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2000/01 Reports

Reading goals: Gurney, Hodges, Forster (penalty)
Attendance:

Reading line-up: Howie, Lockwood ,Shorey, N Smith, A Williams (C Smith), Casper, Gurney, Jones, Henderson (Haddow), Forster (Alcott), Hodges
Subs not used: None

Report from The Scribe:

Despite the scoreline, Reading comfortably won this match, which was most notable for the return from injury of both Adie Williams and Nicky Forster. Both of them played for the first hour of the match, and went off in a double substitution. Strangely enough, two Wycombe players returning from injury went off at exactly the same time, almost as if the clubs had come to some sort of agreement before the game.

With the recent weather and a game last night, the pitch was in surprisingly good condition. During this match the weather was dull and misty with a bit of drizzle, but no more snow.

Wycombe took the lead after 12 minutes when a cross to the far post was chested home, but Reading fought back and secured a superb equaliser when Andy Gurney got a glancing header to a cross from the left-hand side.

After 28 minutes, Wycombe regained the lead after a defensive mix-up involving Adie Williams. Two of our players went for the same ball and Williams' header therefore only went to the edge of the area. From there a Wycombe player was able to lob it over Howie and into the net. This time it took only four minutes for an equaliser when Nicky Forster went on a good run and put a shoulder-high cross over that Lee Hodges was able to head home.

Five minutes before half-time the scoring was completed. Another Forster run was stopped only when he was brought down from behind in the penalty area. He took the penalty himself and was therefore able to mark his return with a goal.

The second half was one-way traffic and I don't think that Wycombe had a single chance. However, Reading managed to miss all of ours, with Gurney in particular getting into good positions without being able to put the ball home.

Forster looked very sharp indeed throughout, and was certainly much quicker than the Wycombe defenders. A few of his passes went astray which was a sign that he still needs games under his belt. Williams had a competent game, apart from the mix-up that led to the second Wycombe goal, but it was clear that he too is some way from a first team return.

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