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2002/03 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: John Salako (14 minutes), Steve Laidler (59 minutes), Steve Warren (74 minutes)
Assists: Alex Smith, ?, Darren Campbell (for winning the free-kick)
Opposition goals: In the 91st minute
Half-time: Basingstoke Town 0 Reading 1
Gamebreaker: Reading's first goal
Attendance:
Weather: Overcast, dry
Referee: S Tomlinson
Linesmen: H Leonard, C Lymer

Reading line-up: 1 Jamie Ashdown; 2 Graeme Murty (12 John Mullins, 65 minutes), 5 Adrian Whitbread (15 Adam Theo, 62 minutes), 6 Alex Stanley (16 Gary Middleton, 72 minutes), 3 Alex Smith (22 Russell Lucas, 56 minutes); 7 Ricky Newman (21 Simieon Howell, 56 minutes), 8 James Harper (17 Darren Campbell, half-time), 4 Phil Parkinson (14 Matt Birnie, half-time), 11 John Salako (18 Steve Warren, half-time); 9 Martin Butler (19 Nathan Bailey, half-time), 10 Nathan Tyson (20 Steve Laidler, 20 minutes)
Subs not used: None
Reading yellow cards: None
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

This match was a typical early pre-season run-out. There was little fluency in Reading's play, but after the opening stages we were still far too good for Basingstoke Town. In our first attack Martin Butler put a header just wide but the first really good chance came when a fierce Basingstoke shot cannoned off the underside of the cross-bar.

After that brief scare, Reading put a few more passes together and made good forward moves. Ricky Newman was getting a lot of space on the right with Graeme Murty looking for overlapping opportunities but we didn't seem to make the most of it. The pitch sloped away to that side which meant too many balls from midfield went out for throw-ins. The first goal came from the other side of the pitch as Alex Smith put over a tantalising cross that John Salako was able to get to first at the far post and knock home back across the rather large goalkeeper.

Two minutes later a good Salako run through the middle ended with a Butler shot well saved but in the next attack Nathan Tyson seemed to pick up an injury. He hobbled around for a bit before going off to be replaced by Steve Laidler. Tyson had used his pace well once in the opening moments of the game but hit his cross at the keeper on that occasion and did not get another chance.

Laidler missed an excellent chance to score after Butler crossed the ball to him, the shot eventually going just wide. After Basingstoke had managed to get to the other end and force a corner, Laidler had another chance when he put in a good curling shot that the goalkeeper saved easily. The Basingstoke keeper then made an excellent save to tip a Newman shot over the bar. The attacks continued with Butler shooting wide and Laidler then failing to get decent contact on another cross.

Just before the half-time interval, Jamie Ashdown had to catch a cross, which was only about the second time he had had to do anything. A Basingstoke player tried to bundle him into the net, but the post got in the way!

At half-time, Reading made four substitutions, and during the second half both sides made many substitutions, breaking up the game. By the end it was more like two youth teams facing each other, and not surprisingly Reading were still far the superior side. Steve Warren, although a youngster, looked very commanding in the centre of midfield and clearly does not lack confidence.

There was far less action in the half, but Reading scored two more good goals as well as having one dubiously disallowed for a push. After 14 minutes, Steve Laidler made up for the miss in the first half by getting the ball just outside the area, beating one defender and then firing the ball into the roof of the net.

Darren Campbell on the left side of midfield was getting some possession and was making it count. Towards the end of the game, he started to shine with a superb run from the half-way line past several defenders ending only with a foul on the edge of the area. Whilst the goalkeeper was still lining up the wall, Warren shot the ball into the far top corner to complete the Reading scoring.

Campbell had several more good runs, whilst Simieon Howell on the right side of midfield had also looked threatening down the flank during the last half-hour. However, it was the home side who had the last word with a goal thumped home as the game went into injury time.

At this stage of the season, all a team is really looking for is a bit of a run-out, and this game fitted that bill quite nicely. None of the Reading performances gave any cause for concern, so that the only possible black spot was the injury to Tyson. As Tyson left the ground, he was still limping heavily, but as he was walking I assume that the injury cannot be too bad.

Match notes:

Reading legend Steve Richardson was taking the warm-up session for the Basingstoke Town players. Richardson is a coach at the Camrose Ground.

Match preview:

Reading are expected to play the following side, under the management of Kevin Dillon:
Jamie Ashdown, Graeme Murty, Alex Smith, Phil Parkinson, Adrian Whitbread, Alex Stanley, Ricky Newman, James Harper, Martin Butler, Nathan Tyson, John Salako
Subs: Steve Laidler, Matt Birnie, Steve Warren, John Mullins, Nathan Bailey, Darren Campbell, Simieon Howell, Russell Lucas, Adam Theo, Gary Middleton

Ticket information:

Ticket prices are:
Adults - £7
Seniors - £4
Juniors - £2

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