On the way to the game it was hard to expect anything from this fixture apart from a defeat. We agreed we'd settle for a point, but really couldn't see us being able to score more than a goal at the most. And then there was ex-Reading player Darren Caskey looking to put in a good performance against his old club. We had nasty visions of Caskey sticking in one of his famous free-kicks right at the end of the game to give County a victory. It could have been the biggest nightmare possible for Alan Pardew - already suffering from abuse for his sides recent performances. Thankfully, at full time, it was a completely different story. Reading had scored four goals, won away, and Caskey had put in such a poor performance that he was replaced at half time. Pardew had proved himself right in more than one way and his delight was clear as he came over to the travelling fans at the end of the game and punched the air with delight. This was a very good day for Pardew who had enjoyed the full support from the Reading fans behind the goal throughout the ninety minutes.

The starting line-up was probably close to Pardew's first choice eleven - featuring both Hughes and Alex Smith that Pardew bought in during the close season. With the return of Murty the defence was back to the normal combination - with only Adrian Williams missing with Viveash in his place in the centre of defence. This was Pardew's team of choice playing his favoured 4-4-2 formation. And it worked a treat for the opening 45 minutes, suggesting that Pardew does have the right idea and can get the team playing how he wants them. The midfield worked and we showed we could score goals, although the defence remained more than a little worrying. The second half was a bit crap, but the first half was fantastic entertainment from the Royals who stuck away four superb goals to deservedly take the three points.

Reading looked a different side right from the start. It was hard to believe when we took the lead after just three minutes of play, and even harder to believe that it had come from some great football. Cureton was released down the right and did really well to cut inside and into the area. He then delivered a great low cross to Hughes who had worked his way into the box from the left. Hughes hit it first time, meeting the cross a treat, to send the ball across the keeper and into the bottom corner of the net. 1-0 to the Royals - and just the start we needed to get the confidence going.

It was back to typical Reading just three minutes later. It was hard to feel suprised when we gifted them an immediate equaliser. Viveash was faced with a simple back pass to Whitehead on the edge of the box, but strangely tapped it as light as possible backwarsd and just stood there. Perhaps he wasn't aware of County's Allsopp stood right by him. Whitehead certainly was but he could do nothing about it as Allsopp sneaked it between him and Viveash. Whithead came out, Allsopp took it wide and stuck it into an empty net from an angle. A gift, and 1-1. With a poor run of results behind us it could have all gone wrong at this point as County launched a couple of attacks with a few shots that didn't trouble Whitehead.

Reading recovered quickly though started playing some great football. Proper football, on the ground, and making use of the midfield to feed the ball forward. It worked, although we regained the lead after County failed to clear and the ball dropped nicely to Cureton in the middle of the box. Cureton had two players on him and it looked like it would be hard to get in a shot, but he prodded it to the right and then suddenly turned on it, firing it inside the post. 2-1 to Reading with just 13 minutes on the clock and Jamie Cureton on the scoresheet. Things really were looking up.

The rest of the half was reasonably even, but Reading always looked more dangerous when they came forward thanks to some lovely football from both Smith and Hughes in midfield. Hughes certainly rose to the occassion against his old club and almost grabbed a second with a shot that hit the underside of the County crossbar, meanwhile Caskey fired a couple of woeful efforts over the bar into the Reading crowd who were more than happy to taunt Caskey about his pie eating ability and general crapness. The Reading defence didn't look too tight. Robinson was getting beaten time after time allowed County to put in a couple of crosses. Whitehead did well to claim quite a few of them, and County failed to get in any really dangerous shots when perhaps they should have done after bringing the ball forward.

With the game heading towards half time Reading wrapped it up with two more well worked goals. The ball was cleared and Smith took it forward and played a great ball into the middle finding Cureton a good distance from goal. Cureton just hit it and the ball went flying into the roof of the net. 3-1 to Reading, and now we really couldn't believe it. Just as important as the scoreline was the fact Cureton had grabbed two - perhaps it will kick-start his goal scoring this season. It was 4-1 in injury time of the first half with perhaps the best goal of the game after a few passes resulted in Smith getting the ball on the edge of the ball and he drove it in a treat with plenty of power. The keeper had no chance with that one.

We seemed to change tactics at half time and rather than increase the lead after the break we seemed to want to play time out. The passing from the back was gone. Instead we were content to just hoof it forward and clear it everytime we got the ball in defence. It meant the second half wasn't even close in terms of the quality of play Reading had shown in the first half. With Caskey off the pitch, County improved slightly as Reading let them attack. Reading's tactics seemed to be working though as time ticked away and the Royals got closer and closer to victory. With just over twenty minutes to go County got a glimmer of hope after a player went down in the area and Viveash was booked for bringing him down. The resulting penalty made it 4-2.

Reading failed to make many chances in the second half, but Butler will again be disappointed after failing to take his. Butler managed to get one shot in on target but again failed to find any power and the resulting shot was more like a back pass - an easy catch for the keeper. Towards the end of the game Reading could have grabbed another one after great work by Alex Smith down the left resulted in a cross that Butler just failed to get his head onto. Butler's lack of form remains a worry. The biggest worry of the day naturally came in the last ten minutes as Reading had to hang on for victory after County bundled the ball in with six minutes left to play. 4-3. As the clock ticked over to ninety minutes we thought we'd thrown it away as a County player went down in the area and everyone in the ground thought the referee was pointing to the penalty spot. Thankfully it was a goal kick, and Reading clung on for the 4-3 win.

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