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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: Nicky Forster (30 minutes), Jamie Cureton (45 minutes)
Assists: Adie Williams, Sammy Igoe
Opposition goals: None
Half-time: Chesterfield 0 Reading 2
Gamebreaker: Reading's second goal
Attendance: 5,145
Referee: Keith Hill (Royston)

Reading line-up: 1 Phil Whitehead; 11 Andy Hughes, 8 Adie Williams, 23 John Mackie, 28 Nicky Shorey; 14 Sammy Igoe (24 Darius Henderson, 81 minutes), 6 Kevin Watson (15 James Harper, 73 minutes), 16 Phil Parkinson, 29 John Salako; 10 Nicky Forster, 12 Jamie Cureton (7 Anthony Rougier, 68 minutes)
Subs not used: 21 Jamie Ashdown, 5 Adi Viveash
Reading yellow cards: Nicky Forster (kicking the ball away?, 20 minutes)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

They don't believe in working tannoy systems in Chesterfield, so I had little idea of the Reading line-up before the teams ran out just before kick-off. Watching the warm-up, though, two things were apparent. Graeme Murty was nowhere to be seen, whilst Nicky Forster was not taking part in everything. At one stage Forster was practising shooting with Jamie Ashdown, whilst every other outfield player took part in a small-sided game. Later, he went through a separate stretching exercise with Niall Clark and also disappeared down the tunnel before everyone else. Of course, the only possible conclusion was that he was going to be on the bench. Wrong!

Phil Whitehead was sporting yet another new shirt. This one appeared to be a Chesterfield away goalkeeper's jersey, although it had no sponsor on it (perhaps they started selling them to fans before they had agreed a sponsorship deal?). It did have his name on it, though - presumably a service provided by the Saltergate shop. I wonder what they charged us for this? Presumably the shirt will get offered as a future prize, although it looked hideous so don't get too excited if you win it!

Murty's absence left room for Kevin Watson to start the game. Watson got a very early touch, as from the kick-off the ball was passed to him in the centre-circle and he immediately booted it into touch. Watson made amends by intercepting the Chesterfield throw-in, and from that point on had something like a perfect game until he tired in the second half.

With Watson's passing from midfield, the balls played up towards Forster became quality passes rather than hopeful balls in the right general direction, and Forster proceeded to use his pace to easily get there before the defenders on many occasions. Chesterfield discovered very quickly that there was only one way to stop him. The first player to foul him as he headed towards goal was a Reading midfield reject, who got a yellow card. Ten minutes later, one of the defenders did the same and was also booked.

In the next attack, Forster muscled the defender off the ball, which the referee interpreted as a foul. Forster carried on and shot the ball into the net, so was booked for time-wasting. I didn't hear the whistle, so don't know if this was a harsh card or not, but I certainly didn't think it was a foul in the first place.

Chesterfield nearly made us pay a few minutes later with a good shot from outside the area which hit the bar, with Whitehead not close. Perhaps that was a mistake, because it seemed to push Reading forward and we had soon taken the lead. Fittingly, it was Forster who got the goal - he received the ball outside the area with his back to goal, turned quickly and outpaced his marker, before firing a blistering shot in off the underside of the bar from about 20 metres out. It was hit so hard that the goalkeeper was unable to move his hands the few feet necessary to stop it.

We had other attacks without scoring before a good spell of pressure just before the interval extended the lead. A Sammy Igoe shot was saved well at the expense of a corner. From the corner, the ball worked its way to Igoe again - he either shot or crossed and the ball ricocheted out to Jamie Cureton who fired another unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

At half-time the game was all but won, and the performance over the first 45 minutes was about as good as it gets. We were in a completely differerent league from the home side, with Forster and Watson in particular putting in outstanding performances. Forster's goal would be a certainty for goal of the season had it been scored at home, and might win such a competition anyway.

The second half was not quite as impressive, though. Reading had clearly eased off, whilst Watson tired and was eventually replaced by James Harper. We seemed unable to keep the ball for any great length of time, whilst still coping comfortably with anything that Chesterfield could attempt.

Had the home side managed to get one goal they would have probably put us under some pressure as we tried to step back up a gear, but that never looked particularly likely. The song of "You'll never beat John Mackie" was never more appropriate as most attacks seemed to end either with him winning a towering header or coming away from the defensive line with the ball at his feet. The only weakness defensively seemed to come on the right where Andy Hughes, playing out of position of course, sometimes got the wrong side of the ball from his winger, but even when that happened they still had to get past Mackie. What meant in practice was that they were restricted to long-range shots that were never going to even test Phil Whitehead.

