Hob Nob Anyone? News and Views

Reading To Play Harborough Town In Round Two

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:20:58 +0000

Following the weekend's 2-0 home victory over Fleetwood in the first round of the FA Cup, the Royals have been drawn against Southern League Premier Central team Harborough Town. The seventh tier side are currently 16th in their divison - over 100 places below Reading in the football pyramid. The game will be Harborough's seventh FA Cup fixture of the season so far having got through all the qualifying rounds before a 4-1 first round proper victory away at Tonbridge Angels. The game will be played at the Select Car Leasing Stadium beetween 29 November and 2 December.

Royals Ease Into Round Two

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:02:16 +0000

Reading eased into the second round of the FA Cup with a comfortable, if not convincing, two goal home win against mid table League Two opponents Fleetwood Town. In a congested fixture list, Ruben Selles understandably fielded several youngsters, including a debut for the impressive seventeen-year-old Ashqar Ahmed at right back, with a sprinkling of experienced regular first team players in the starting eleven or on the bench. Understandably, Reading took a while to settle into the game, but as the game progressed, the individual skill of the Reading players and the quality of their play left Fleetwood looking outclassed.
MATCH REPORT: FA Cup Round 1: Reading 2 Fleetwood 0 - Read More...

Reading Make It Three Wins From Three

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 20:00:00 +0000

Reading climbed into the top six with their third successive victory in eight days, but it was a far from comfortable victory against a feisty Rovers side. After being reduced to ten men after fifty-five minutes, and falling behind to a subtle Sam Smith finish on sixty-six minutes, they came back strongly. Denied a point by two excellent saves from Pereira in the closing stages of a lively encounter, the travelling fans were clearly appreciative of their team's efforts, enthusiastically applauding them off the pitch after the final whistle.
MATCH REPORT: Reading 1 Bristol Rovers 0 - Read More...

Reading Hold On To Climb To Seventh

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 08:49:00 +0000

Despite constant late pressure from the home team, Reading held out to secure three more points at Exeter City and climb to seventh place in the League One - just outside of the play-off positions on goal difference. The Royals opted for several changes after the weekend's 4-1 home victory over Crawley Town, which included swapping the front three and handing Jayden Wareham his first league start for Reading after 13 appearances from the bench. From kick-off, and after 45 seconds of Exeter playing the ball around in their defensive third, Wareham made the perfect start when Knibbs stole the ball from the defender and passed to Wareham who fired across the goalkeeper, putting the ball inside the post to put Reading ahead inside the first minute.

Reading had been the better side in the first half and extended their lead with nine minutes left to play of the first half, again scoring inside the box with Exeter failing to deal with Reading pressure close to goal. Michael Craig took full advantage after a shot came back out to him to make it 2-0 at half time.

After the break, Exeter improved and Reading were forced to go on the defensive. After failing to take advantage moments before when they should have scored, Exter finally pulled one back on 58 minutes to set up a very nervous last 30 minutes for the travelling Reading fans. The final 10 minutes of the game Exeter dominated and it felt like it was just a matter of time before the equaliser came, but somehow Reading held out thanks to some determined defending, the post, and Exeter's inability to take advantage of a string of decent chances.
Exeter City 1 Reading 2

Reading Struggle But Notch Up Big Win

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

There will be few goals at any level this season, and certainly not in League One, to match Lewis Wing's sublime strike after forty minutes this afternoon. Furthermore, from Reading's point of view, the timing of Wing's goal could not have been better. Having taken the lead after twenty minutes against a Crawley side without a league win in eight games, Reading struggled to escape from their own half, and it was no surprise when they were pegged back by the visitors with a deflected shot from Forster ten minutes later. Wing's breathtaking long-range strike just before half time, came out of the blue, took the wind out of Crawley's sails, and silenced the away fans.
Read More: Reading 4 Crawley Town 1 - Match Report

Chem Campbell Scores Twice As Reading Win Again

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 16:28:20 +0000

Two first half strikes from loan signing Chem Campbell laid the foundations of a comfortable home win for Reading, the second in four days at the Select Car Leasing stadium. Having failed to impress in his previous appearances the young Wolves loanee turned quickly in the box to tuck away a half chance when the ball fell to him following a run and cut back from Ehibhatiomhan. Buoyed by scoring his first Reading goal the nineteen-year-old added a second just before half time pouncing on a moment of hesitation by full back Williams on the edge of the box. Dispossessing the dithering Williams, Campbell took a deft touch to tee up a low strike inside the post. On the stroke of half time he might have added a third but his shot flew wide.
READ MORE: Reading 3 Burton Albion 1 - Match Report

