Reading may not be playing the most entertaining football recently, but today they chalked up their third successive home win without conceding a goal. Their mood was typified by Shaun Goater closing down a Millwall defender and blocking his attempted pass in the opening minute of the game. For the first quarter of an hour Reading passed the ball better and showed real character in not reacting to a series of dreadful challenges for which the referee amazingly seemed to consider not even worthy of a stern word. At least he acknowledged that the assault on Shorey in the ninth minute deserved a penalty. I thought at first, as did Murty, that the challenge had inflicted a very serious injury.

After a lengthy delay for treatment for Shorey and some heated protests from the Millwall players, which I am convinced were to delay the kick and save Ifill from a booking, Hughes blasted the ball straight at Warner who saved with his legs. Almost immediately Ifill volleyed a decent chance wildly over the bar. Reading were looking hungry for the ball and justice was done in the twenty-third minute. Reading broke from defence quickly when Goater stretched to send a good pass to Sidwell wide on the right. The most obvious option was to slide an early ball to Forster steaming in at the near post, but Sidwell, showing great awareness and judgment, delayed the pass for a second and cut it square to Salako on the edge of the area. Salako struck it well and the ball took a deflection before finding its way into the net.

Millwall continued to attempt to intimidate Reading. Newman was the next victim when Fofana took him late and high on the halfway line. It was possibly worthy of a straight red card but at least this time the referee produced a yellow. Shortly after Hahnemann produced what is becoming his customary howler when he came out of his area for ball which the defence looked to have covered and only succeeded in getting in the way and providing Ifill with a chance. Marcus must have been relieved to see the big man slip and make a complete mess of the opening. Minutes later Ifill carved himself another good chance and again the opportunity was wasted with a tame effort into the side netting. Half time came with Reading deservedly in the lead.

For the first ten minutes of the second half the Royals controlled the game and Sidwell and Salako went close with efforts that flew just over the bar. Goater went close with a header when he got on the end of a good long ball into thebox from Newman. Millwall then gradually began to get on top. Their tactics, which looked to be more to do with the influence of Wise than Wilkins, were mainly just to thump it forward, but they managed to keep Reading pinned in their own half for long periods of time. With the Royals determined and well organised in defence, Millwall didn't look to have the ability to create a clear opening, and for all their huffing and puffing, they never really looked like scoring.

Coppell certainly made his intentions clear. He obviously felt that one goal was enough to win the game and with fifteen minutes to go he reverted to a 4-5-1 formation taking off Goater, sending on Savage to play wide on the right, and moving Hughes into the middle to support Forster. Hughes is still taking a lot of stick and I must admit I think his passing is woeful at times, but he worked very hard in midfield today, and although he missed the penalty, he does score goals now and again.

Reading crept back into the play-off positions with this win and with all the top sides dropping points over the last few weeks it is looking wide open again. Defensively we are looking as sound and today I was impressed with the way in which the players retained their composure when subjected to provocation and sustained pressure.
Report by John Wells