At the other end, Forster was still dangerous, and did force a couple of saves from the Chesterfield keeper, although neither were particularly dangerous. Anthony Rougier replaced Cureton, and also showed that he could beat the defenders whenever he wanted to. However whilst he and Forster were the forward partnership, Forster often found himself alone up-front whilst Rougier was lagging behind in midfield. Given Nicky's passing record this may not seem too important, but if the defenders had had another forward to worry about, things would have opened up more.

That problem was solved in the last ten minutes by bringing on Darius Henderson, with Rougier now playing wide on the right instead of Sammy Igoe. Rougier went on one mazy run, trying to work himself into a shooting position but instead got fouled just outside the D. I thought Harper was going to fire it into the top right corner, but instead John Salako aimed for the top left and was just too high.

As the final whistle went, that was another three points and our first win in four games. The fact that we came to this game and played for a win was important, as it removed some of my concerns about Alan Pardew's comments about the last few games. It's clear that we are still going to be playing for three points each game, and that will see us to the championship.

The players didn't return to the dressing-room at the end of the game but instead went straight into a warm-down routine. They have done this before this season - I assume it's a combination of trying to introduce some variety and getting home quicker!

Match notes:

Compared to the Brighton & Hove Albion game, Kevin Watson replaced Graeme Murty (with Andy Hughes moving to right-back), whilst fit-again Nicky Forster came in for Anthony Rougier. Rougier displaced Nathan Tyson from the subs bench.

Kevin Watson made his debut as a permanent Reading signing, having previously played on loan. Our record in games that he has started for Reading is now P7 W6 D0 L1 F16 A5 Pts18, so his influence is obvious for all to see.

The first goal meant that we had scored at least once against every other Division 2 team this season. The result of the game means that Chesterfield failed to do the double over us, and Brentford are now the only team that can do so this season.

Match preview:

A trip to Chesterfield gives us a good chance to get back to winning ways. The reason Reading are at the top of the division is that we win or lose games, rather than drawing them, but three successive draws have rather dented that record. Fortunately the team management are talking about looking for a win at Saltergate and not (as I had feared) about playing for a point.

The home team themselves have recently been approaching away games on a basis where they attempt only to get a 0-0 draw, and have succeeded in the last two games. This is perfectly reasonable, as they are by no means clear of the relegation fight just yet, although it would be a surprise if they were to drop into the bottom four. Hopefully, they will be more adventurous at home, but we shall have to wait and see. Like us, they have drawn their last three games.

The Reading line-up should see a change from last Saturday because it looks like Nicky Forster will be fit. Also, there is no doubt that Kevin Watson will be in the squad. There have been comments from the club that he is likely to start on the bench due to a lack of games recently, but when we signed him on loan in November the same conditions applied and he played for an hour in the first game of that spell. I'd like to see Anthony Rougier missing to accomodate Forster, although if Watson does start I'm not sure which of Andy Hughes and Phil Parkinson should make way.

In December, Chesterfield managed to beat us 1-0 at home, with a fairly competent defensive display. On the basis that they came for a 0-0 draw, they were of course ecstatic at the result, and fans were talking about the best display from their team in years. One surprise was that their goalkeeper made decent saves and caught crosses, because whilst at Luton Town he appeared unable to do either. I reckon by now he will be playing at his usual level, though.

Chesterfield also have, in Steve Blatherwick and Martin Booty, two ex-Reading players. Both are likely to start, and Booty no doubt still bears a grudge after his treatment by Tommy Burns. For what it's worth, I think that was one of the few decisions Burns got right, and I am surprised that Booty is still playing at this level. Just proves that he was swinging the lead whilst with us.

Our record in Chesterfield is not good, but we have won games there when we needed to.

Ticket information:

All of the terracing at Chesterfield's ground was closed over the summer of 2001. That was three sides, of course, leaving only the 2,500 seats in the main stand usable. The original plan was to install 3,500 temporary seats on the terracing but this was blocked. Plan B therefore went into action, the intention being to upgrade the terracing at each end of the ground with the aim of getting 3,700 terrace spaces on the old away end and 1,000 in the old home end. (At least one of the numbers in the preceding sentences isn't exactly right as the final capacity will be 7,045.) As of 12th September 2001 the capacity was 6,016 - I'm not sure what is is now.

The area set aside for away fans at the start of the season was a small portion of seating (about 800 seats, I believe) but this has changed as the ground work continues. Reading have been allocated 300 seats, plus one end terrace holding 1,316 people.

Tickets go on sale to season ticket holders from Wednesday, 6th March (two per season ticket), to Suppporters' Club members from Monday, 11th March (one per member) and on general sale from Tuesday, 12th March. Prices are as follows:
Adults - Seats £14, terrace £13
Seniors / Under-16s - Seats £8, terrace £7

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