16 March 2004: LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
CARDIFF CITY 2 READING 3
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goals
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Reading: Ingimarsson
(39 mins), Kitson (45 mins), Morgan (90 mins) Cardiff City: Earnshaw (42 mins), Bullock (72 mins). |
Half Time: 1-2 Attendance: 14,051
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teams
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Reading: Ashdown, Murty, Brown,
Ingimarsson, Newman, Salako (Brooker 82 mins), Sidwell, Harper, Hughes,
Goater (Morgan 67 mins), Kitson. Subs not used: Murray, Savage, Young. Cardiff City: Margetson, Croft, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Barker, Robinson, Boland (Bullock 45 mins), Whalley, Langley, Lee, Earnshaw. Subs not used: Prior, Campbell, Gordon, Alexander. |
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bookings
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Reading: Brown Cardiff City: Lee Referee: M Warren (W Midlands) |
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report
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Substitute Dean Morgan secured a 3-2 victory for the Royals last night at Cardiff City as Reading jumped back into the play-off zone with nine games of the season remaining. In a night packed with drama Reading took the lead three times with the home side pulling level twice. Two of Reading's goals came in injury time - Kitson's in first half injury time and Morgan's in the second half with ninety minutes showing on the clock. With injuries to two referees Morgan's goal came a minute into stoppage time - but there were still another eight minutes to play as Reading retained their lead. Reading started the game with a number of key players missing - Shorey and Williams out and Owusu serving his suspension. As a result Kitson started alongside Goater up front and Newman played full back with Brown returning from injury to play with Ingimarsson in the centre of defence. It was Ingimarsson that put Reading ahead with six minutes of the first half remaining after a Newman shot was saved and a Salako corner was headed home. Cardiff pulled level a couple of minutes later from the middle of the area after a bit of pressure before Kitson restored the lead with a header from a Sidwell cross. With the game taking it's toll on the supply of referees and less than twenty minutes remaining Cardiff equalised again. The match appeared to be heading to a draw when Brooker supplied the cross from the left that saw Morgan deliver the decisive header to win the game for the Royals. |
FANS' POST MATCH OPINION
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What a game! There isn't much I can say to express how incredible that
game was. From the first minute excitment enthralled. Reading took control
early on in the game and maintained their dominance throughout. It was
passionate, thrilling and gloryfying. Well done Reading. Sadly
as an exiled in Wales Royal, I don't get to see as many games as I would
like, but as you can imagine, this gave me a rather satisfyingly smug
sense of joy! With half the first team regulars out and the Bluebirds
beating Norwich at the weekend, I thought a draw would be a good result.
Tremendous effort went into this win, with all the players giving 100%.
Just a thought though, the (3rd) referee blew the final whistle just before
Earnshaw pulled the trigger to shoot. All I can say is thank God he missed,
if that had gone in, with the CCFC fans there would have been a riot,
and I wouldn't have fancied our chances of leaving the ground in one piece.
Why are referees such idiots? Anyway, lets hope this is the start of the
real push towards another visit to Cardiff come May! What
a win! Who would have honestly predicated that result tonight with the
players we had missing tonight . To win down there at Cardiff just shows
how we can do it and the players deserve tremendous credit for producing
such a gutsy performance in the usual intimidating atmosphere at Ninian
Park . I listened to the game on Radio Berks which in itself was almost
as entertaining as the game, Neil Smith and Tim Dellor were so biased,
and so into the game it was so funny to listen to especially Smithy screaming
out when the winner went in. Well done to them too . Ashdown and Brown
sounded heroes but every Reading player deserves a big pat on the back
tonight, credit where it's due....UURRZZ What
is going on? Three headed goals in a game! I can't remember three headed
goals all season. My brother in law is a Cardiff season ticket holder
and he says that you never know which Cardiff team is going to turn up.
They were dreadful in the first half and were lucky to be 2-1 down. Harper
and Sidwell ran the game and the team spirit was fantastic. The team spirit
is obvious and the players that came in all did a great job,especially
Ashdown with a crucial save at 2-2 just before we scored the winner. It
was bizarre, unbelievable, exciting, but most of all entertaining, and
three valuable points! Cardiff tried three different refs, intimidating
Welsh music, diving players, and all the patriotism of the Third Reich,
but still couldn’t wrestle a point from us. A truly professional performance
epitomised by Steve Brown, who despite not even a run out in the Reserves
since his injury, worked his socks off to secure the win. I thought he
was a bit lucky to stay on the pitch after his outbursts, but perhaps
the constant referee substitutions may have helped his cause a bit. Well
done to all concerned. A brilliant night out in Blodwynland. Great
game- had to endure it sat in the Cardiff end..keeping quiet. Reading's
spirit was terrific. 1/2 a team and CCFC on a roll from beating Norwich,
i was really proud of that performance. Harper and Sidwell made the difference
for us, and i thought Dean Morgan gave us some much needed life up front...Royals
away support was a credit...bring on Sunderland on Saturday. |
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