Reading FC Match Report: 2023/2024 Season - League One
READING 2 STEVENAGE 0
Reading: K Ehibhationham (45), K Ehibhationham (57)
Stevenage: --
Post Match Fans' Opinion
Sutekh
» 19 Aug 2023 18:00
Great to have a bunch of youngsters playing with a bit of belief and confidence and not frightened to try things. Absolute credit to Selles for also getting the message across about what a forward pass is.
WiFi unlucky not to get the senior first hat-trick, the Professor worked really hard but perhaps a bit too hard - he should have scored himself and should have put it on a plate for two or three others but I'm sure that end product will appear eventually and when it does, watch out!
Knibbs did superbly for the first half hour and managed to cost Stevenage a man as a result, Carson was a much better left back than we've been used to over the last couple of seasons and though he dropped a couple of clangers (which he probably wouldn't have done with more experience) the team worked hard to cover it.
My motm was Mbengue, thought he was outstanding and his pace was causing immense trouble down the right, trouble was it caused him problems too and he had to depart with cramp but at least he should be back for the next battle.
Word for Selles to, very animated on the touchline and very shouty, seemed permanently annoyed. Hoping that's a good thing as he certainly seems to be a considerable step up on the dreadful waste of time spent under Gomes, Clement, Paunovic and Ince.
Finally the central defensive partnership was excellent and they look so much better than Holmes and McIntyre or anything we've seen in recent years, that said I expect them to have their first real challenge of the season at Exeter next week so hope they keep working on their partnership and that they may become a bit like their namesake:
Snowflake Royal
» 19 Aug 2023 18:14
Couple of good saves from Button. Abbey and Carson were off the very high standard they set themselves but still decent. Binden comfortable. Mbengue good.
Savage had a few wobbles but good. Hutch was solid. Knibbs and Camara bring bags of enthusiasm, running and pace. Ehib and Vickers work well together. Great to see Kelv bag some goals.
Azeez was involved plenty but continues to fluff his lines. Solid cameos from Yiadom and McIntyre.
We were close to engineering our own downfall a few times with poor attempts to play out. Stevenage were a physical and niggly side, and probably deserved a second yellow at some point, I do think the onethey got was a bit on the harsh side tho.
Concerned that there were clear signs to take Knibbs and Mbengue off earlier and we ignored them for both.
Ark Royal
» 19 Aug 2023 18:51
Wifi deserved a hat-trick; Azeez is still all buzz and no end product; Mbengue great down the right until the cramps; Hutchinson was quietly effective and the full 90+ minutes will do him good; Mukairu did well and expect him to start next week instead of Knibbs if the injury is worse than expected. Finally, very very impressed with Elliott in his brief cameo. Could have a real diamond there.
Nice to leave the stadium with a smile on the face again. The kids are alright!
Royal_jimmy
» 19 Aug 2023 19:26
This team is definitely one to watch. Could be a championship side in a couple of years if it keeps improving. Lots to improve up front and hopefully Sam Smith can do a great job there scoring once back fit.
RoyalBlue
» 19 Aug 2023 19:34
Fully agree. We have enough injury issues without the medical/management staff being reckless like that. Absolutely no reason, particularly given the state of the game, that both could not have been subbed a lot earlier. If the players are insisting they are OK, despite them clearly having had an issue, then the medics have to step up and make the call in the best interests of club, team and player.
Millsy
» 19 Aug 2023 20:07
Well done Selles keep it up. Noone is bigger than Reading FC.
PieEater
» 19 Aug 2023 21:17
That said we looked solid and hats off to Selles -we really don't need last years first team to hold our own in this league.
Just wondering now if the trains will work out for Exeter.
Esteban
» 19 Aug 2023 21:17
Hutch made a difference coming into the side and nobody played badly. Ben Elliott looks a player, at one point he played a lovely reverse pass that caught out the Stevenage defence and put us in on the keeper. Looking forward to seeing him play a bigger part in coming matches.
