Knibbs was clearly tripped in the box, Reading were denied a clear penalty. Mr Backhouse even managed to break up a promising move on the edge of the box by inadvertently intercepting a Reading pass.

With Blackpool employing the now obligatory endless time-wasting tactics, combined with poor refereeing, Reading were unable to gain any attacking momentum. The game was slipping away long before Fletcher poked in a third goal from inside the six-yard box in the seventy-third minute after Reading had failed to clear the ball. The distraction of Pennington throwing himself on the ground to con the referee into giving a penalty before the ball was crossed didn't help. It was certainly a poor performance from Reading against a strong Blackpool side recovering from a glut of injuries to key players. It was their third successive league victory, all away from home.

It is important in the coming weeks for the players and manager to keep things in perspective and remain focussed. Reading currently remain in the top six with a strong squad of good young players. The next game, away to Lincoln City, followed by home games against Northampton and Mansfield, offer a realistic opportunity to pick up some valuable points. It is pointless to speculate on events off the pitch.

John Wells