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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: None
Assists: None
Opposition goals: After 4 and 41 minutes
Half-time: York City 2 Reading 0
Gamebreaker: York's second goal
Attendance: 3,161
Weather: Clear, dry, cool
Referee: Brian Curson (Leicester)

Reading line-up: 21 Jamie Ashdown; 2 Graeme Murty, 8 Adie Williams, 5 Adi Viveash (23 John Mackie, 68 minutes), 28 Nicky Shorey ; 11 Andy Hughes (Nathan Tyson, 80 minutes), 4 Keith Jones, 15 James Harper, 7 Anthony Rougier (14 Sammy Igoe, 71 minutes); 12 Jamie Cureton, 24 Darius Henderson
Subs not used: 30 Tony Malessa, 16 Phil Parkinson
Reading yellow cards: Graeme Murty (dissent, 43 minutes)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

No-one will ever convince me that the majority of our players had the slightest interest in getting a positive result from this game. Despite the pre-match comments from Alan Pardew about how we wanted to progress in the competition to bring in more funds, I think there was a definite "concentrate on the league" feel about what went on on the pitch. If it wasn't that, then it was a recurrence of the "we're too good to play at grounds like this" syndrome that cropped up last season, and has periodically shown itself against this year.

That's not to say that we didn't have some decent attacking moves, but we were up against a very poor side, who were probably worse by some distance than the Barnet side we faced on Tuesday, and there is not the slightest excuse for failing to come away with a comfortable victory.

We were chasing the game from the third minute, when a York break allowed their winger to cross and pick out an unmarked player in the box. He was easily able to shoot home. Our best chances in the immediate aftermath seemed to be appeals for a penalty, as on three occasions it appeared that a York player handled the ball in the box. However, all of them could easily be put down as ball-to-hand and as they were also at the far end I'm not going to criticise the decisions.

After a long period of pressure we had nothing more to show than a few corners, and instead got caught on the break, this time Jamie Ashdown parrying the initial shot only as far as a York midfielder who stabbed it home. Reading players appealed for offside against the York player with the first shot, with Graeme Murty even getting booked for his comments, but from behind the goal it certainly didn't look blatant.

In the second half, nothing much changed really. A James Harper free-kick from the edge of the area hit the foot of the post and went out for a goal-kick with the York keeper rooted to the spot. York wasted time at every opportunity (and much more effectively than we ever do when in a similar situation) whilst our attacks never really looked threatening. York occasionally broke up the other end of the field but we dealt capably with them in this half. Their best opportunity was stopped by a Keith Jones challenge in the area, when the home fans hopefully and fruitlessly appealed for a penalty.

In fact, the closest we came after the free-kick was when a defender narrowly headed wide when clearing a cross. Darius Henderson had two shots that went just over the bar, whilst substitute Nathan Tyson carefully took aim and then lobbed the ball ten yards wide of the goal, and too high as well. In injury time, Henderson punched the ball into the net, but the referee was easily able to spot the infringement. He did however fail to book our player.

I thought that the only Reading player to come out of the game with any real credit was Nicky Shorey who looked eager to bring the ball forward and then of course had no-one to cross it to, or if surrounded by defenders no outlet for a pass. Otherwise, far too much of our play was the standard last resort of hoofing the ball in the rough direction of Henderson, whilst both Harper and Jones in midfield failed to contribute anything much.

To make matters worse, Adi Viveash sent off injured in the second half, so we are now down to our last two fit centre-backs.

Match notes:

This was Reading's first defeat against a team from a lower level since .......... last Tuesday.

Reading played against York City in round 2 in 2000/01 as well - this was the first time since 1977 that we had played the same team in the FA Cup in successive seasons. The last such side were Wealdstone who we beat in round 1 in 1976/77 and then lost to in round 2 the following year. The last time that we lost to the same side in the FA Cup in successive seasons was in 1935/36 and 1936/37, when Manchester United defeated us in round 3 on both occasions.

Of the starting eleven in the game away to York in Round 2 last season, 10 are still at Reading. However, only three (Adi Viveash, Keith Jones and Jamie Cureton) started this game as well. Two of the others were on the bench, whilst the other five were all out of the line-up due to injury. Lee Hodges was the starter from last season who has since left the club.

Match preview:

None.

Ticket information:

The York away end is an uncovered terrace with space for 2,663 fans. There are also two sections of seating available on either side of the pitch which total about 800 seats.

Prices are:
Terrace - adults £9, concessions £5
Popular stand - adults £10, concessions £6
Main stand - adults £12, concessions £8

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