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2000/01 Reports

Reading goal: Rougier
Attendance: About 75

Reading line-up: Howie, Lockwood, Robinson (Haddow), N Smith, C Smith, Hunter, Gamble, Caskey (Henderson), Rougier, McIntyre, Gray
Sub not used: None

1st half report from The Scribe:

This game was played at Palmer Park in Reading, because the pitch at Farnborough was waterlogged. I spoke briefly to Alan Pardew before the game, and asked him whether the pitch was wide enough for these games. He said it probably wasn't, but didn't seem at all concerned!

The Reading line-up included both Matthew Robinson and Tony Rougier, returning from injury. Also Neil Smith played, and was no longer wearing his protective mask. Carl Asaba started the game for Gillingham.

Gillingham created a number of chances in the first half, and it was exceptionally amusing that it was Asaba who missed them, including an open goal. Instead Reading took the lead five minutes before half-time when Tony Rougier got in a good header after a Darren Caskey corner.

Soon after that Rougier got booked after protesting about what looked like a bad foul on him (which wasn't given). Just before the break, Gillingham missed another easy chance, when they skied the ball over the bar.

2nd half report from The Cube:

This was my first reserve match for nearly 25 years, so you can imagine how annoyed I was that Railtrack failed to get me to Reading before the game had started! I caught the last few minutes of the first half so was able to see Asaba, but not for long as he was substituted at half-time. Probably for being useless.

In the second half, Reading comfortably protected their lead, with Scott Howie only really tested once, and that was only to athletically pull a cross out of the air.

At the other end, it seemed just a matter of time before we scored another. We were able to play several through balls along the ground that allowed a runner to beat the shaky Gillingham offside trap. From the first, Caskey was through with only the keeper to beat. He got pushed wide, but as the keeper went for the ball Caskey fell over. It might have been a penalty, although probably not. However if the keeper did play the ball it should definitely have been a corner rather than the actual decision of a goal kick.

In the next good attack, Caskey actually got the ball into the net but the goal was disallowed. Jim McIntyre played the ball out to Rougier on the left wing. From near the byline, he put a good low cross over that Caskey turned in at the far post. The linesman flagged for offside - now there was no doubt that Caskey was further forward than the last defender but it must have been close as to whether he was ahead of the ball given that Rougier crossed it from about two yards short of the line. (For those that aren't sure about the offside law, a player cannot be offside if he is behind the ball at the moment it is played, regardless of where the defenders are.)

Another chance came from a Smith long throw. Barry Hunter got a perfect flick-on that looped the ball over the keeper and towards the net, but a defender was able to hook it away. Had Rougier followed in, he might well have made sure that we scored, as he could either have got a touch or made it more difficult for the defender to play the ball away. Instead, Rougier just stood on the edge of the six-yard box and watched.

From another through ball, Caskey again tripped over the goalkeeper but again the referee did not award a penalty, and again I think he was probably right. Then Darius Henderson came on for Caskey. Towards the end of the game, Henderson nearly scored after nicely chesting the ball down and shooting, but the keeper dived and mad the save.

At the other end, Barry Hunter had to put in a last-gasp challenge to stop Gillingham getting an undeserved equaliser, and when the final whistle went Reading's reserves had won again.

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