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2002/03 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goal: Nicky Forster (25 minutes)
Assist: Nicky Shorey
Opposition goals: After 75 and 83 minutes
Half-time: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Reading 1
Gamebreaker: Final whistle
Attendance: 27,678
Weather: Mostly cloudy
Referee: Alan Kaye (Wakefield)

Reading line-up: 31 Marcus Hahnemann; 2 Graeme Murty, 8 Adie Williams, 29 Steve Brown, 3 Nicky Shorey; 30 Luke Chadwick (25 Ricky Newman, 72 minutes), 15 James Harper, 27 Steve Sidwell, 11 Andy Hughes, 24 Darius Henderson (12 Jamie Cureton, 84 minutes); 10 Nicky Forster (22 Nathan Tyson, 61 minutes)
Subs not used: 21 Jamie Ashdown, 4 Kevin Watson
Approximate starting formation:

Reading yellow cards: Steve Sidwell (foul, 59 minutes)
Reading red cards: Nathan Tyson (foul, 91 minutes, in second-half injury-time)

Match report:

None.

Match notes:

None.

Match preview:

Reading have a perfect record in play-off semi-finals, and whilst we wouldn't want to repeat our overall play-off experience, it would be nice to keep that first part going. There are essentially two ways to approach an away leg in such games. One method is that we adopted at Wigan two years ago - close the game down completely and look for a 0-0 draw. It was a major tactical error then (even if it did work) and it would be an even bigger mistake this time round. The alternative is to go for a win - given our style of play this season, it would be unthinkable for Reading to try anything other than this.

In fact, there has to be a fair chance that the match will be similar to our visit to Molineux earlier in the season. A tight game in which we look to keep a clean sheet but use our counter-attacking flair to hunt out a victory. For that game, we played three central defenders and wing-backs, but the 4-5-1 formation can work in the same manner.

This demands a lot of Nicky Forster - if he's in the form he showed in the autumn where he was clinically taking just about every chance that came his way, we should be able to take a lead into the second leg. Failing that, the threat from our wingers and midfield can still provide goal opportunities, as shown by Andy Hughes' wonder-strike in that previous encounter. The only real doubt for Reading is whether Glen Little can overcome his bout of flu.

Last season, the home side lost to Norwich City at this stage after previously blowing a 12-point lead in the promotion race. Whether such experience will help them is difficult to know. Their form at the end of the season has been very similar to ours - in fact, over the last six league games, both sides picked up 12 points. They are unbeaten at home for some time, but many of those games were draws. Reading have not drawn away from home since the trip to Walsall in the FA Cup in January, so a draw would rank as a surprise.

Wolves should have a full-strength side. Their first-choice back four of Irwin, Lescott, Butler and Naylor has a very good record at not conceding goals recently, although there have been fitness doubts this week about both Lescott and Naylor. Both are sure to play but they may not be at 100%. In fact, Lescott will need an operation at the end of the season for a problem unrelated to his recent absence, so there are two chances of him failing to perform. Their forwards are also strong, with Miller being the notable goalscorer. He picked up an injury in March, which he is attempting to play on with, and which will also need an operation soon. Again, this has to worry him even if it's not affecting him physically.

The Wolves chairman has predicted that his side will win 6-0. Most people have assumed for some time that he falls some way short of a full deck, and such a statement pretty well proves this. Let's ram his words back down his throat, so that in a week's time he can get on with his normal job of sacking managers who have failed to live up to his expectations.

Ticket information:

For information, go to The Play-off Page.

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