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1999/2000 Reports

Match facts:

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Referee: Barry Knight (Orpington)

Reading line-up: Scott Howie; Andy Gurney, Linvoy Primus, Barry Hunter, Matthew Robinson; Darren Caskey, Phil Parkinson, Peter Grant, Jim McIntyre (Lee Hodges, 59 minutes); Nicky Forster, Mark Nicholls (Keith Scott, 81 minutes)
Subs not used: Peter van der Kwaak, Andy Bernal, Sean Evers
Starting formation:

Reading yellow cards:
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Match report:

Report by Hogwart:

Going to watch Reading this season has been, well, different. Quite simply, I had abandoned all hope of being entertained, or of two-goal leads, of pretty well all the things that yer average supporter takes for granted, if not every week then perhaps one game in two. Visits to the stadium had taken on a sort of grim fascination, where you knew it was going to be crap and all the luck would be in the other direction, you just hoped as little as possible would stick. Like an episode of "Star Trek" where that Division 2 side is almost what you remember from back on Earth, but there's something not quite right in all the key features. That changed today.

I don't know if it was the new assistant manager scaring the living daylights out of the players, or the band pepping up the atmosphere by about three decimal places, or what, but somehow the constipation of Reading's play eased and we had passion, movement, intelligent play, shots on goal that looked like the object was to score rather than just dispose of the ball, and a two-goal win that could have been three of four. And Colchester were sharper than any of the last four visitors who escaped from the Mad House with a point, or were handed one gift-wrapped.

Afraid I can't give a blow-by-blow account, as I've been asked to write a few words only after the event, but both goals were special, the sort of move other teams have pulled on Reading with monontonous regularity and the antithesis of Dr Burns's Patent Bastardized Possession Football. Number one - Colchester on the attack (good grief!) down our left in front of the West Stand midway through the first half. Attack broken up, ball moved quickly down the line from Robinson to McIntyre to Forster, cuts inside, sets up Caskey, bottom corner, bang. The second one was with about 15 minutes left, and I can remember very little about it except another flowing move with Forster again setting up Caskey. Forster had hit the post with a superb curler before that. Colchester never looked like getting back into it, though they should be kicking themselves for leaving Lua Lua on the bench until half-time. McIntyre scythed him down with a "don't you take the piss out of me, son" foul and was promptly substituted, the long-lost Lee Hodges coming in and doing well. There was so much movement up front holes were appearing everywhere, players were running into them, dangerous crosses abounded, the lot.

Pretty well all the outfield players gave the best displays I have seen from them in a Reading shirt - and this in a swirling wind which could have made a mockery of the game. Robinson made his predecessor Gray look like a parks footballer. Nicholls played a wonderfully intelligent game before tiring (but later in the game than hitherto). Grant and Parkinson hunted as a pair but without getting in each other's way too much. Hunter was changed man from the couldn't-care-less oaf of late last year. Forster must have changed his painkillers. And the PR announcer said Reading fans would be pleased with the result of the Cambridge game - they lost and are out of the FA Cup. Maybe a hint about Martin Butler? The mid-table teams had better watch out if this is a real taste of post-Gorman Reading.

Match notes:

Match preview:

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Ticket information:

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