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2002/03 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goal: Anthony Rougier (11 minutes)
Assist: John Salako
Opposition goal: After 39 minutes
Half-time: Reading 1 Stoke City 1
Gamebreaker: Final whistle
Attendance: 13,646
Weather: Sunny spells, warm
Referee: Rob Styles (Waterlooville) - a late replacement for David Elleray (Harrow)

Reading line-up: 31 Marcus Hahnemann; 2 Graeme Murty, 6 John Mackie, 8 Adie Williams, 29 Matthew Upson, 17 John Salako; 25 Ricky Newman, 4 Kevin Watson (22 Nathan Tyson, 85 minutes), 11 Andy Hughes; 12 Jamie Cureton, 7 Anthony Rougier (10 Nicky Forster, 81 minutes)
Subs not used: 21 Jamie Ashdown, 3 Nicky Shorey, 14 Sammy Igoe
Starting formation:

Reading yellow cards: Kevin Watson (foul, 68 minutes), John Salako (foul, 91 minutes, in second-half injury-time)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

This was a tedious game, typical of many at home, enlivened only by a well-taken goal from Anthony Rougier. Stunned to have actually found the net, Rougier celebrated by taking the next 20 minutes off. We should have held on to win, but a lucky deflected goal just before half-time gave Stoke an equaliser.

Match notes:

Reading played the same starting line-up as in the Wolves game the previous Saturday, but Nathan Tyson was on the bench instead of Darius Henderson.

Anthony Rougier's goal was his first of the season. His last goal was on 7/4/2002 away to Tranmere Rovers, but his previous goals at Madejski Stadium were nearly two years ago, at home to Oxford United on 28/10/2000.

Match preview:

This game might appear slightly strange, as for the last five seasons the visits of Stoke City has always been considered big events. The first of those meetings was part of an unsuccessful Division 1 relegation battle for both teams, and the other League games have always been viewed as promotion battles (apart from 1999/2000 which was big for Reading only because it was the last home game of the season). This game is different, because both teams sides are currently in the middle of the table and I think quite likely to end there as well. For that reason, it's likely that the crowd will be lower than some people seem to be expecting.

John Mackie injured a knee earlier in the week and missed at least one day's training. However, it seems that he is likely to be fit and so I would expect the same line-up as last Saturday. Probably, the wing-backs John Salako and Graeme Murty will be expected to push forward more than they did last week, making the formation more attacking (essentially, more like 3-5-2 than 5-3-2).

It will be interesting to see who is the substitute goalkeeper. I have heard nothing to say that Jamie Ashdown has officially returned from Bournemouth, although his initial loan spell must have expired by now. Supposedly, Alan Pardew had wanted to have him sitting on the bench instead of Phil Whitehead for the last two league games, so we shall have to wait to see whether that still applies if Ashdown is indeed now back on our books. Otherwise, there doesn't appear to be any reason to change the bench from last week either. (Later news: Obviously, that paragraph was written before Phil Whitehead went on loan to Tranmere Rovers, so Ashdown will be on the bench.)

If Mackie is not fit to start, I can only assume that we'll return to 4-4-2, with Nicky Shorey coming in at left-back.

In a quite similar fashion to Reading, Stoke's results have been mixed. They also have two players suspended for our game, through picking up red cards. They are just below us in the League table, but would overtake us if they were to win this game.

As I mentioned after the Wimbledon game, we haven't won at home on a Saturday since 23rd February, although there have only been five such games and two defeats in the seven months since then. That last home Saturday win was against Stoke, and was one of the best performances Reading have maanged for some time, although the result was only 1-0. A repeat would do nicely.

Ticket information:

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

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