Report by Neil Cole:
This was another disappointing performance from the Royals, as we dropped two points on the road for the second time in a week.  This was very similar to the Luton game, in that we failed to break down a side battling at the foot of the table, and paid the price as we came away with just a point to show for it.  Yet again the standard of refereeing was poor, and there can be no doubt that the second-half dismissal of Matt Robinson changed the course of today's game and prevented us from going on to win the match.  However, if only Reading had made the most of some of the chances that came our way in the first half, the win would already have been sewn up by the time Robinson was sent off.

There were several changes from the side that came away from Kenilworth Road with a 1-1 draw in midweek.  Graeme Murty was injured once more, Caskey was dropped to the bench, and James Harper was missing from the squad altogether.  The changes meant there were rare starts for Sammy Igoe and Keith Jones in midfield, while Ricky Newman took over from Murty at right-back.  It was great to see Igoe back in the side, and he was one of the few players today to give a give a really good performance over the ninety minutes.  Caskey should find it difficult to get his place back, as Igoe did more today than Caskey has done in the last month.

The team seemed to be much improved from the poor display at Luton, and went in at half-time a goal up.  However, in truth it should have been more, and if we had made our chances count in the first half the result would never have been in doubt.  The goal we did score was a gift, as a mistake by the Cambridge keeper left him out of position, and his poor clearance presented Cureton with an open goal.  It was the easiest of Cureton's 24 goals this year, as he rolled the ball inside the post to put the Royals 1-0 up.

Butler should have scored shortly before Cureton found the net, as a poor back-pass allowed the Reading striker through on goal.  Butler got round the keeper, but his shot lacked power and was stopped on the line by a Cambridge defender.  Other chances came and went, as first Igoe then Jones shot wide.

The first half had been encouraging, but as the second got underway it again became apparent that Pardew had sent the team out with the aim of protecting the one goal lead.  These tactics have to be questioned, as we should have been able to go on to win comfortably.  It is true that these tactics resulted in wins at Brentford, Oldham, Swansea, and Swindon.  However, with a squad as good as the one we have at the moment, we should be able to win these games without resorting to all-out defence in the second half.  If only we would show a bit more aggression, we may be able to start winning games by more than one goal, and results like today's would never happen.

Cambridge didn't seem to pose too great a threat, and we may have held out if it wasn't for the sending off of Matt Robinson.  The Reading left-back received two yellow cards, and both were questionable.  The first was for time wasting, an unnecessary booking that some refs will give and others ignore.  The second was for a clumsy challenge which the Cambridge player undoubtedly made the most of, but the referee decided it warranted another booking and Robinson was on his way.  With ten men, the defensive job became even harder, and it seemed inevitable that Cambridge would get an equaliser.  Pardew brought on Rougier for Cureton, to play as a lone striker as Martin Butler dropped back into midfield.

For the next twenty minutes it was constant Cambridge pressure, as the United players realised they had a great chance of getting back into the game.  They had one goal disallowed, as the linesman cut the Cambridge fans' celebrations short with the offside flag.  They then had a reasonable penalty appeal turned down, as a clear handball by substitute Barry Hunter wasn't spotted by the ref.  Phil Whitehead was called into action after that, as he made two good close range saves to keep Reading's lead alive.  The barrage of Cambridge pressure continued with another penalty appeal, this time for a shot that was fired straight against the arm of a Reading defender..

The goal finally came with seven minutes left, as a corner was headed in by Wanless to draw the scores level.  It was all Cambridge deserved for their pressure, and probably what Reading deserved for their over-negative tactics in the second half.

Unsurprisingly, we improved after the goal as Reading went on the attack again looking for a winner.  There was a bizarre incident involving Rougier, as the substitute was taken off after playing for just fifteen minutes.  Pardew clearly realised that Nicky Forster was better suited to the role of lone striker, so Rougier paid the price.  He wasn't impressed with the decision, taking off his shirt and walking straight down the tunnel.  Bringing on Forster almost proved to be a master-stroke, as the fit-again striker twice came close to scoring to give us the win.  First he squeezed a shot in from a tight angle, which the keeper fumbled on to the post before finally catching.  Then, Forster connected with an Igoe cross and put in a great downward header, which went just the wrong side of the post.

It was a frustrating end to a very frustrating game, as we left with just a point from a game that really should have been won.  Poor finishing and negative tactics cost us another two points in the promotion race, and has made our job of catching the others up even harder.  The pressure is now really on for Tuesday's game at Bournemouth, and a return to winning form is vital.

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