Match Heroes: Forster

No doubt next week's training will focus on corners and crosses as it was from those types of attack that Reading conceded all three goals and sank to a defeat that was largely undeserved - at least until the decisive second goal. Reading shaded it on points during the first half, their patient build-up play worth a goal or two with Caskey and Murty linking up particularly well on the right. In fact, Caskey came closest to scoring when he hit the post with a cunning, curling shot from outside the box with the inside of his boot.
After the second goal, though, Reading - and the game itself - largely fizzled out. It came to life only five mins from the end when Wrighty popped up to score Burnley's third. Seldom can such an insignificant, straight-forward goal (a header from one yard) have triggered such an extravagent celebration. True to form for a showbiz star, Wright pulled the front of his jersey up over his head and ran to the home fans, arms outstretched and hips thrust forward. His arms were still thus at the re-start causing the ref to tell him to stop.
OK, so it wasn't a Reading goal that was being celebrated but it will nevertheless remain the feature of this match that, for Reading fans, will be most remembered.
-- Paul Kirkwood
(Reading exile living in York)

Standing in the gents after the match much of the comment was aimed at the officials for giving the corner, yet no mention of the schoolboy defending at the set piece. Presumably if the coach has been practising set pieces from an attacking point of view, then the defenders have been involved and, by dint of this, practising defending set pieces. However all three goals resulted from unchallenged headers from restarts. I am afraid Howie's command of his area is non existent and certainly the second goal should have been within his range and at least challenging Payton might have helped.
Burnley seemed physically fitter and faster, and quicker thinking and showed us the standard we must strive for next season. I have my doubts that Caskey, if he is still here, will ever match any of the Clarets midfielders.
-- "Pebejay"

I couldn't help feeling that if we would have been at home with 14,000 behind us we would have won this game,I know that may sound strange having been beaten 3-0, but they just weren't any better than us.We conceded 2 goals directly from corners which were both unchallenged and the third as a result of a corner.Incidently scored by my most hated footballer of all time,but even that twat couldn't miss from 2 inches out even with that huge chip on his shoulder. It could have been very different Caskey hit the post from 25 yards out with an exquisite curling shot in the first 10 minutes. In the second half we had a couple of goal mouth scrambles where it looked easier to score than miss,but it just wasn't our day. During this period of rebuilding things will go wrong occasionally this was just one of those times.
-- Russ.Essex Royal

The only highlight of a low key Reading performance was Caskey's sublime first half shot - Oh and some neat one touch passing moves, Forster's tireless running and some appalling set piece defending. I was sitting in the Burnley end (with a Burnley-supporting colleague) right behind Caskey when he shot. When the ball left his boot, I thought it was going about 15 metres wide. The curl he got on it was terrific. However, the passion and fight witnessed in recent weeks deserted the team on Saturday. Even Mr Mad Dog couldn't get them going. They'll need to re-dsicover that on Wednesday, otherwise Rovers will hammer us.
-- Simon
(Bristol exile not wanting to face my "Claret" colleague this morning)