MATCH REPORT: 2005/2006 Season
28 January 2006: FA CUP ROUND 4
READING 1 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1
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goals
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Reading: Long (31 mins).
Birmingham City: Dunn (67 mins). |
Half Time: 1-0 Attendance: 23,762 Replay: 7 Feb 2006 |
teams
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Reading:
Stack, Halls, Sonko, Gunnarsson, Makin, Hunt, Sidwell, Harper, Oster, Lita, Long (Doyle 90).
Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Little, Ingimarsson, Osano.
Birmingham City: Maik Taylor, Tebily, Melchiot, Bruce, Lazaridis, Pennant, Izzet (Kilkenny 57), Johnson, Jarosik (Forssell 57), Heskey (Dunn 57), Sutton. Subs Not Used: Vaesen, Oji. | |
bookings
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Reading: Oster, Sonko.
Birmingham City: Tebily. Referee: R Styles (Hampshire). |
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report
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This was Reading's third encounter with Premiership opposition and in my opinion, by far the most significant. Even though only four of the probable line up for Tuesday's league game against Norwich were risked today, Birmingham had to pull out all the stops to force a replay. Such is the confidence, skill and energy within the squad, the Royals are now able to compete comfortably with Premiership opposition.
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FANS' POST MATCH OPINION
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The great FA Cup. Effectively this was a genuine second team, who did very well. I totally agree with promotion being the absolute priority, but being in such a strong position in the league, the players having just returned from a well earned break in Portugal and Birmingham below strength also, I can't help feeling this game was there for the taking and if we had won who knows how far we'd go. Of course we're still in the competition but can't help thinking our chance has gone. It was also a shame for such a big crowd who turned out on a freezing day. As it turned out a 1-1 draw was the worst result possible for us which now means four games in thirteen days. With fifteen minutes to go we should have thrown the kitchen sink at them played 2-3-5 because it should have been win or lose. I thought our lads did ok outplaying a poor Birmingham side for the first half but their triple substitution gave them the edge in the second. Sutton deserves mentioning for entering the ever growing academy of diving cheats while ref Styles being a so called premiership ref did his utmost to look after his mates from Birmingham. Stack had a great game and Halls had a fairly forgettable debut but will not want to see their goal when he went walkabouts and left Dunn totally unmarked. All eyes turn to Norwich on Tuesday and I'd bet 95% of those there yesterday would swap a defeat yesterday for three points on Tuesday. Let's hope normal service is resumed then.
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