Mebengue or Ehibhationmahn motm for me. Special mention for Button though, who made two sharp saves at crucial times.
Finally, Azeez continues to frustrate. Got everything except an end product. Really hope it clicks for him soon, he could be a good player if he can put everything together and I'd love for him to do it
Gunny Fishcake
» 19 Aug 2023 21:57
blythspartan
» 20 Aug 2023 06:22
Ehib is definitely developing and has all the attributes to become a very good striker. I would also like to see J Clarke given a chance once fully fit.
It was a good solid team performance today. I am expecting some ups and downs but I just feel these lads will give everything even in defeat.
Selles is talking about 2 additional signings so I am hoping Bowen and co can do their magic. I don’t want to get too carried away, but if this all goes well for the next couple of years this group of players could be running teams ragged in the Championship.
NewCorkSeth
» 20 Aug 2023 09:51
small, fast, excellent dribbler, always looking to turn and run through defenders.
Along with the rest of the team being fast and always looking to turn defenders, I can see a lot more red cards against us this season
And hes playing as an actual Striker? Like in a support role? Just seems wild that he made this step up and everyone is impressed.
Millsy
» 20 Aug 2023 09:52
But he lost every game in preseason and the first two league games so he must be shit right?
You going to own your shit or pretend it never happened.
The Ian Royal method.
Ian being childish shocker. He’s probably deflecting attention from his staunch defence of the ‘mighty’ Holmes + Tmac partnership over the years, which brought us down.
But it’s true I ripped the piss out of P6L6. Then he went and got a 4-0 result against a superior champ side. Not league game but can’t be ignored, that was awesome. Yes even Taxi got a 4-0 result iirc but tbf Selles deserves more time and support for now.
John Madejski's Wallet
» 20 Aug 2023 09:54
small, fast, excellent dribbler, always looking to turn and run through defenders.
Along with the rest of the team being fast and always looking to turn defenders, I can see a lot more red cards against us this season
And hes playing as an actual Striker? Like in a support role? Just seems wild that he made this step up and everyone is impressed.
Yeah proper big man, small man strike partnership
Mad that he's stepped up from the <18s straight into the first and looks comfortable
NewCorkSeth
» 20 Aug 2023 09:59
And hes playing as an actual Striker? Like in a support role? Just seems wild that he made this step up and everyone is impressed.
Yeah proper big man, small man strike partnership
Mad that he's stepped up from the <18s straight into the first and looks comfortable
Saw someone say he wasnt even a regular for either of our youth teams for most of last season?
Chameleon
» 20 Aug 2023 10:20
Credit goes to Bowen being allowed to implement a plan. While Selles is doing decently so far recruiting a manager whose philosophy is in lockstep with the junior teams pre-existing style of play is the only reason we're in this position.
Elliott and Mukairu look like a pair of very sharp signings based off yesterday.
Royals and Racers
» 20 Aug 2023 10:21
Yeah proper big man, small man strike partnership
Mad that he's stepped up from the <18s straight into the first and looks comfortable
Saw someone say he wasnt even a regular for either of our youth teams for most of last season?
Not sure anyone said that. He played 25 matches for the U18’s and scored 5 goals and he also played just the 6 games for the U21’s.
Match Stats
Full Time: 2-0
Half Time: 1-0
Attendance: 11674
Referee: Anthony Backhouse
Teams
Reading: D Button, M Carson (T McIntyre, 73), N Abbey, A Mbengue (A Yiadom, 72), T Bindon, M Camara (P Mukairu, 60), C Savage, H Knibbs (F Azeez, 39), S Hutchinson, K Ehibhationham, C Vickers (B Elliott, 73).
Stevenage:
Bookings / Red Cards
Reading: --
Stevenage: --
Sent Off: Nathan Thompson (22 mins)
League One on 19 August 2023
This League One game took place 460 days ago in the 2023/2024 season.