MATCH REPORT: 2005/2006 Season
3 December 2005: LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
READING 3 LUTON TOWN 0
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goals
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Reading: Sidwell (44 mins), Kitson (76 mins), Doyle (88 mins).
Luton: - |
Half Time: 1-0 Attendance: 19,478
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teams
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Reading:
Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Little (Oster, 90 mins), Sidwell, Harper, Convey (Hunt, 66 mins),
Lita (Kitson, 62 mins), Doyle.
Subs not used: Stack, Makin.
Luton: Beresford, Foley, Underwood, Heikkinen (Barnett, 69 mins), Perrett, Edwards, Robinson, Holmes, Morgan (Feeney, 83 mins), Vine (Howard, 73 mins), Showunmi. Subs not used: Brill, Nicholls. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
bookings
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Reading: -
Luton: - Referee: M J Jones (Chester) |
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report
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After the midweek League Cup distraction against Arsenal, Reading continued with their Championship form with yet
another important victory. The Royals' twenty-first consecutive league game without defeat wasn't the most convincing
victory of the season, despite the convincing scoreline. Luton Town, still strong play-off contenders, will
feel hard done by after they had the better of long periods during the second half.
Overall the game was a scrappy affair by Reading's standards this season, and it was only after Dave Kitson hit
the second goal that Reading finally looked incapable of dropping points.
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FANS' POST MATCH OPINION
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With fear of repetition another bloody brilliant result against a good Luton side.
Sidwell could not have scored at a better time just before half time and I thought he had a good game though
I'd still like to see Gunny Iceman in the starting line up somehow. Amongst our gang of faithful fans we are
trying very hard not to start saying "when we go up..." and "just think next season"....
it really is very difficult to keep your feet on the ground at present but we have to as do the players.
There are so many games to play yet but we'll never get a better chance in the long history of the club
to reach the top flight. I'll tell you something you could not have a better man than Steve Coppell to keep
feet on the ground, he'd make a good funeral director with his dour comments, like after the game today reminding
all of last years collapse after Xmas and how he's powerless to possibly preventing it happening again, tosh,
a bit of reverse psychology me thinks. As far as I'm concerned he can say bugger all after very game if we
carry on the way we are. A solid team performance today, back four so secure, midfield worked hard, tirelessly
and only disappointment for me was Lita who continues to struggle, we looked much better with Kitson up front.
I'm sure we're all pinching ourselves and simply staring for ages at the league table, but it really is true and
we really are that far ahead. I'm now off back to the Jazz Club at the Madejski for a big party tonight and
I think I'm going to get bolloxed!!! URRRZZZZ
If you were a Luton fan who was at this match you would not have understood this scoreline. Royals fans who were not there would have thought yet another easy victory. In truth it was a case of a bit of luck and then some very good finishing made by the most creative player on the pitch - Glen Little. Luton had lots of possession but failed to carve out any clear openings. Reading only looked like scoring from corners and the first half seemed to be heading to a goalless conclusion when Sidwell hit what looked a good shot. The deflection guaranteed a goal.
We thought that the second half might see the real Reading, but it was Luton who had more energy, but lacked real quality. Kitson had a point to prove and certainly one of our main problems had been the inability to hold the ball up front. This is not Lita's strength and Doyle did seem a bit leg weary. Convey was not at his sparkling best which meant that the ball went back to Luton too often. A quality cross from Little which Kitson turned into the goal proved the decisive moment. A far post header by Doyle, again from Little's cross was the icing on the cake.
Another good three points. Another clean sheet. Keep it going please!!!
A fairly average performance & yet still a 3-0 win in the end. You'd probably say in these circumstances that Reading ground out the win more than anything else, with a few players looking more than a bit below par. However, it has to be said the free kick for the 2nd goal was well executed by Little & well finished by Kitson & the 3rd goal was very well made again by Little & very well finished by the ever impressive Doyle. If the overall performance of the team was a reaction to the Arsenal game, let's hope this has got it out of their system & if it has & we still got a 3-0 win out of it, more the better!
Fully agree with all the comments above and in the match reports.
Reading were far from their best, we may have (just) deserved the points but 3-0 was flattering,
yet what makes an interesting read is Luton's own web-site. Comments such as "Reading comfortably extended
their unbeaten league run to 21 games as Luton's lack of attacking ideas failed to trouble the league-leaders" ...
"Although Reading's opening goal had a slice of good fortune when Steve Sidwell's shot took a wicked deflection,
Luton shot themselves in the foot when some sloppy defending gifted Dave Kitson his ninth goal of the season" ...
"A succession of corners for Luton brought about a sustained period of pressure although the Hatters still
couldn't find a way through a packed solid Reading defence." Bottom line is we were far from our sparkling best
- which is not so surprising after the week we've had, but we still impressed a very determined and sporting
opposition. I'll be supporting Luton in the match against Liverpool!
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