Knibbs And Elliott Goals Earn Home Win

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:31:15 +0000

Superbly taken goals from Harvey Knibbs and Ben Elliot either side of half time gave Reading a morale-boosting win and three valuable points at the end of yet another turbulent week off the pitch for Reading Football Club. Having made a bright start to the season, both teams were eager to end a run of two defeats their previous games. Huddersfield will be disappointed to come away with nothing to show for their endeavours after dominating possession and taking a deserved lead midway through the first half.
READ MORE: Reading 2 Huddersfield Town 1 - Match Report and Fan Opinion

Rare Home Defeat As Royals Sit Mid-Table

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 09:30:57 +0000

An appalling basic error mid-way through the first half by goalkeeper Boyce-Clarke, covering for the injured Pereira, ultimately cost Reading all three points in an unexpected defeat at home at the hands of an Orient side, until yesterday, without a win in the league this season. Bindon gave Kelman too much room on the edge of the box and his pacy, but not unstoppable strike straight at Boyce-Clarke, squirmed under his body and into the net. It was a basic goalkeeping error. Nobody however, should place the blame on Reading's inexperienced stand-in 'keeper for this disappointing result who, moments earlier, had pulled off an outstanding reflex save from the scorer Kelman.

In his post-match interview Ruben Selles referred to Leyton Orients 'game plan' as a significant factor in this first Reading home defeat for some time. It is hard to argue with that point of view. Orient's 'game plan' was the main factor in producing three valuable points for the visitors and an afternoon almost devoid of entertainment. Punctuated by cynical fouls and time-wasting by Orient from start to finish, it was a truly dreadful game of football to watch, but Reading only have themselves to blame for not matching the intensity of their opponents or making the tactical adjustments to negate their plan. Too many long balls up to Smith, who was marked by two giants at the heart of the Orient defence, was only part of the problem.

Match Report - Read More: Reading 0 Leyton Orient 1

Another Home Win As Charlton Beaten

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:14:31 +0000

Reading kept up a solid start to the new League One season with a 2-0 home victory over Charlton Athletic at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. Charlton arrived in Reading on the back of three straight league wins but dropped points for the first time this season thanks to late goals from Charlie Savage and Sam Smith. Savage's goal after 66 minutes was his third of the season in all competitions and set Reading on their way to victory in a match with few shots on target from either side. Reading had the better of the first half, with Charlton picking up after the break but failing to create many chances. The win was sealed with 14 minutes left to play when Akande supplied the cross for Sam Smith to score his first of the season.
Reading 2 Charlton Athletic 0 - Fan Opinion

Chem Campbell Signs On Loan From Wolves

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:05:15 +0000

With the takeover completion still yet to go through, Reading's transfer deadline day activity was limited to the arrival of Chem Campbell on a short term loan from Premier League side Wolves. Twenty-one year old Chem will stay with the Royals until 5 January 2025, but was not eligible to play in Reading's 2-0 home victory over Charlton on Saturday. Campbell has been restricted to a small number of appearances off the bench for his parent club in the league, with just a single start in the League Cup. The last few seasons have seen him shipped out on loan at Wycombe, and Charlton before a return to Wycombe to finish last season. His loan transfers mean he is no stranger to League One, where he scored two goals for Charlton last season.

Reading Impress As Wigan Well Beaten

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 09:24:36 +0000

Reading took an early lead with a goal of real quality in a dominant opening spell which had the Wigan defence in complete disarray. On seven minutes Mbengue curled a teasing cross to the far post which Ehibhatiomhan controlled with superb first touch and picked out Savage who had held his run perfectly to drift into space in front of goal and calmy stroke the ball into bottom corner. Royals were rampant only prevented from racing into an early unassailable lead by some desperate defending, good goalkeeping and wayward finishing.
Read More: Reading 2 Wigan Athletic 0

Pre-Season Underway With Win At Watford

graham@royals.org (Graham Loader) — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 13:16:38 +0000

Reading have started their preparations for the new 2024/2025 League One campaign with a 2-0 away victory in a pre-season match against Watford, played behind closed doors at their training ground. Reading played two full sets of players with a full switch of the team at half time with the score 0-0. Adrian Akande, who recently signed a new contract, and Jayden Wareham scored Reading's goals on 64 and 72 minutes.

Players featured: Pereira, Button, Ahmed, Abrefa, Dean, Mbengue, Kanu, Bindon, Wing, Elliott, Dorsett, Ryan, Rushesha, Senga, Savage, Knibbs, Ehibhatiomhan, Akande, Camara, Azeez, Wareham, Garcia, Tuma.

Reading's pre-season friendlies continue with the visit of Millwall, also to be played on a training pitch behind closed doors, on Friday 19 July. Tickets are available for all of the following four pre-season fixtures with Reading travelling to Woking and Cardiff City. The Select Car Leasing stadium will be used for the visits of QPR and Hull City.

Fri 19 July: Millwall (H)
Tue 23 July: Woking (A)
Sat 27 July: QPR (H)
Wed 31 July: Cardiffy City (A)
Sat 3 August: Hull City (H)