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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: Jamie Cureton (but really it was an own goal) (68 minutes), Darius Henderson (91 minutes, in second half injury time)
Assists: Nicky Forster, John Salako
Opposition goals: None
Half-time: Wycombe Wanderers 0 Reading 0
Gamebreaker: Reading's first goal
Attendance: 9,250
Weather: Very strong wind behind Wycombe in first half, dropping dramatically at half-time (!) but picking up again later, mostly dry but occasional wintry showers, fairly cold
Referee: Roger Furnandiz (Doncaster)

Reading line-up: 1 Phil Whitehead; 2 Graeme Murty, 23 John Mackie, 5 Adi Viveash, 28 Nicky Shorey; 14 Sammy Igoe, 11 Andy Hughes, 16 Phil Parkinson, 29 John Salako; 10 Nicky Forster (24 Darius Henderson, 88 minutes), 12 Jamie Cureton (7 Anthony Rougier, 75 minutes)
Subs not used: 21 Jamie Ashdown, 32 Leo Roget, 15 James Harper
Reading yellow cards: Andy Hughes (kicking the ball away, 21 minutes), Sammy Igoe (foul, 36 minutes)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

To follow

Match notes:

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes to allow for the enormous traffic jam heading into the area of the ground.

Reading had exactly the same starting line-up as against Stoke City, but Anthony Rougier and James Harper replaced Neil Smith and Joe Gamble on the bench. Harper did not get onto the pitch, so has not really made his first team comeback from injury yet.

The attendance of 9,250 was a League record for Adams Park beating the previous high of 9,217 against Queens Park Rangers earlier this season. The overall ground record is 9,921 against Fulham in the FA Cup, also earlier this season. This means that successive Reading games have been played in front of ground record League crowds.

No player was sent off! This is worthy of comment because there had been a red card in six of the previous seven League games between the two clubs.

This should be our last game this season with a yellow ball. Our record in League games was:
P21 W15 D4 L2 Pts 49 Pts per game 2.333
Bring it back now!

And finally, this was of course the last EVER League game between Reading and Wycombe - our complete record is:
P8 W6 D1 L1 F17 A10 Pts19

Match preview:

The strange thing about League games between Wycombe Wanderers and Reading is that every time they play at our place they are absolutely rubbish, whilst at Adams Park the home side always seems to pull out a good performance. Well, they have successfully maintained the first part of that record earlier this season, so we should expect that tonight's game will be difficult.

Weather conditions are unlikely to help much. There has been a lot of rain, although it appears that the strong winds will have gone by the time we reach kick-off. The centre of the Wycombe pitch is no better than Withdean (which as you can imagine is the biggest insult I could offer) but the wings are definitely playable.

So, having dragged us down to their level, are we going to be able to get the three points necessary to put pressure on our so-called challengers? The answer really should be yes, as the quality of the Reading side shone out on Saturday and should be easily good enough to secure a victory.

I can't see any way that the starting line-up will change, despite the return from suspension of Anthony Rougier or the expected full fitness of James Harper this week. Rougier will surely get a place on the bench, however, probably at the expense of Joe Gamble.

None of the Wycombe line-up are worth mentioning, but worth looking out for are the annual inaccurate rantings in the programme of their obsessed chairman, no doubt still smarting over his inability to choose the correct team to follow. "Tonight we welcome Reading, who probably arrived by helicopter after spending another £3 million pounds on players last week. Our own team of amateurs and plucky miners fresh from a day's work at the coal face aren't used to the palatial facilities in Berkshire but will be raring to go tonight after paying for the privilege to play for this club." Etc, etc.

Another common feature of these games is the sly digs of the Wycombe manager, still hurting over the fact that he is not the Reading manager. It will be good next season when we have left behind this small-minded bunch.

Ticket information:

Since our last visit, there have been major changes to the away accommodation at Adams Park. Wycombe have rebuilt the end stand to a hold 1,967 seats (although Reading have said that only 1,949 are on sale). What they have done is taken off the roof, built back a bit, and then put a new roof on (not built a double-decker stand as I mistakenly said before).

The home club have also built a new section for away wheelchair supporters in the front of the new away stand. Wheelchair tickets are available direct from Wycombe on 01494 441118.

Other tickets go on sale to season ticket holders on Saturday, 26th January (after the Colchester United home game), to Supporters Club members on Tuesday, 5th February, and on general sale from Friday, 8th February.

Prices are as follows:
Adults - £14
Seniors and Students - £11
Under-16s - £8

In addition, there are tickets available in the Family Stand, but only by booking direct from Wycombe on 01494 441118. Prices are as follows (at least one concession ticket is needed for two adults):
Adults - £11
Seniors - £8
Under-16s - £4

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