13 November 2004: LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
READING 2 CARDIFF CITY 1
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goals
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Reading: Morgan (13 mins), Kitson (39 mins). Cardiff City: Jerome (87 mins). |
Half Time: 2-0 Attendance: 16,107
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teams
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Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Morgan (Brooker 75), Harper, Sidwell, Hughes (Convey 80), Kitson (Newman 90), Owusu.
Subs Not Used: Savage, Young.
Cardiff City: Warner, Gabbidon, Barker, Collins, Williams, Ledley, Boland, Kavanagh, McAnuff (Bullock 63), Lee (Fleetwood 74), Parry (Jerome 74). Subs Not Used: Vidmar, Alexander. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
bookings
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Reading: -. Cardiff City: Lee, Kavanagh (red card, 56 mins). Referee: E Evans (Lancashire). |
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report
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Reading made it ten league games unbeaten at home this season, as their eleventh win of the campaign closed the gap on league leaders Wigan to just two points. In a scrappy encounter Reading were probably the better side against Cardiff City who seldom looked like challenging for the points. The visitors were two goals down at the break and then saw Kavanagh dismissed with a straight red card after he appeared to kick Sidwell after also dishing out a bad foul. Reading took the lead just before the quarter hour when Morgan broke into the area on the left and fired the ball in, which deflected off the back of the keeper and into the net. Kitson then doubled Reading's lead with his fifth strike in five games with an excellent goal five minutes before the break. Nicky Shorey played a superb ball into Kitson's path from the left and Kitson steamed through to beat two players and the goalkeeper before sliding the ball home. The second half saw Cardiff briefly look like they might get into the game before Reading calmed the game down and looked comfortable. Hughes nearly increased the lead after a cross from the left but his effort was well saved. Cardiff pulled back a consolation towards the end with a headed goal past Hahnemann but Reading held on with ease to take the full three points.
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FANS' POST MATCH OPINION
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First thing to say is well done to the Cardiff fans for impeccably observing the one minutes silence before the game. There was a small noise at the start but that was quickly quelled by the Cardiff fans and the silence was a credit to both sets of fans. I was surprised to see we never had one corner during the game as I felt we had the majority of the game and in the main I thought we played ok. Little was missed and it's a big concern he keeps "tweaking his hamstring" he certainly gives us that extra bit when he plays, but yet again Hughies stepped into the breach and did nothing wrong . Shame he never took the glorious chance just before being substituted. We are looking solid at the back and all back four deserve great credit, especially Ingimasson who quietly gets on with it week in week out and is having a great season. Morgan continues to do well but maybe must learn when to pass earlier rather than running himself into trouble but that's a little unfair as he's still a youngster. Kitson's goal was a cracker and he really is turning into a good striker. There's a lot of talk about him moving up to the Premiership but I don't think he's ready yet, stay with us and keep learning his trade then we'll have to see. Forest next week looks a classic banana skin but a I'd happily settle for a draw. Keep it going lads with Wigan starting to wobble and them the next home game it's starting to get very exciting... URZ !
This game goes to show how one lapse can change the face of a whole afternoon's work. A poor piece of judgement from Hahnnamen in coming for a ball into the box and what should have been a comfortable 3 points became a 'backs-to-the-wall' job. Thankfully, Reading held on to claim the win the rest of their performance deserved. Yes, they probably should have claimed the 3rd goal that would've killed off Cardiff in the 2nd half but the team still did well overall with the midfield standing out in particular for me and were worthy winners in the end. COME ON.......
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