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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goal: Jamie Cureton (61 minutes)
Assist: Nicky Shorey
Opposition goals: None
Half-time: Reading 0 Welling United 0
Gamebreaker: The sending off of a Welling player in the first half
Attendance: 5,338
Weather: Overcast but dry, cold
Referee: Grant Hegley (Bishops Stortford)

Reading line-up: Phil Whitehead; Graeme Murty, Adrian Whitbread, Adi Viveash, Nicky Shorey; Andy Hughes, Neil Smith (Sammy Igoe, 65 minutes), Joe Gamble, Alex Smith (Darius Henderson, half-time); Jamie Cureton, Nicky Forster (John Mackie, 87 minutes)
Subs not used: Jamie Ashdown, James Harper
Reading yellow cards: Neil Smith (foul, 62 minutes)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

Well, I was concerned that Reading might play this game at half-pace, but as it turned out there was absolutely no chance of that. Instead we were at something like one-fifth-pace, and still some distance ahead of our extremely limited opponents. The fact that Welling United had to play the whole of the second half with only ten men clearly widened the already huge gap between the two sides.

The best I can say about Welling is that they arrived at Madejski Stadium with the intention of getting something out of the game. When 1-0 down, they did attempt to look for an equaliser, rather than settling for a narrow defeat and considering that to be a job well done. This at least means that they compare favourably with Grays Athletic in the corresponding game last season.

The Reading line-up contained a couple of minor surprises with Adrian Whitbread coming straight back into the side in place of John Mackie. Although Whitbread's performance at Oldham before getting injured was superb, Mackie must still be disappointed to lose out after playing well against Bristol City. Also, whilst most had expected James Harper to replace Kevin Watson it was in fact Joe Gamble, with Harper having to be content with a place on the bench.

The first half was extremely tedious, with Welling content to defend and look for an occasional push forward, whilst Reading looked generally disinterested. Nicky Forster used his pace on a couple of occasions to get round the back of the defence but the closest we got from this source was a ball across the face of the goal with no-one far enough forward to prod it home.

A Welling player got booked for hitting out at Nicky Shorey, a totally pointless thing to do because Welling had just gained a corner anyway. Even more pointless was when the same player knocked the ball away to stop us taking a throw-in during first half injury time. The referee showed him a second yellow card and the visitors were down to ten men. The degree of cluelessness showed by this player was breathtaking.

Before the second half started, Darius Henderson replaced Alex Smith, who had contributed practically nothing despite getting a chance to play for his place. As always, Henderson showed the willingness that we needed to get involved and to make things happen.

With Welling defending even more now, Reading started to put together a series of decent attacking moves. Joe Gamble, who had had a quiet first half, started to get more involved in the centre of midfield and also had the first good chance of the half when played through. He steadied himself but then curled the 15-yard shot around the outside of the post.

In the next few minutes, we had shot after shot, but most were also off-target. One, seemingly destined for the back of the net, took a deflection (and went off for a goal-kick so it was a Reading player who got in the way). Then a superb Shorey cross from the left was met by Jamie Cureton with a stooping header that flashed past the keeper and the right side of the post to give Reading a 1-0 lead.

If we thought that the goals might flow from this point, we were sadly mistaken. Welling did mount some attempts to get an equaliser, but really the story of the remainder of the match was more Reading attacks and off-target finishing. In the minutes immediately after the goal every Reading player with the ball near the opponents' goal decided to shoot rather than look for a pass - that's OK as long as you score but none of them even forced a decent save.

Reading also won a whole load of corners, but wasted most of them. Far too many were just gently lobbed to the edge of the six-yard box, allowing the Welling keeper to claim a comfortable catch. It didn't seem to matter whether Shorey or Sammy Igoe took the corners - the result was the same.

A Welling break following one of the disappointing corners led to their best chance of the game, with Phil Whitehead forced to save a shot with his legs. It wasn't a confident save and the ball could easily have got under his body, but the important thing is that he did get something behind the ball to stop it.

Forster put in another of his trademark crosses - you know, the ones where he's at too tight an angle to shoot so he fires it at maximum speed across the face of the goal. This one was too far forward for Cureton and just behind Henderson so went out for a throw-in. Had he attempted to pass the ball to either of our unmarked other forwards, it should have led to a second goal.

During injury time, Cureton managed to get the ball into the net again with a sweet shot, but he was correctly ruled to be offside. So the game ended 1-0 and at least we're through to Round 2, rather than looking at newspaper headlines like some other Division 2 sides.

I can't say that this match was entertaining and should we draw similar opponents at home in the next round, there are going to be more people who decide not to turn up. I think the most positive aspect I can get out of the game is to look at Jamie Cureton. There was only one goal, and he scored it. This seems to happen quite a lot - our other forwards are more likely to take part in such a game and not score, even if playing well, but Cureton just has that gift of always picking up the odd goal here or there. What a bargain!

Match notes:

Compared to the Bristol City game, Joe Gamble and Alex Smith replaced the unavailable loanees Kevin Watson and John Salako, whilst Adrian Whitbread returned from injury in place of John Mackie.

Jamie Cureton scored his first home goal of the season.

Reading receive £20,000 in prize money for winning the game.

Match preview:

Before Cup ties against opposition from a lower level, players always say that they will treat their opponents with respect. Well, just for once I would like to see Reading's players actually do so. This is a game that we should be capable of winning comfortably. If we really go out there and play as if we were up against Bristol City again, then we will get a big win.

Far more likely, however, is that we will see a similar game to last season's Round 1 where Reading played at something considerably less than half-pace and still managed to beat the extremely unimpressive Grays Athletic 4-0. Grays were partly to blame, having clearly decided to make no attempt at all to win the game or even to get back on terms once behind, but instead just tried to keep the score down.

Welling United should be more difficult opponents, and surely they will make an attempt to actually get through to the next round in some fashion. Whilst I am sure they will be looking for a 0-0 draw on Saturday, should we take the lead I would expect them to try to get an equaliser. In our previous FA Cup encounter with them 12 years ago, that is how they played it, and it nearly worked with Reading only winning in a third replay. One of the Welling forwards from those games, a player who impressed Reading fans at the time, is now their manager.

We have one chance of Reading players putting in decent effort, and that is because some of them are clearly playing for their places in the side for future games. Loan signings Kevin Watson and John Salako will not be allowed to play against Welling, so probably James Harper and Alex Smith will earn a recall. The rest of the side should be as for the Bristol City game, but that means that John Mackie, Nicky Shorey, Neil Smith, and to a lesser extent Adi Viveash and Andy Hughes will need to show that they are worthy of a place in our first team once all players are available. The player who has most to gain is James Harper who, having missed the last game with flu and failed to excel for most of the season, has an opportunity against lower quality opposition to show what he is really capable of.

I expect Reading to win the tie and at the first attempt, but I just fear that we might be looking at an unimpressive performance and say a 2-0 scoreline. And if our attitude is not right, then there is always a chance of an unacceptable draw or loss.

The winners of the tie receive £20,000 in prize money. Should there be a replay, it will be held at Charlton Athletic's ground The Valley on Wednesday, 28th November.

Ticket information:

Tickets are now on sale. Only the Lower West and Maurice Evans stands will be open for home fans. Prices are as follows:

Adults: £11 in advance, £13 on matchday
Concessions: £6 in advance, £8 on matchday

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