It's hard to remember such a good start to the season from Reading - perhaps you have to go back to the famous thirteen in a row season. Reading's victory at Port Vale made it 10 points from four league games and 450 minutes without conceeding a goal, as the fantastic start to the season continued. The only game we've dropped points in was the visit to QPR - which we deserved to win and even scored the goal which should have made it 1-0 to the Royals until it was strangely ruled out. We're third in the table, but joint top on points, and we deserve to be top. Today's victory was against a Port Vale side that had won both of their previous home league matches and scored an amazing 8 goals in the process. There was never any indication that they'd be able to get anywhere close to scoring another four against Reading's unbeatable defence. It was another composed, solid team performance from Reading with nearly every player playing their part. Robinson had a decent game but Murty looked great in the defence that also included the solid Williams and Whitbread.

Up front Jamie Cureton made his first start of the season for the Royals - and put in a game to remember. Cureton so nearly scored a hattrick despite leaving the pitch to be replaced by Hughes with 15 minutes left to play. In his time on the pitch we stuck away two fantastic goals to seal the victory for the Royals. There was more good news for the Royals when Butler, who was expected to miss out totally on the game, made an appearance from the substitutes bench with thirty minutes still to play. Butler has clearly fully recovered from his injury that's kept him out of action all season until now. For fifteen minutes in the second half, when Reading had the game won, we were back to the goal machine combination of Butler and Cureton up front. Another reason to be posititve for the season ahead.

The game go off to a slow start with both sides failing to make any really clear chances. Harper hoofed one well over the bar from a free kick early on but the game produced few attempts to get a shot in. After a quiet start to the game Reading started to get more and more control of the game with some neat passing football, and eventually dominated the last stages of the first half. Murty was coming forward well and provided quite a few chances to the front men. Earlier in the game Cureton nearly managed to connect with a Murty cross. Port Vale had a few chances but failed to really get close enough to trouble Whitehead in the Reading goal, and the last ten minutes of the half Reading looked increasingly dangerous until they took the lead.

With five minutes left of the half Cureton got a decent shot in on target which was saved by the Port Vale keeper. Moments later Murty again nearly provided Cureton with a shooting chance but it was cut out by the defence. Reading stepped up the pace and Whitbread almost put Reading ahead with a header from an Igoe cross that was pushed over the bar by the goalkeeper. Right on half time Reading were ahead after Robinson put the ball through the middle of the Vale defence to find Jamie Cureton running through towards goal. Cureton collected the ball, took it just inside the area, and drove the ball deep into the back of the net. 1-0 to the Royals at half time.

Reading threatened to continue in the same spirit after the break with Cureton getting another early shot in, as Reading took most of the possession and looked very comfortable with the ball. Anthony Rougier, after a bright start to the game, seemed to fade away the longer the game went on and just couldn't keep up with Cureton's appetite to win the ball and get it into the back of the net. Rougier almost managed to improve his performance by putting the Royals two goals up just before the hour mark. Igoe set up Cureton who hit the crossbar with his shot, and the ball dropped nicely to Rougier who wasn't far from goal. Rougier's header somehow went wide of the post, and he'll be disappointed not to have stuck one home after the constant abuse from the fans of his old club, Port Vale.

Just after the hour Cureton made it two after heading home the ball from well inside the area after Igoe crossed the ball right across the face of goal. From that moment onwards the result was never in doubt. Adrian Williams almost got himself on the scoresheet with a header over the bar, and Smith worked himself into a dangerous position that could have led to a goal. Port Vale never looked likely and rarely threatened until the last ten minutes - when they did manage to break through the defence but Harper was on hand to scramble the ball clear. Moments later Vale almost stuck one in but the shot was just wide.

It was Reading that finished the game by nearly extending their lead after Hughes, who replaced two goal hero Cureton, failed to score after getting in a one-on-one with the Port Vale goalkeeper, but failed to stick it in. At full time it was the right result - another deserved victory for the Royals who look in danger of actually doing something this season. Jamie Cureton was inspirational, and with a fully fit strike force we could be set to back up our record of not letting any in with plenty of goals scored at the other end. Cardiff City should be very scared about coming to Reading next Saturday.

Following report from Neil Cole:
Reading’s excellent start to the season continued, as a win at Vale Park moved the Royals up to joint-top of the Second Division. Last year’s top scorer Jamie Cureton made his return from injury, and he marked his comeback with two goals in a superb performance. Perhaps he has realised he needs to work even harder this year with Nicky Forster also battling for a place up front, as Cureton looked even sharper and more determined than he did last season.

Yet the most encouraging improvement from last year appears to be the defence, who have now gone five games this season without conceding a goal. The centre-back partnership of Adrian Williams and Adrian Whitbread has been almost flawless so far this season, and Port Vale joined the list of clubs who have failed to get past them and threaten Phil Whitehead’s goal.

An injury to Nicky Forster meant Tony Rougier was given another chance up front, partnering the fit-again Cureton. Martin Butler made his return to the side, and was on the bench alongside Darius Henderson. Alan Pardew is going to have quite a dilemma when all five strikers are fit, as all of them have managed to impress in their performances so far this season. The rest of the side was unchanged from that which won a point at QPR last week, meaning Sammy Igoe kept Andy Hughes out of the side.

Port Vale made the better start, and the home side looked confident after winning all 3 of their previous home games this season. Reading struggled to win possession, and the first half saw Rougier, Igoe and Robinson all booked for fouls as they tried desperately to win the ball. However, Vale failed to create any openings despite this spell of pressure, and as they faded Reading became the more dominant side.

Rougier was working hard, and looked desperate to beat his former club. He set up one chance for Cureton which forced a good save out of Vale keeper Goodlad. The home side looked increasingly nervous as Reading won a couple of corners and began to look dangerous. The first goal came in injury time in the first half, as Cureton found a huge hole in the Vale defence, and had plenty of time to put the ball past Goodlad and fire the Royals into the lead.

The second half was dominated by Reading, and the game could have ended in a much bigger scoreline then the eventual 2-0. Cureton was causing plenty of problems for Vale, and he nearly got his second with a delightful chip from the edge of the area. However, the ball hit the bar, and Rougier could only manage to head the rebound wide of the post. The second goal did come, when a Sammy Igoe cross again found Cureton unmarked, and he had a simple header to double Reading’s lead.

The two goal lead was clearly going to be too much for a Vale side that hadn’t created one meaningful chance, so Reading were content to spend the rest of the game in a lower gear, passing the ball about without looking like scoring any more goals. Rougier was replaced by Butler, while Cureton was taken off for Andy Hughes.

Most of the Vale fans had left well before the final whistle, while the 500 or so travelling Reading fans stayed to cheer another great performance. This side looks better organised and much more confident than the one that went so close last year, and for once we seem to have both an exciting strike force and a solid defence. Port Vale were beaten very easily today, with a performance that should encourage every Reading fan that this could be our year.

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