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2002/03 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: None
Assists: None
Opposition goal: After 92 minutes, in second-half injury-time
Half-time: Reading 0 Wimbledon 0
Gamebreaker: Wimbledon's late winner
Attendance: 14,832
Weather: Dry, mostly cloudy but with sunny spells
Referee: Grant Hegley (Bishops Stortford)

Reading line-up: 31 Marcus Hahnemann; 25 Ricky Newman, 6 John Mackie, 8 Adie Williams, 3 Nicky Shorey; 14 Sammy Igoe (10 Nicky Forster, 79 minutes), 11 Andy Hughes (2 Graeme Murty, half-time), 4 Kevin Watson, 17 John Salako; 12 Jamie Cureton, 9 Martin Butler (7 Anthony Rougier, 68 minutes)
Subs not used: 1 Phil Whitehead, 29 Matthew Upson
Starting formation:

Reading yellow cards: None
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

Another immensely disappointing result that could easily have been a win for Reading. After saying before the game that I thought Wimbledon were a decent team, they proved to be very poor and it is simply unacceptable that we were still level going into injury time at the end of the game.

That of course was bad enough, but things ended far worse. The fourth official had indicated two minutes to be added and Wimbledon scored a winning goal after one minute and 50 seconds. We did get about another 40 seconds to find an equaliser but it didn't even look like coming.

Earlier on, things had appeared better. Reading dominated the first half possession, although the best chances fell to the visitors. Both Sammy Igoe and John Salako were playing well in wide positions, and it looked like a matter of time before a breakthrough came. At the other end, Marcus Hahnemann was having his usual effect on the opposing forwards, where the chances that Wimbledon did create all went either straight to the Reading keeper or wide.

At half-time, Andy Hughes went off through injury, with Sammy Igoe moving to his preferred position of central midfield and Graeme Murty playing wide on the right. When we signed Murty, it was apparently as a winger but it still seemed odd to play him there. Perhaps the most obvious swap would have been for Murty to fill his normal right-back position and Ricky Newman to play in the centre of midfield.

Odd thought it was, the new formation did not stop us making more chances. Jamie Cureton had two cleared by the last defender, after having beaten the goalkeeper both times. Our second substitute Anthony Rougier was clearly fouled in the penalty area when he was about to shoot (although the referee waved play on leaving Rougier to beat the ground in frustration), and a Cureton header was acrobatically tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper. Hahnemann had also had to make a fine diving save to keep out a Wimbledon shot earlier in the half, so that was one good save each.

The last Reading substitution saw Nicky Forster come on for Igoe. Forster played wide on the left and Salako on the right, with Murty now in the centre of midfield. What's more, this wasn't the wing-swapping that we've seen in the past between Forster and Salako, but instead quarter of an hour of both of them playing on their weaker side. Salako in particular struggled in the later stages, giving the ball away easily on a number of occasions. It was however Forster who conceded possession in injury time to allow Wimbledon to score that late goal and take all three points.

Some members of the crowd unforgivably sang "What a load of rubbish" as the match finished, but the truth is that if Alan Pardew continues to play people out of position, then rubbish is definitely on the cards in the future.

Match notes:

Compared to the Cambridge game, Adie Williams, Kevin Watson and Sammy Igoe replaced Matthew Upson, Phil Parkinson and Nicky Forster. Igoe for Forster was however the only change to the starting line-up from the last league game, against Rotherham. After recovering from his car crash whiplash injury, Graeme Murty took a place on the bench, effectively at the expense of Phil Parkinson.

This was Reading's fourth home game of the season. Both Saturday games have been defeats and both Tuesday games have been victories. Not sure what that might mean for the clash with Norwich City next Wednesday. The last win at home on a Saturday was nearly seven months ago, on 23/2/2002 against Stoke City. (There have been five home Saturday games since, three draws and two defeats.)

Assuming that the official time of the goal was 90 minutes, then it was the first League goal Reading had conceded for 445 minutes since Leicester's second on 24/8/2002. It also ends Marcus Hahnemann's unbeaten run in League games at 743 minutes.

Match preview:

With Reading in eighth place and two home games this week, we're in an excellent position to make some good progress. However, neither of the two games are going to be that easy. Whilst everyone realises that Norwich City on Wednesday will be difficult opponents, there seems to be a temptation to write off Wimbledon simply because they have few fans. If you look at their results, it's clear that they had a dodgy start but have improved. I think it's quite possible that the team are knitting together simply because of the lack of supporters.

After Tuesday night's performance, no-one's place is particularly safe, although one certain starter (if available) is Kevin Watson. His absence from Cambridge through illness means that he can take no blame for that performance, and I felt we quite severely missed his passing and switching of play.

The main interest will be at centre-back. Will Alan Pardew put one of John Mackie, Adie Williams or the on-loan Matthew Upson on the bench, or will he play three at the back. For a home game, I expect him to stick with 4-4-2. There may also be changes further up-front.

Marcus Hahnemann in goal still has an amazing record, although clearly we now have to restrict it to League games. Seven consecutive clean sheets is the current standing. Also, going back over his last five games, he has thrown a total of six gloves and one shirt into the crowd, so keep an eye out after the final whistle!

Ticket information:

With Wimbledon expected to bring about zero supporters, much of the South Stand is open to Reading fans. Tickets for juniors in this stand will cost £1. Other prices and details are the same as for standard home games, and are available here.

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