What a long way Reading FC have come this season! This victory secured Reading's place in the First Division play-offs, with two games of the league season still remaining. The two fixtures of the season remaining - visits to Watford and Stoke City - will determine our form as we enter the play-offs and will decide who we will face in the semi-final but nothing can get in the way of Reading having a go at promotion to the Premiership. We're in the play-offs and that's a massive achievement that seemed entirely unthinkable at the start of this season. There's a lot to be done still if we are to go up for the second consecutive season - but we've already done a massive part of the job by securing a top six finish.

This was a strange game though - the club billed it as a massive play-off party - but it seemed more like a training game with Reading seemingly certain to pick up the three points right from kick-off. It wasn't the greatest spectacle with the pace never really getting going, but it was a good demonstration that Reading are a class above a side like Grimsby that are on their way down to Division Two. The visitors were already relegated before the game and chose to rest a couple of players and bring in a couple of youngsters. In contrast Reading brought back John Salako into the side in place of Ricky Newman and it was immediately clear Grimsby weren't going to get in the way of a Reading victory. The experience of Salako overshadowed Grimsby after just a couple of minutes when he got down the left and broke through the defence to put over a low cross to Glen Little on the right. Little drove the ball across the goal and into the back of the net to put Reading 1-0 up, and you could sense that the game had already been decided that early on.

Glen Little's goal must have been a massive relief for him after a series of disappointing games after arriving on loan from Burnley. He's struggled to show his best form at Reading and probably had his worst game yet on Monday when Reading struggled so badly at Portsmouth. However, after hitting the Royals into an early lead, Little had an excellent game in the Reading midfield working hard and creating some good chances by keeping hold of the ball and laying off some nice passes. The entire Reading side looked a whole lot more tidy than it did on Monday - gone were the dodgy passes and continual loss of possession. Instead we looked comfortable throughout the game and throughout the side as we strolled to victory. Reading followed up the first goal with the first corner of the game and then an Andy Hughes effort that was just over the Grimsby crossbar. Adrian Williams was replaced within the opening ten minutes due to injury - hopefully this was just a precaution to keep him available for the crunch play-off games. Williams took his place on the bench and didn't look obviously injured as Newman took his place in the centre of defence.

The lead was doubled on twenty-two minutes when a decent passing move saw Chadwick work in from the right and cross to Hughes in the centre of the area. Hughes hit it low into the bottom left of the net and Reading were 2-0 up, with no way back for Grimsby. Reading dominated the rest of the half with Murty and Forster both forcing saves out of the Grimsby goalkeeper. Down the other end Marcus was having a very quiet game as the visitors failed to get in a single shot on target during the opening half. With such an early lead it would have been nice to have added another one or two but Grimsby did an excellent job of packing their defence and concentrating on keeping Reading out.

The Royals seemed to ease off in the second half with the game already won and any tension absent with Reading's place in the play-offs already booked. The huge crowd of over 20,000 were happy to sit back and contemplate the forthcoming play-offs and the team were content to take things carefully and not do anything stupid that could pick up a booking or an injury (excluding Jamie Cureton's exchanges with a Grimsby player at the final whistle, which seemed out of keeping compared to the rest of the game). Henderson had a disappointing game after being given a full half to do something after replacing Forster at half-time. He worked hard and managed to get himself into a couple of open shooting posibilities - but he really should have tucked a couple away and instead just poked a few tame efforts at the goalkeeper. Forster remains our most dangerous weapon up front with Cureton looking blunter than he has historically.

As Reading relaxed Grimsby gave their loyal travelling fans something to cheer about. After some decent football to play the ball out of defence they first hit the crossbar with a powerful effort and then pulled the score back to 2-1 with a well taken goal from the left. Reading may have looked a class above Grimsby today, but the visitors proved that they aren't as bad as their final league position will indicate. Excluding Reading's blistering start the visitors did a good job of containing Reading and showed some off some nice passing football themselves that earnt cheers from the home crowd. At full time the team and manager did a lap of the ground - and nearly everyone stayed to applaud the side. This was a long way from being the game of the season, and again perhaps we didn't take all our chances, but we won yet again to move back up to fourth position in Division One. Its been an amazing season-long performance and the people of Reading are proud of their football club. Premiership here we come?
Graham

Following report from John Wells
Reading set the tone for this game from the kick-off by passing the ball around for over minute before their opponents got a touch of the ball. Grimsby then took two touches to put the ball out of play for a Reading throw. Their third touch was to pick the ball out of the back of the net after an unmarked Little had put Reading ahead. It was not going to be a tough passage into the play-offs, and judging from the atmosphere nobody was expecting a hard game anyway.

The second minute strike from Little and Reading's second from Hughes twenty minutes later were evidence that Grimsby were ripe for a thrashing. It didn't happen, but I don't think anyone was too concerned as long as our opportunity to compete in the play-offs was not threatened. Hughes took his goal well. His run into the box was well timed, his first touch was good and his shot was low, hard and accurate. But where was the marking! Both goals were well taken resulting from midfield runs that nobody in the Grimsby side could be bothered to track. I suppose that is how you feel when you're going down. The exception was Keane who was lucky only to be booked once but showed more spirit than the rest of his team put together. As a Reading fan I didn't like what he was doing, but he scored a good goal when it was too late to matter and probably deserved his reward.

Reading were forced to make substitutions due to injury. Forster was subjected to a nasty challenge which forced him to withdraw at half time and left him limping on the lap of honour after the game. How on earth the foul went unnoticed and unpunished when it happened right under the nose of the euphemistically named referee's assistant we'll never know. (Why is it that week after week these men with flags choose to ignore quite serious incidents which happen right in front of then - often on the blind side of the ref?) Williams went off after eight minutes without looking seriously injured. Lets hope they are both fit for the crucial games. Adie's departure gave Newman another chance to show what a versatile player he is. His presence in the play-off squad is very reassuring because he so competitive, especially when the going gets tough as it surely will in the next two weeks. Henderson's second half performance was disappointing after his recent form but I think we will need him too at some stage.

The other change was to keep Cureton involved at a crucial stage of the season. He looked quite sharp, but his desperation to score adversely affected his judgement. He tried to do too much and nearly managed to get himself booked in the final minute. He replaced Little who appears to have finally settled into the side and had a good game.

There was no need for Reading to really turn it on today but there were some bright moments. I particularly enjoyed seeing Shorey turning Grimsby defenders inside out on a couple of occasions and there was superb exchange of passes between Little and Murty to send Forster free down the right wing mid way through the first half.

The players all deserved their applause at the end of the game but I am sure they have an even greater ovation awaiting them at the end of the season whenever that might be. All the other teams in the play-offs have several very experienced players, and some powerful strikers, which seems to make us the underdogs. However the Royals have pace and skill throughout the team, anchored by the experience of Brown and Williams. We have every reason to feel confident. After all, we have won a lot of games this season.