Hob Nob Anyone? - Reading FC Match Report

Match Report: 2010/2011 Season

4 February 2011: CHAMPIONSHIP

READING 0 QPR 1

goals

Reading: -
QPR: Routledge (82 mins)

Half Time: 0-0.

Attendance: 18,892

CHAMPIONSHIP 4 Feb 2011
Pos	Team	P	Pts	GD
7	Watford	27	43	+13
8	READING	29	42	+12
9	Millwall	29	42	+8

teams

Reading: A. Federici, M. Mills, I. Harte, A. Griffin, I. Ingimarsson, J. McAnuff, J. Tabb (H. Robson-Kanu 76), J. Kebe, J. Karacan, S. Long, S. Church (M. Manset, 68). Subs not used: N. Hunt, S. Cummings, Z. Khizanishvili, B. Gunnarsson, A. McCarthy.
QPR: P. Kenny, C. Hill, B. Orr, M. Connolly, K. Gorkss, W. Routledge (F. Hall, 89), S. Derry, H. Ephraim (sent off 42), A. Taarabt (P. Vaagen Moen, 86), A. Faurlin, R. Hulse (I. Miller, 66). Subs not used: M. Rowlands, P. Chimbonda, D. Shittu, R. Cerny

bookings

Reading: Mills, Griffin.
QPR: Hill, Connolly. Sent Off: Ephraim (42 mins).
Ref: R Booth

report

Queens Park Rangers made off with three points in spite of playing half the match with only ten men. A simple ball through the middle of Reading's defence was all it took to secure the win. With ten minutes to go Routledge exposed the lack pace in the Royal's back four by running onto a pass and clinically stroking the ball inside the far post before Mills could get anywhere near him. Rangers have scored more goals and conceded fewer than any other team in the Championship, and this performance underlined the reasons why. Ironically Reading looked more likely to score in the first half when Rangers had a full team on the pitch having three good strikes on goal whilst Federici had virtually nothing to do. Church had a very good effort well saved by Kenny. Mills had a header blocked and Church followed up only to see his attempt cleared off the line. The visitors signalled their intent early in the game when Hill caught Karacan with a very nasty late tackle and although Griffin and Mills found their way into the referee's book there was less malice in their offences. The foul on Kebe by Ephraim leading to the red card just before half time was particularly unpleasant, late and premeditated. It is hardly surprising that the players indulge in such tactics though when their manager has such an obvious contempt for referees and authority. The referees assistant contributed to the mood by somehow allowing three blatant pushes on Reading players go unpunished right under his nose. Rangers lost their discipline and I feared for the Reading players safety. Further bookings should have followed for wild challenges and angry protests. Warnock might also have been banished from the touchline for his ridiculous ranting and gesticulations.

The sending off did not actually do Reading any favours. Rangers came out in a more composed mood in the second half and maintained a tight defensive formation of two banks of four leaving one up front. Reading looked vulnerable to fast counter attacks as Rangers worked the ball around well on the halfway line looking for a break. With the pace and skill of Taarabt and Routledge they were always likely to score. Reading seemed to run out of ideas or was it simply a game too many ( three in eight days ). The absence of Leigertwood was a key factor and although Long passed a late fitness test and played well, he seemed restricted in his movement on a couple of occasions and may have been carrying the injury he picked up earlier in the week at Cardiff. We will never know because Brian McDermott is never one to look for excuses for defeat. The home crowd seemed to sense there was no way back after the Rangers goal and although Manset gave everyone a lift with some neat tricks he was unable to make the most of a sharp chance provided by a good run through the middle straight after the goal.

Rangers had the look of a team certain to go up but Reading were certainly not outclassed this evening. I have felt all season it would be difficult for this squad to make the play offs but they are playing well enough in spite of this defeat to have a realistic chance of a top six finish.
John Wells

FANS' POST MATCH OPINION

A frustrating night. We definitely edged the first half but against 10 men in the second half it was only ever going to be a draw at best. We reverted to hoof ball and it was one moment of class was the difference between the sides. As I have said on other threads it is all about ambition. We sell our class players (Sigurdsson) whereas when QPR started wobbling about Christmastime they brought in the likes of Routledge and Miller and it is a few class players like this that will make all the difference.

I actually thought QPR would fade later in the season - but now they look nailed on for top 2. We bring in kids and ones for the future and expect to compete - which is ridiculous. The irony is that we restricted QPR to just ONE on target shot all night and Federici never made a single save. Equally we created very little.

Most other teams in the division are much or a muchness apart from probably Notts Forest - so we might still make the play offs but we will certainly need to play a lot better than that. The players all gave 100% but just simply lack the necessary quality. Even if we do go up you really would wonder how many of our current crop would make it in the PL. Not many I think.
Andrew1957

Very disappointing. Really not sure why we persist with Church, just had no confidence in him winning the ball, keeping the ball, or indeed knowing what a ball looked like. Thought McAnuff had a decent game and Kebe was alright until he got mullered for the red card, seems he lost his appetite for the match after that.

Long penalty appeal is given 50% of the time but with the number of decisions (mostly correct) in our favour today I wasn't suprised it wasn't given. One final note, and I know he was only half fit today, but wasn't it about this time last year Long went sh!t again?
10539.4 Miles Away

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QUOTES FROM THE PRESS

After witnessing the sound and fury of Neil Warnock throughout this contest the suspicion arose that the Queens Park Rangers manager was surely born with his own set of in-built Beta-blockers. Until Wayne Routledge's 82nd-minute winner eased the pressure on Warnock's heart this was a match that had morphed from the phoney war of the opening 35 minutes into a powder keg that threatened to go off at any moment. Then, the Championship leaders finished their week by making it a perfect six points from their two league outings when Adel Taarabt threaded the ball to Alejandro Faurl�n who released Routledge, before the winger slid a cool finish beyond Adam Federici. Before this Warnock had bubbled and seethed as the referee Russell Booth appeared to join the teams by losing his calm when least needed during a hectic period before the break...

Before all this his side had just about edged the first half, although Reading might have scored. Their best chance arrived when Simon Church forced a crucial save from Paddy Kenny which conceded a corner. From Ian Harte's delivery the ball was twice cleared from close to the line. First when Ivar Ingimarsson made Kenny produce another stop. Then, when Church, again, had a further effort blocked.... When the sides emerged for the second half Warnock continued his running battle with the fourth official. When Jay Tabb pulled down Taarabt around the centre circle Warnock went apoplectic when Booth refused to book the Reading midfielder. Yet he did manage some self-restraint: appearing keen to punch Kevin Wright, the fourth official, Warnock instead off-loaded a furious one-two that was aimed in Wright's general direction but never came close to touching him. Warnock could count some blessings when Shane Long � who had hit the side-netting in the first half � was felled by Bradley Orr in QPR's area but Booth refused the penalty appeal. At the close Warnock celebrated as if his team had secured promotion to the Premier League. Continuing winning like this and they will do.
The Guardian