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2002/03 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: None
Assists: None
Opposition goals: After 3 and 5 minutes
Half-time: Reading 0 Norwich City 2
Gamebreaker: Sending-off of John Mackie after 39 minutes
Attendance: 14,335
Weather: Dry, cool
Referee: Steve Bennett (Orpington) - changed from Matt Messias

Reading line-up: 31 Marcus Hahnemann; 2 Graeme Murty, 6 John Mackie, 8 Adie Williams, 29 Matthew Upson, 17 John Salako (22 Nathan Tyson, 74 minutes); 14 Sammy Igoe, 4 Kevin Watson (25 Ricky Newman, 68 minutes), 11 Andy Hughes; 12 Jamie Cureton (10 Nicky Forster, 68 minutes), 7 Anthony Rougier
Subs not used: Jamie Young, 16 Phil Parkinson
Starting formation:

Reading yellow cards: Matthew Upson (foul, 11 minutes), John Mackie (foul or dissent?, 14 minutes), John Mackie (foul, 42 minutes), Sammy Igoe (deliberate handball, 53 minutes), Anthony Rougier (73 minutes), Ricky Newman (foul, 81 minutes)
Reading red card: John Mackie (two yellow cards, 42 minutes)

Match report:

"Diary of a Madman", by Steve Bennett, Aged 39 and three-quarters.

18th September - Got up and my mum made breakfast. Looking forward to tonight, because I'm in charge of the Reading - Norwich game. Got driven to the game. Saw Delia, who wished me well and winked at me. I wonder......

Kick-off. Reading attack - corner. Norwich attack - goal. Reading attack - corner. Norwich attack - goal. That big Reading goalkeeper hasn't even touched the ball yet. This is getting predictable. Let's see if I can shake it up a bit. I'll try and book all three Reading centre-backs, because they don't seem to know what they're doing anyway.

Oh look, the big Norwich forward has just fouled Matthew Upson. I'll let it go. And now Upson puts in a challenge. I'll book him. Part 1 of my cunning plan complete.

Oh look, now the big Norwich forward has fouled John Mackie. I'll let it go. And now Mackie puts in a challenge. The Norwich fans shout handball, so I'll give them a free-kick. And phase 2 of my plan - book Mackie. Make it look like it's not for dissent by not moving the ball forward. That'll confuse them. Norwich player down injured - we'll wait until the physio's finished and he's ready. Free-kick over the bar - that's a shame.

Reading player down injured - off the pitch, son, if you want treatment.

I've just realised something. The ball-boys are speeding the game up by throwing spare balls to the players of both teams. What's that all about? I'm in charge here, so I'll put a stop to it. Let's see - melodramatically stop play before a goal-kick, run over to the tunnel and tell the chief steward. That should make me the centre of attention as well.

Adie Williams makes a challenge. Yes!!!! Another free-kick. Blast, where's my card gone. I had it just now. Better just give him a talking-to.

Look, the big Norwich forward has fouled John Mackie again. I'll let it go. And now Mackie puts in a challenge. That was quite a bad one. And I've found both of my prettily-coloured cards, so I'll wave them both at him. And all the Norwich fans are waving at him as well. How nice. But wait a minute, I want to be the centre of attention. Better not send anyone else off.

Half-time and a well deserved cuppa. Some of the people here don't seem to like me.

Now how can I get more attention in the second half? Well, for a start the ball just hit the hand of that very little man. Sammy Igoe, you're booked. It's all very well trying to explain that you couldn't jump without putting your arm in the air, but keep talking because it means more people will look in my direction.

Norwich seem to be having a lot of the ball. Oh dear, I'm going to have to give a free-kick to Reading for that bad foul. Sorry, Delia, but hopefully you'll have noticed that I didn't book the Norwich player who kicked the ball away to waste time. Don't know why he bothered really - it's obvious that his team are going to win if I have anything to do with it.

Anthony Rougier in the penalty area with the ball? Well, we know he can't score, and he's already missed one opportunity tonight by failing to shoot (and just when I was about to dramatically disallow it, too!). Oh crikey, the Norwich player's fouled him. What on earth did he do that for? Better make a decision, I suppose - play on!

Now what's going on. Rougier's standing still in the middle of the pitch, and a Norwich player has run into him? Free kick and a yellow card for Rougier, I think.

I see Ricky Newman's on the pitch now. That's bound to give me a chance to show a sixth yellow card, which means Reading will be reported to the FA and allow me some more time in the spotlight. Ah, yes. Thankyou, Ricky. Well, no-one can complain about that one. And some good shots for the camera of me trying to calm down the Norwich players.

Now what more can I do? Excellent! Another foul in the penalty area by a Norwich player - play on!

Nearly over, and I have been enjoying myself. Four minutes of injury time and now the final whistle. With a flourish, I think. Some burly stewards are coming over to say hello. One more dramatic gesture, I think - I'll just stand here and let all the players leave the pitch first.

Another £800 well earned. Wonder when I'll be back here and if they'll remember me.

THE END

Match notes:

Compared to the Wimbledon game, Graeme Murty, Matthew Upson and Anthony Rougier moved from the bench to the starting line-up, replacing Ricky Newman, Nicky Shorey and Martin Butler. Furthermore there was a switch in formation from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2. Jamie Young replaced Phil Whitehead on the bench, whilst Ricky Newman dropped down to substitute and Phil Parkinson and Nathan Tyson came in, effectively at the expense of Nicky Shorey and Martin Butler.

Matthew Upson made his first appearance at a home game since joining on loan. Anthony Rougier made his first start of the season, and when Nathan Tyson came on as a sub, it was his first game this season.

Jamie Young was named as a substitute for the first time, and gained a squad number because of it. Unfortunately I wasn't listening and so don't know what number!

John Mackie will now miss the away game at Grimsby Town on 5/10/2002 due to a one game suspension.

Match preview:

Well, I'm in the slightly odd position of knowing what the team is for tonight's game so I'm not going to speculate too much about it.

It's not giving away too much to say that Jamie Cureton will be playing, and will undoubtedly be looking to score against his old club. Cureton was firm favourite at Norwich after dyeing his hair in the club colours before a game against rivals Ipswich Town, and then scoring in the game as well. Perhaps someone could put some blue-and-white hoops in for this game, just to show his new loyalties.

After losing in the play-off final last season, there is expectation this time around that Norwich will go up at the end of the season. In practice, I don't think they're really good enough, but they are undoubedly going to give us another stiff test, perhaps at a similar level to the Coventry City game. We need to show that we have learnt lessons, particularly about playing until the final whistle goes, if we are to get anything from this game.

The game has been chosen for live commentary on the new digital radio station Five Live Sports Extra - see the latest news page for a web link, or you can also hear it on a digibox.

Ticket information:

Prices and details are the same as for standard home games, and are available here.

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